Pearl buttons

[BWeaves]

Soooo, I had to rummage through my button box this weekend to find a button for a special project, and I happened upon my grandmother's pearl buttons that were bought for a blouse that was never made.



Apparently I have quite a hoard of pearl buttons. Most of the extra buttons are from silk suits I wore in the 1990s. I don't think I bought any of these buttons. But none are as nice as my grandmother's 20 cent buttons that are still on the card.



This was the project. A pocketbook (pun intended).







I braided the handles and the button loop in an 8 strand kumihimo braid to match the parasol fabric. The button is from an old sweater I no longer own, but it looked like a parasol. This was my first attempt at making a purse out of a book, and it's not 100% successful, but it was fun to do once. My sewing skills are pretty bad considering my spinning and weaving skills are quite good. More practice is needed.

 

[newberry]

Great job BW and very creative

 

[lmgarden]

BW, very creative!

I was in montecito this weekend at a project - we ventured out to La Purisima Misson in northern Santa Barbara county, and l immediately thought of you when we came across these special rooms in the mission. This might not be too pearl related, but you're a weaver and a pearl girl...so...

So sorry I don't know how to upright these pics!

 

[LBoone]

BWeaves: I LOVE your bag!!! As a knitter (and infrequent sewer) I also have a hoard of buttons. Whenever I go to a fiber show/fair, I look for buttons and buy them for stash. At least 1/2 of my collection is MOP of some sort. Next one close enough for me will be SAFF near Ashville in October. I'm sure I'll add to my collection then!

 

[LBoone]

Here is a photo of a random sampling of my MOP and shell buttons. I have multiples of these, plus some others. The "man in the moon" buttons were outrageously expensive (for buttons) but I HAD to have them. Still waiting for the right cardigan. I have 6 of those....

 

[BWeaves]

Thank you, Newberry!

LB, I love all those buttons, but the Man in the Moon ones are my favorite, too.

LM, thanks for the weaving equipment pics! It looks like my living room, haha. Weaving equipment hasn't changed very much over thousands of years. I can name every piece of equipment in those photos and I know how to use them.

Seriously, throw some colorful carpets on the floor and walls and you have my living room. My living room currently has one large floor loom, 2 spinning wheels, 2 handwoven rugs on the floor, and 3 handwoven rugs on the walls.

 

[JerseyPearl]

Love the fun little bag...always great to have a conversation piece!

 

[bluidragon]

I love the purse. Very creative and artistic.

 

[bluidragon]

Very cool!. Love the buttons .

 

[CathyKeshi]

Hope you don't mind, lmgarden, but I really wanted to see these right side up

 

[lmgarden]

Ah, thank you CathyKeshi for correcting these pics!

BW, I knew you'd find this up your alley...next time you're in SoCal you must visit La Purisima!

Love all the button varieties!

 

[CathyKeshi]

Happy to do the "uprighting" lmgarden ... I was getting a crook in my neck trying to read the sign sideways LOL. This looks like a very interesting place to visit

 

[Marianne]

Beautiful shell button collection. Love, love love

 

[perlas]

Very creative BWeaves! It is a very unique and love very bag and very useable as well!

 

[amti]

That is such a cute purse, I mean, pocketbook!

 

[Katbran]

BWeaves- You are SO clever ! That is very very cute- I love everything about it !!

 

[theseventhsphinx]

I am experiencing a brand new phenomenon: button-envy...