Collecting buttons

Kit, Clothing, Tools, etc
TwoDo

Collecting buttons

Post by TwoDo »

Now that I am a possessor of a hand cranked sewing machine (posted in another thread) I am beginning to organize a set of sewing supplies. As I was making a list of stuff that might come in handy, needles, thread etc, I thought of buttons....

.... which made me then think of my mothers big tins of buttons and zippers. No item of clothing would ever get discarded without first being stripped of all buttons and zippers. These were thrown into tins which, if a button on another item was ever lost or a zipper broken, formed the first port of call to find a replacement. The spare button and zipper collections were stored in extremely large cookie tins. As I recall, the button one was (and still is) absolutely filled to the gunnels with buttons of all types.

Just thought I would share that with the group - I'm saving buttons and zippers as of now.

... which also makes me think about this magic little tool she had (kind of a biggish needle with a blade about 1/4inch down and a handle on the end) which removed stitched thread really well. Anybody know that that tool is called so I can buy one?
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pseudonym
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Joined: Wed Jul 27, 2011 10:11 am
Location: East Midlands

Re: Collecting buttons

Post by pseudonym »

Two is one and one is none, but three is even better.
TwoDo

Re: Collecting buttons

Post by TwoDo »

pseudonym wrote:Hi Two,

Do you mean a seam ripper?

http://sewing.about.com/od/techniques/s ... itches.htm
Hi Pseudonym

Yes, that's exactly the thing. Thanks - Now I know the name I am definitely going to get one. Might be useful for taking out stitches in people too.
maryb

Re: Collecting buttons

Post by maryb »

Actually speaking as someone who does a fair bit of sewing I would turn that on its head. You can get scissors which are used for removing stitches from people which are brilliant if you need to undo a whole seam which has been finished with an overlocker. I tried one once and keep meaning to get my own