Organizing Buttons
#31
I forgot to say, any containers with metal on the buttons or shank, throw in a couple of those little desiccant packs that come in pills. Those buttons can really get corroded...ask me how I know.
If I go through those at a later day I set the desiccant packets in the sun for the day and then stick 'em back in the jar
If I go through those at a later day I set the desiccant packets in the sun for the day and then stick 'em back in the jar
#32
#34
I have had three people give me their collections and my mother's when she passed. Plus I have my collected ones through the years. I always check at second hand stores for the old carded ones. It is very fun to find them just like new. I also have cut them off garments when it is no longer useful to wear. I love buttons, can you tell?
Most of the buttons I "inherited" came to me in a motley assortment of baby food jars, prescription bottles and margarine tubs, many of which were not even see-through. And while I absolutely love the idea of displaying pretty colored buttons in clear containers, I simply do not have space in my sewing room Anywhere for a shelf or even half a shelf of mason jars full of buttons.
So my solution was the little divided plastic boxes that are meant to hold cross-stitch bobbins or beads. The kind for beads are best because the little "cells" are rounded in the bottom. It makes it easier to scoop the buttons out. I finally took the time to at least sort the buttons by color, then little by little I've been working on sorting them by size, style, etc. I am nearly done and have filled 12 of the larger (11 X 7) boxes and 8 of the half sized ones. Currently they are stacked in two plastic drawers under my cutting table. It is easy enough to pull one box out to look through.
Someday perhaps I will have my dream house with an entire floor dedicated to sewing and crafting, and Then I will have adorable apothecary jars stuffed with bright buttons and ribbons and lace and everything nice--all displayed like so much candy in a sweet shop. Until then my giant stash of fabric flat-folded on open shelves will have to do.
Last edited by QuiltnNan; 02-17-2019 at 08:41 AM. Reason: shouting/all caps
#35
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 4,840
The new buttons on cards I just have in a locking plastic container. My favorite vintage buttons, which are mostly the plastic ones with impressed designs or shapes, I like to keep in vintage glass bowls. I have some blue Fire King small sauce bowls that I like a lot. I have vintage glass buttons on cards standing up in a small vintage planter. And I sewied a drawstring bag that I embroidered a little girl in a garden design and the words "Just Buttons" on. It was a pattern from a book, and the bag looks as though it could be vintage. You may have guessed that I love vintage!
Leslie
Leslie
#36
Super Member
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Carroll, Iowa
Posts: 3,487
I love burning scented candles during the winter time so would pick some up every time I went to Walmart for groceries. I like the ones with the flat tops all made from glass. Cleaned them up from the leftover wax, pulled off the label and made a label stating which color(s) for each jar. Because of the flat tops I can stack them but I don't. I have a shelf above my sewing machine that houses my TV/DVD which I never play so have them going across so I can see each jar filled with the buttons.
#37
Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Northern California
Posts: 75
I have tons of buttons. My mother had a button jar and I was fascinated by it when I was a child. Since then I've inherited some, and collected a lot more. Fortunately, I use a lot of embellishments in my quilts so they don't go to waste.
I have my medium and large sized buttons in Mason jars, sorted by color. I love how they look on the counter in my studio, they're so cheerful and remind me of my childhood.
I use a lot of small and mini buttons and those I store in Darice bead plastic boxes. These are pretty large with a lot of rounded bottomed sections. I sort by color and style, (printed, polka dots, etc.). I also make my own buttons and store them in the same containers. When I start working on a project one of the first things I do is go through all of my embellishments and make a kit of everything I think I might use. For this I use small plastic storage boxes I get at the dollar store. They're great for putting together a travel kit as well.
I have my medium and large sized buttons in Mason jars, sorted by color. I love how they look on the counter in my studio, they're so cheerful and remind me of my childhood.
I use a lot of small and mini buttons and those I store in Darice bead plastic boxes. These are pretty large with a lot of rounded bottomed sections. I sort by color and style, (printed, polka dots, etc.). I also make my own buttons and store them in the same containers. When I start working on a project one of the first things I do is go through all of my embellishments and make a kit of everything I think I might use. For this I use small plastic storage boxes I get at the dollar store. They're great for putting together a travel kit as well.
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