I have a new offering in Jolis Chevaux:
They were a precursor to cufflinks. Screenshot from At the Eastern Door.
The sleeves on chemises were closed either by ribbon ties (which I have always used) or sleeve buttons. (Never used - they are very expensive to buy.)
Research is a nice, quiet, recovering-from-surgery activity, so last week I spent some time looking for information and documentation about them. And while doing so, I realized that I could probably figure out how to make them and then sell those sleeve buttons with my own chemises.
And so it began.
I was pretty happy with my first pair, but as with anything else you are learning to do, I knew it could be improved.
A better front
but I wasn't happy with the back.
The third try was exactly what I was hoping for.
and I was on my way. Soon I could connect two buttons in under a minute! It was not hard once I got the hang of it. (The buttons are so close on the jump ring, the difficulty is manipulating two pairs of needle nose pliers together without the buttons popping off.)
Within an hour I had used up all the buttons I'd bought for the project and had made ten sets.
In my documentation are lots of pictures like this one with photos of extant 18th century sleeve buttons (left) and a few with suggestions of modern day buttons that could be used (right.)
Today's project? Button shopping - I'm on a roll!
Stay 'tooned!
Well that looks like a relaxing new hobby that you can do anywhere. I've sent you an email re jump ring pliers that may be helpful 🙂
ReplyDeleteGarage/estate sales could be a great resource for vintage buttons. We all remember our mothers and grandmothers having button tins
ReplyDeleteGood heavens. I have a pair of fancy platinum cufflinks I inherited from my grandfather. I didn't know about sleeve buttons. You are a fount of knowledge.
ReplyDelete