Actually, despite travel restrictions being eased, I am staying firmly at home, with any visits restricted to friends in the area. So, what have I been doing in Dorset? Well, nothing, actually, but I have made some of their buttons…
Dorset buttons are something that I’ve wanted to have a go at making for ages, so when I saw kits for sale I thought that would provide me with an ideal introduction. Making these buttons dates back to the early 1600s, and at its height their production constituted a cottage industry in Dorset, employing over 4000 people. When the technology was developed to make buttons by machine, the Dorset button industry was destroyed and the skill all but disappeared. However, it was not entirely lost.
Dorset buttons are made by weaving/stitching yarn onto ring. You begin by blanket-stitching around a metal ring, then make “spokes” across it before weaving your yarn in a spiral around these spokes. By back-stitching and stretching the yarn across more than one spoke, it’s possible to create all sorts of different patterns, like these :
These are my first attempts, and I’m rather pleased with how they came out. Never again will I be disappointed because I can’t find buttons to match an item I’ve knitted or crocheted.
The company I got my kit from is called Beaker Button. They make lovely kits including hand-dyed yarn, all packaged in reusable bags and with no plastic. 
The Snail of Happiness 
polesparadise
/ July 29, 2020Well aren’t they lovely? Not that I’m short on buttons, I’ll have you know, having been given more than I could every use in my, or several of my lifetimes. Plus himself, making buttons & hooks/eyes if I need them. But I do rather like these, I have to say. Nicely made. 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 29, 2020They’re very decorative, so could easily be used as embellishments rather than buttons… in fact my new project is a choker made from them.
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polesparadise
/ July 31, 2020that sounds lovely!
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Nice Piece of Work
/ July 29, 2020Wow, those really are beautiful! I know of a few embroidery-type people who’ve made them but I’ve never seen any quite as nice as yours 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 29, 2020Thank you… they’re quite therapeutic to make too.
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Rainbow Junkie
/ July 29, 2020Wonderful! I’ve heard of Dorset buttons but I didn’t realise you could make so many different designs.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 29, 2020apparently there are loads and loads of them… and you can incorporate beads.
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anne54
/ July 29, 2020Love these! I just jumped over to the website, and fell in love with the Cherry blossom one.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 30, 2020I was really spoilt for choice… I did buy the peacock brooch kit too, but I’m trying to develop my skill before I embark on that.
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Laurie Graves
/ July 30, 2020Very pretty!
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katechiconi
/ July 30, 2020I’ve never seen them made with woolly yarn before, only with silky embroidery or perle-style cotton so they’re shiny. These are lovely, and I think they’re probably quicker because the wool yarn is thicker.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 30, 2020Wool is so forgiving with things like this because of its stretch, so I think it’s an ideal beginners medium. I plan to progress on to using up my stash of embroidery threads once I’m a bit more confident.
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katechiconi
/ July 30, 2020Good plan! I’d love to see a step by step tutorial from your next one…?
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nanacathy2
/ July 30, 2020I love making Dorset buttons and yours are lovely. You just need curtain rings and off you go. I have made mine into unique brooches and I just watched a You Tube in which they are used as mini dream catchers for cards etc. They are very addicitive.
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 30, 2020You are right about them being addictive. I’ve also bought a kit to make a brooch which incorporates beads, but I want to improve my technique before I embark on that.
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Kim
/ July 30, 2020They’re lovely – and as you identified the perfect solution to a difficult match. I intend to check out more about these. Thanks for sharing!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 30, 2020They are really nice to make – I’m sorry I didn’t give them a go sooner.
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DawnGillDesigns
/ July 30, 2020those are so lovely, and I want to make some now. Thank you for sharing the process and the finished items.
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Going Batty in Wales
/ July 30, 2020Those are lovely and I can see how you could make lots of variations. What a lovely idea and I think I might have a go!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ July 30, 2020Do – I can let you have some instructions if you want.
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Going Batty in Wales
/ July 31, 2020Instructions would be lovely! I looked at the site and realised I have some rings and washers already!
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cedar51
/ August 1, 2020And you could at a pinch use one with your “mending” cover a hole with something quite decorative! Maybe not where you sit or put a shoe on but if you had a “mend” where something like a button would look rather fetching…lost buttons from a shirt, no problems with.
You’ll have to sort out making “frog closures” now 🙂
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 1, 2020They are really decorative, so using them to cover a hole in an appropriate place would be lovely.
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Leif Price
/ August 12, 2020Ohh, it’s beautiful! Thanks for sharing the process. I will definitely show it to my mom, I’m sure- she’ll love it!
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The Snail of Happiness
/ August 12, 2020Really lovely to make too.
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