THANK YOU so much, Jennifer!!!

I'm honored that my buttons were chosen to appear in this article for HANDMADENEWS - the largest handmade craft blog on earth for artisans by artisans!! 

THANK YOU so much, Jennifer!!!

Buttons

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November 08, 2010 | By

Everyone is familiar with buttons, we use them to fasten our clothing and have done so for centuries. However, originally buttons were more ornamental than functional, unless they doubled as a seal (as in an emblem for impressing). Button-like items have been found back as far as 2800 BC, and were made from seashell. The use of buttons as fasteners on clothing first appeared in the 13th Century in Germany, and rapidly became widespread across Europe.

There are two basic types of buttons now commonly available, which are: flat, shank. Flat buttons are probably the most common, especially on clothing. They have between 2 and 4 holes through them to enable them to be stitched to fabric. Shank buttons have a metal loop on the back, or a raised section with a hole through it at the back of the button. They can be sew on without thread showing.

Buttons can be made from a large variety of materials, such as wood, ceramic, polymer clay, metal, shell, resin and plastic. Some shank buttons can be covered in fabric, and buttons can also be crocheted or knitted. There are also buttons made of knots, as in Mandarin buttons, which are made of intricately knotted strings, often silk.

Buttons also come in a huge variety of sizes, which depends mainly on its intended use. Buttons have a measurement system of their own, known as lignes. There are 40 lignes to 1 inch. Thick chunky clothing generally has large thick buttons, whilst thinner fabrics call for smaller buttons. There are even buttons made on a miniature scale for miniature clothing.

Of course buttons are not just used for clothing and fastening, in fact there is a definite swing back to using buttons for more ornamental reasons. Jewellery makers are using buttons in their work, as are scrapbookers. Covered buttons are being used for hair ties and barrettes. There is also a huge collector aspect with buttons, especially with hand painted or carved buttons.

The humble button, often overlooked and taken for granted, but universally recognised and used.
Photos courtesy of Ayarina and Mama's Little Monkeys

Jennifer is a self taught jewellery designer and maker whose creations can be see in her studios HaffinaCreations, BeadsByHaffina and Haffina's Minis on ArtFire. She also has a website HaffinaCreations