Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. Eleanor Roosevelt

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Button, Button

Who has some buttons?
Well I do!
This was my Grandmother's button collection. I was lucky enough to inherit it. But that sometimes poses the question, "What are you going to do with all those Buttons?"

After so many questions about the button pumpkin, I thought I show you where they came from. Sorry, I have horrible light in my dining room/sewing room. The first picture is without flash and grainy. The second pictures isn't any better with light. But you get the drift.
Whites, blacks, brass, browns, blues, purples, yellows, reds, pinks, greens and a few silver
My Grandmother had already taken the time to arrange her collection into separate colors. Thank goodness! But I didn't like her plastic tool boxes that she keep them in so I put them into these jars. The largest being gallons, to the smallest being pint sized.

I'm not sure where all the buttons came from but I can say that some of them were found by me.
In our town, we had a local "Hart's Fabric" store. In the middle of the store was a large claw foot tub filled with buttons. If you were a child, this is were you hung out while your adult looked at fabric. Everyone of my friends, cousins and yes, even Hubby hung out there. It was a town tradition.

I've come across a few of those above buttons while looking for the perfect addition to my project.

My Grandmother did not wear a lot of orange. But she did save everything. So these orange buttons may have been clipped from tired garments. Then those sad garments would have then been put in the "Rag Bag" in the hall closet. Nothing was wasted. In fact 7 years after my Grandmother's passing, my Aunt (who inherited the family home) is still bringing me removed zippers, pieces of fabric, ribbon, yarn and still more buttons.

I'm always looking for uses for these buttons. I think it would be wonderful to share them with all my family members. To date I've made 1 monogramed button pillow, 1 baby blanket with really large buttons and a wedding shower button pillow. I need more ideas!

The funny thing is, no matter what jar I take buttons from, the jar never seems to have any less buttons. I did manage to almost use up all the orange buttons. I may only have about twenty left. I just threw them back into the red jar.
I've used so many white buttons that I was sure to make a dent, but NO.

I hope you enjoyed seeing yet another family member succumb to hoarding. But, if you ever need a button, you know who to ask!

Take care, Brandie


10 comments:

Anonymous said...

maybe check pinterest for button ideas. what a great collection! Lizzie

Esther said...

I so remember the bathtub full of buttons at Harts. My kids even liked shopping with me if we went to the button tub store.

Jean(ie) said...

My eldest SD would love your button collection. She made the most beautiful button flowers for her sister's wedding bouquet.

I love the memory of Hart's What a wonderful way to merchandise buttons and to involve the kids.I think it's cool that you can sort through all them, pick out the ones you remember and revisit that time with Grandma.

:-)

Heather said...

I inherited my Aunt's buttons but they are not nearly so organized nor quite so many but they are fun to use when I can!

Createology said...

Your Grandmother's buttons are truly treasures. My Grandma kept her best buttons in a little wooden cart that I used to spend hours playing with. I was to be the recipient of those buttons but alas they went elsewhere. Little buttons strung on string and tied with a bow for "icicles" hanging on the Christmas tree would be sweet for family members. Blissful Buttons...

sunny said...

I have my mother's buttons, and many of them were her mother's. I love digging through them for just the fight button for a project.

Sammy said...

great collection, truly heart warming ;))

Robin said...

Brandie, how about something like this?! It would be FABULOUS in a big button B!!

http://pinterest.com/pin/157626055679344438/

Robin said...

PS and you can GLUE the down, LOL. Or sew them and not ruin your buttons...

Library Gal Quilts said...

I say a skirt with lots of rows of colorful buttons all around the hem...so cute!!