Button, Button: Day 119

Singleton Button

For Tuesday, May 17, 2011

I gleaned this project from a tutorial by Diane Gilleland on the CraftStylish website.

HERE is the place to get all the details.

A very intriguing button, and most interesting using a 100% cashmere sweater piece to make it. The original instructions use woven cotton fabric, but I was curious as to how this would work with felted sweater fabric. (Surprise, surprise!)

Look and see what transpired:

I used a 1" diameter plastic ring for the base and cut a circle from an orange cashmere sweater.
The circle is to be 2 1/2 times the diameter of the ring. Any size ring can be chosen.

A gathering stitch is made around the circumference about half way between the ring and the outside of the circle. The thread is very important here, as it gets quite a bit of action, as you will see.
I used an Extra Strong Quilting Thread. Doubled and about 18" in length. You may choose any color. This will not show when the button is complete.

The gathering stitches are finished, the ring is placed inside, and the thread is pulled to gather the circle around the ring.

Now ready to push the excess inside.

The edges are now inside. I used the tool on the right to to the stuffing process.

Time to pull it all together.
The thread, which is still attached, is used to make about 4 stitches perpendicular to each other to close the opening. This is the back of the button.

Because of the stuffing process and the pulling together of the back, the button is now full.
It is smooth and round.
(Pretty cool!)

Now for the really fun part...
With embroidery thread make a backstitch around the entire edge, inside the plastic ring.
Make sure that you stitch as close to the ring as possible, in fact when you put the needle through be sure to feel the ring with your needle to get the best point right up against it.

The (almost) finished Singleton Button.

This is the back of the button.
I am not able to finish it tonight, so will wrap it up tomorrow.

I really enjoyed making the Button. Something new and fun.
It turned out very smooth and professional looking, so I am happy!

More about this tomorrow.

Happy Wednesday to All