Dorset button maker

[stockman fred]

I think the well known "Dorset Knob" biscuits which they make at Morecombelake are named after the buttons which were made in the locality.
Fred 

[jendor]

Yep, my mother loves them she used to eat them all the time. They are round, a bit smaller than a tennis ball see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorset_Knob << from my memory they are fairly solid and if you try to eat them whole you can come acropper! I'm not sure if it was when they had gone really stale or what but I can distinctly remember me and my brother throwing them at the shed wall and them bouncing!

There's also a pub in Parkstone called the Dorset Knob.

Back to buttons try here ... http://danceswithwool.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/dorset-buttons-little-bits-of-history/

and a tutorial on how to make them here ... http://www.homeofthesampler.com/howtos/craftypod.html

Jen

[Lydart]

Thank you for those two links, especially the 'how to make' one ... I'm inspired to go and get the materials and have a go ! 

I'll report back ... knowing the speed at which I work, in about a years time ! 

[Lydart]

I've made my first Dorset Button !

It took me over an hour at the pub tonight (Wednesday is ladies knitting-at-the-pub night !).


I shall take a photo of it and post it tomorrow !


I'm all excited now ... I have established what feels like a very direct link to Great Granny !!

[forthefamily]

 ...they are fun to make Lydart....I made dozens when I was a kid 

mab

[jendor]

Great you could have a go

I'll have to try and find out all the paperwork I have on Dorset buttons as I did some research on them when I was at Cavalcade, I'd forgotten all about it.. popped into my head today when I had a look at a book at the history centre.

In the 'old' days the buttons would have been taken off every time a garment was washed! They aren't very practical for clothes now; I made a kind of mobile/multi dreamcatcher hanging thing ... that's the only way I can explain it LOL, several strands of 8 or 10 buttons connected with thread of about 1/2 inch which I beaded to give them weight and stop them getting tangled, then I got some tiny little bells from a craft shop to put on the bottom. I don't know where it went but my girls had it in their room when they were small and loved it.

You know I haven't done anything crafty for years, this thread is getting me all tempted again

Jen

[Lydart]

Better come to our Wednesday-evening-at-the-pub-by-the Wye ladies-knitting-night !!

[Lydart]

Here's my frst attempt ... I started large, and simple, as I thought it would be easier to learn on a big button than on the tiny ones like I saw in Dorchester museum ...

[kiwihalfpint]

Lydart   it doesn't look like a first attempt to me