Making thread buttons - my first two.

Last year, on Instagram, I followed @ginabsilkworks as she created a button for every day of 2016. Yes, she created 366 different buttons (you can see the full collection on her website)! Some of them looked really complicated as they used different colours or had threads weaving in and out so you couldn't see how they were put together. But there were a few more simple ones that I thought I'd like to try and you can buy kits from Gina's website to help get you started, so one of those went on my Christmas list and my sister obliged.

The kit (see above) comes with everything your need to make 30 buttons, including two different coloured threads and instructions, but there's no reason you can't use some of your own thread if you want something in a particular colour. 

The instructions are easy to follow, with plenty of photos. I decided to start with the first one in the instructions, a Death's Head button. I couldn't find a reason why they're called Death's Head buttons, but they originally came from Leek in Staffordshire, England, which was a centre for button making from the early 1600s*.

I ended up having to restart this button a couple of times as you need to keep the tension of you thread even and it can easily slip off the rounded edge of the button. As my first one, it's not too bad.

The second one I made was from a hexagonal mould that was much easier to make because of the flat sides, though, again, you need to keep an eye on your thread tension. The thread on both buttons is wound the same way, but you can see from the photos what a difference the shape of the button makes to the pattern created.

I'm going to try a two-colour Death's head button next. I'll let you know how that turns out soon.

I'll be back on Thursday.

TTFN
Louise

*I found this information on the Contemporary Makers blog.