Tufted Buttons

Holly came down to visit while Kao was away on business, but job interviews and a nasty cold has taken up pretty much every moment, up until now!

We looked at inspiration portraits and decided some design details for her ACC dress.

Her main inspiration portrait is this beauty:

Bronzino, Agnolo. Portrait of a Lady. 1550. Oil on canvas. Galleria Sabuada, Turin.

She’s using blue velvet from my stash (to be traded for probably jewelry at a later date) 

Because I’m still kinda feeling out of it, I suggested that we work on cording and buttons first, and do some pattern drafting and cutting tomorrow.

I kind of had a plan of how to create tufted buttons like the ones on the portrait, but I wasn’t sure if it would work until I sat down with needle and thread….And I had to figure out how to do it before I could teach her!

Here’s what I came up with, something similar looking, but not quite a copy:

1.  Start as you would a regular thread-wrapped button, but with extra length.  (I’m using a arm-span length)

2.  This is where it gets a bit different.  Tie off the thread on the bottom, then go back up through the top and use a needle as spacer for the loop, and go back down 2x…..if that makes sense.  (I may still be a little loopy….)

3.  Take the needle out of the little loops; now this is where the tufts are going to be anchored.  I used the back end of my favorite bone crochet hook as a spacer……loop through the anchor loops as many times as it takes to get a pleasing puffiness.  (In my case, 7x)

4.  Wrap around the base of the tufty loops to lock in place, and plunge the needle back through the bead core.  Firmly square knot, and voila! Tufty cute buttons!

5.  It’s a good idea to dab a bit of glue on the end of the button to make sure that everything stays in place, then all that’s left is to sew onto a garment!

Holly and I have dubbed these “Blueberry Buttons”, as Bethaval has “Cranberry Buttons” on one of her recent(ish) gowns!

Button, button, who has the button?

 

We do!

Sis and I are making some cloth buttons for her Man.

(they're a bit lumpy-looking, I admit.  I attribute it to the fact that the Man is a very 'rustic' individual.  Or something.)

I'm really bummed I didn't get my check in to be able to attend the button class at CoCo.  That really would have come in handy right about now.  :(

All we have left to do before this weekend:
-Buttons
-Button holes
-Shirt
And if there is time,
-Eyelets
-Points

(I tried convincing him he doesn't need a belt with this outfit, but one step at a time.......the famous "Nearly Naked Barbarian" is not only wearing clothes, but he's wearing PERIOD APPROPRIATE clothes.  teehee.  Never thought I'd see the day.  People aren't going to recognize him!)

My Victorian, Done. (And some lessons learned)

Lessons Learned:

1. Dritz fabric covered buttons suck. Did one button/unbutton, and the tops popped off of three buttons! Not even the fabric covered part, the shank came off the metal plate!!!


2. Don't start a project and drag it out for a year. It's a recipe for disaster.

3. Pay more attention to source material (This is also related to the skirt issue, which turned out really great.)

4. Pay more attention to stripes (this is also directly related to #3, and didn't turn out so great)

My least favorite things about the final product are the wrinkles across the bodice front, (I consistantly make waists to big and busts too small. wtf?!), the buttons (not the way they look, but the quality of the product), and the fit of the armscye (always the bane of my existance).

My favorite things about the final product are the epic badonkadonk, the hat, and the neckline.

All in all, I'm pretty pleased with my first attempt at anything remotely like a victorian gown.

Distracted yet again...

I wanted to see if I could make buttons. I think I can.


(1- 5 rib double wrapped, 2- 7 rib spiral basketweave, 3- 8 rib over/under, 4- 7 rib spiral basketweave)
I have no idea if that is what they are actually called, I'm just calling them that. :D