Button, Button, Who's Got the (Sleeve) Button?

Part of Feast prep means inventorying things, some of which I haven't had out of their tubs since Kalamazoo in March. (Toques, anyone?) Those things and their numbers aren't much of a surprise; I keep a spreadsheet and inventory after every event I attend.

Others are different - the things I pull out throughout the year to use, sell, give away, and more. 

Like sleeve buttons. (The 18th century precursor of cuff links.)

I've begun putting a pair in every trade shirt

and chemise I make, and each pair has four buttons.

Time for a sleeve button making marathon.

I discovered I was woefully short on the brass domed and flat-top buttons, the kind I prefer for trade shirts.  No wonder since I have been concentrating on sewing trade shirts since the beginning of August.

Unfortunately, my source for those had been JoAnn's - they were one of Joann's house brand buttons. I bought all that my JoAnn's had before it closed, so now I need another source. I have used all that I had.

I also ran out of oval silver jump rings. I have lots of oval gold ones, but I try to match the jump ring to the button and need silver, too. These are now on order and should arrive Monday.

I worked for quite a while using up much of my stock of buttons in the process.

Then I began inventorying what I had - I plan to make at least two more chemises and two or three more trade shirts for this year's Feast and they will all need a pair of sleeve buttons.

I am glad I checked - I have time to find and order more of the brass buttons for trade shirts and also to make more of the "mini-haversacks" that I give each customer who buys a pair.

I make them out of wool remnants and they will give the buyer a place to keep their set of sleeve buttons so they don't get lost.

I have 36 of the wool bags so I am in good shape, but I've learned it is better to be over prepared and have more than I think I will need. (I call that "the maple cakes lesson," which I earned the hard way. Last year I completely sold out of maple cakes - four boxes of 84 maple cakes each, before Kalamazoo was done!)

The Feast of the Hunters' Moon is only five weeks off.  I have a lot to do and just did a presale yesterday of a linen bedgown, petticoat, and chemise (complete with sleeve buttons and pouch.) I am happy for the sale, but I want to make and replace those items, too.

Where's that ticking clock I like so much? LOL