New additions for sale at Nanna’s Button Jar ….. Dresses!

I have been making these for a few years for my granddaughters, with high demand.

They are popular because they:

• are made from 100% cotton (lace trim on smaller sizes may be nylon)
• have sleeves to prevent young shoulders from burning in our Queensland sun
• are a loose fit, no clinging in the heat
• contain no zips, clips, buttons or other closures, enabling little girls to dress themselves
• have full skirts for twirling.

Very rarely are two the same.  My love of patchwork, colour and pattern inspires me to mix and match and create a variety of unique dresses.

They are made in sizes 3 – 7.  Updated on Facebook to see what is available in your size as different dresses become available.

While many dresses are ready to go, photographing and adding them to the site is proving challenging!

Please be patient and check the site regularly as I endeavour to get them all loaded for sale.

I was taught how to sew on a button many years ago – last century!  Thanks to a skilled Mum, and perhaps my grandmother, in a home that has fond memories of a cheerful and busy sewing space.

In my shop, I was so often surprised when customers were buying buttons and had no idea how to correctly sew them onto an article.

The biggest tip is creating a shank under the button, or distance between the underside of the button and the article, reflecting the same thickness of the size of the article that has the buttonhole.  Basically, the thickness of the buttonhole with it’s fabric has to fit between the button and the fabric the button is sewn onto.

In my childhood, there was always a matchstick that could be used to insert below the button as it was sewn on, and then removed.  These days, I use whatever small thing I can find that will provide the right gap.  I know there are commercial devices on the market as well, usually provided as a moulded addition to some other gadget. Toothpicks work well as this article demonstrates.

If you fail to provide this gap, the button is put under stress and can break, or the thread holding the button can pull a hole in the fabric as it tries to create it’s own gap.

Credits to the producers of this graphic – it is very well presented.  The only difference in the way I do it, is to locate the toothpick under the button, in the gap between the underside of the button and the fabric, as I sew it on (inserted at step 6/7 rather than step 8).  Then I remove the toothpick before wrapping thread around the stitches to create the shank.

A simple mirror made into something special.

Beware – time consuming!

But a lovely way to spend an afternoon being entranced by the simple beauty of plain white buttons.

Sorry, did I say plain?!?!  Definitely transformed.

(And do you like my orchid?)

My friends and I had a great afternoon together at a local garden party, organised by Frances in her garden.

Although there was no theme to the party, we decided that our table would have a ‘Tiara’ day.  Fail to wear your tiara, and you could not join us at our table.

We had a fantastic afternoon.  We all enjoyed the yummy array of sweets and sandwiches with tea, with some of us deciding that champagne made a great alternative to tea for the afternoon.

As an addition to our theme, I made a wand for each person with simple white buttons and a bit of gold glitter.  Wishes were bestowed in abundance, and all came true – of course!

We must do this again some time soon.  I still have my wand and tiara.  Do you have yours?

When making fabric flowers, try adding buttons to the centres.

Buttons make the centres incredibly decorative.  They can add shine, texture and colour.

And above all – they hide a multitude of tricky messy bits!

Have you tried to make them for friends in hospital or friends with allergies who cannot otherwise have real flowers?

I am very fortunate to have creative friends.

Ruth was making these bracelets a few years ago, and I am still so thankful that she gifted these to me.  I was to receive only one, but when I had trouble deciding between the two, she gave me both.

They are treasured and worn with love, remembering my friend each time.  Thank you.

When I embroidered this gorgeous pattern, I got to the instruction that suggested embroidered circles all over the wings.

The curly loops in the pattern were backstitched, but I preferred the definition that chain stitch provides.  And backstitched circles would not work with the chained loops; chained circles would look awful!  Now, I don’t know how perfect you are at neat satin stitched circles, but I certainly lacked confidence in my ability to do it justice.

Scratched my head a bit, had a think (anything but satin stitch I was thinking!!) …. and came up with the idea of using small buttons.

Voila!

I think it looks great.

Mind you …. sewing all those buttons on was a challenge to my patience.

Pattern credit: ‘Blossom’ by Melly and Me