Wooden Button Experiments

May 23, 2013


With the help of my Honey I experimented with some new wooden buttons today.  

During the year I collect appropriate sized branches. Native tree prunings, wind-falls from storms, and just quietly I have even pinched some from neighbours pruning piles too :)  Apart from the diameter, I look for straight branches with no obvious knots or bumps on the outside.

Today was all about experimenting.  We discovered rubbing Pohutukawa buttons with beeswax heralded a remarkable change of colour - see the bottom right buttons before and the top left after the beeswax was added!


I love the rustic look of leaving the bark on the outside - I use these for my capes which fasten with a loop.  For my coats with a button-hole closure, I remove the bark and sand the edges until smooth, so they pass through the holes nicely.

I have written a tutorial for making your own wooden buttons, so if you would like to make your own, you will find a lovely detailed "how-to".  They are so much fun to make and really easy!

xx



7 comments:

  1. these are really lovely and rustic. i want to try this on my larger apple tree prunings. not sure what i'm going to sew them on though, but i just feel the need for them!

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  2. They look great. I want to try making some myself now. We have a forest over the fence, so I should have no trouble finding a few different branches. Cx

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  3. They just add such a lovely touch :) A bit of New Zealand!

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  4. they look awesome. love the idea just adds another special touch to your amazing creations :o)

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  5. These buttons are just too awesome - I will officially start collecting wood :) x

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  6. I am LOVING my pohutakawa button on my knitted cardi - it just finishes it off beautifully so thank you very much
    Still in awe of your studio and all of your collections

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  7. oh, these are so lovely!

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