Wednesday 29 February 2012

What buyers do with my buttons

Button sellers have you ever wondered what your buyers do with the buttons they purchase from you?

Well i recently sold the lovely buttons below.  The buyer has incorporated them in a lovely 1940's/1950's jumper which she created by using a vintage pattern.


This lovely jumper is for sale on Ebay  Ladies-40s-50s-Hand-Knitted-Jumper



At my store you will find buttons, buckles, patterns and much more visit today and create your own vintage item like the talented lady above.


Sunday 26 February 2012

Patchwork Union Jack Wall Hangings

Morning all!

Here are two roughly A1-sized patchwork union jack wall hangings that I finished recently for a commission. They are made to illustrate the theme for an exhibition of contemporary jewellery, called "Best of British". The exhibition in being held in the Equinox shop in Fleet from 18 February until 14 April 2012.

The wall hangings are displayed in the windows for the duration of the exhibition and will be available for purchase when it ends on 14 April. If you are interested in purchasing either of these handmade pieces, please contact Equinox here.

Austerity Britain #8

Green Britain #18


 The wall hangings are made from a mixture of cotton and cotton mix fabrics, including re-purposed fabrics. The following processes, taking around 15 - 20 hours of work per flag, are involved:-
  • making the templates to the required size
  • selecting the fabrics and deciding upon the fabric placement
  • cutting each piece of fabric to size
  • piecing the individual units of fabric into a whole, using a sewing machine
  • layering the finished top with a cotton batting/wadding and back piece
  • hand quilting the layers
  • addition of an edge binding strip and hanging sleeve using a mixture of machine and hand stitches
  • addition of label on reverse and wooden hanging dowel
Smaller versions of the flag wall hangings are sometimes available in my Etsy shop, Fire Horse Textiles.

Julia x


Friday 24 February 2012

Where have all the button tins gone

I remember as a child I loved to play with the contents of my Grandma's button tin, I loved the shapes and textures. My favourites were the mother of pearl buttons that would glisten in the sunlight. The glass ones were invariable chipped or shattered and I often wondered why she kept the broken cracked ones. I still have my Grandma's mother of pearl buttons, but my mother's button tin is full of bland modern plastic types and my daughter isn't remotely interested in my mother's buttons. She is a product of the throw away society we have become today unlike yester-year when all the buttons were routinely cut off old clothes and put in the rusty old family button tin, clothes are neatly folded and placed in one of the many charity bags that are put through our letterboxes seeming every other week!

Now if your Grandma had a very large button tin like mine did there would be other treasures and many odd things to be found in there. You would get the usual things such as pins, needles, thimbles, old sewing machine parts and the lovely colourful Bakelite buckles. Grandma's silver sixpence still with silver foil attached was in there, a momento of Xmas past, but my favourite item in the tin was a silver marcasite ring which after her death was given to me, and which I have treasured ever since.
I have collected vintage sewing items for many years and mother of pearl buttons in particular are my favourite item possibly a throwback to my youth! You find some very strange items in button tins and I often wonder why people would put such items in their button tins. Items such as badges, cuff links, beads, screw drivers, pen nibs, dog tags, keys, wax, bone & metal curtain rings, marbles, meccano, and loose matches all probably put there because it was convenient to do so. The oddest and potentionally dangerous thing I have found in a tin were loose pain-killers!, which believe it or not are quite a common thing to find in an old button tins, the mind boggles!

Start you button collection today - visit my store Henrietta's buttons   I cater for the collector, design student, vintage clothes restorer, and crafts people so come along and browse through my buttons section you never know what you might find.

Tuesday 21 February 2012

The Greek Key Design

The Greek key design is a simple and ancient pattern used of course by the Greeks, Romans and many other countries around the world.  The design is called the Greek key because it looks like the end of a key.


The Greek key design can be incorporated into mazes, jewellery, fabric, pottery, body art, floor coverings, furniture etc in fact its uses are endless and timeless.
Below are 2 lenghs of edging fabric using the Greek Key design.




Sunday 19 February 2012

Vintage Glass and Metal Buttons

Morning all! Here are some of the latest buttons from Love Buttons HQ.

Two lots of Bimini-style buttons. The first set are, I believe, made from the company that followed Bimini, ie Orplid. They are made from black glass with a pressed, ladder-like band, decorated with gold parti-lustre. This set of four buttons costs £13.00.

These glass buttons are large and chunky, with an impressed motif of the infinity symbol. They also have a gold parti-lustre and gold lustre on the reverse. They cost £14.00 for four buttons.

These charming metal buttons have a hollow, two-piece construction, and feature a terrier dog. They cost £4.00 for three buttons.

Two more beautiful silver peasant link buttons are up for auction on Love Buttons on Ebay this week. The first is from Dalamatia, the second from Spain. They have a starting price of just 99p each and bidding ends on the 27th and 28th of Feburay.



Enjoy the rest of your weekend, folks!

Posted by Julia of * Love Buttons HQ * Love Buttons on Etsy * Love Buttons on Folksy *

Wednesday 15 February 2012

At long last!

Hello everyone,

Long time no-see! I apologise for being so slow to post again, I've been busy crafting and photographing my work and have finally got some new products in my Etsy shop!

This year I'm planning to focus on my most popular items, including Swarovski crystal jewellery, decoupaged trinket boxes and my 'Stamp Lamps'!

Here are the new items for 2012 so far, I will be continuing to list new items over the next few days and weeks so please keep coming back. Of course I am also still more than happy to do custom orders, so if you've got something in mind just drop me a message via Etsy.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/82732399/hogwarts-trunk-jewelry-trinket-box

http://www.etsy.com/listing/92908824/lagoon-shower-cluster-earrings-swarovski

http://www.etsy.com/listing/92683567/precious-gems-shower-cluster-earrings

http://www.etsy.com/listing/92682873/fireworks-shower-cluster-earrings

http://www.etsy.com/listing/92691103/stamp-lamp-upcycled-glass-jar-tealight


I almost forgot- I have changed my shop name from luniquejewellery to LuniqueUK to reflect the fact that I now sell a wider variety of items!

Remember- the economy is in peril- spend, spend, spend! ;-)

Lucy

http://www.etsy.com/shop/LuniqueUK

Vintage wooden cotton reels with old colour names

Just listed a selection of vintage wooden cotton/thread reels with discontinued colour names such as Gay kingfisher, dark gobelin, henna, lagoon blue, old gold, morrocco red.

Friday 10 February 2012

Introducing Sylvia our new blogger

Old Buttons Shop .com  is the website of Sylvia LLewelyn who is a Qualified valuer of Antiques and Art and who has been collecting and dealing in buttons for many years. Her collection of buttons has examples from 450 BC to Present day, and it has been on display to the public. Sylvia  is the author of "Old Buttons"  which can be purchased from ebay and Amazon.
Book also available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon US now!

I have purchased this book myself, it has fabulous photos of a wide range of collectable buttons  and worth every penny!

Sylvia from her business in the King’s Road, Chelsea, London, SW3  has supplied buttons and vintage jewellery and inspiration to famous clothes desginers all over the World, Film Production Companies, Operas, Theatres and Museums.  She has also contributed to the Millers Price Guide Publications and written many articles on antiques and buttons.  She now travels the World with her collection giving lectures and talks on buttons through their history, developement and fashion.

Why not visit Sylvia's shop and browse her collection of buttons 





 Sylvia's Fair dates for February 2012
11th Feb 2012 Caampden Passage, Angel, London
13th Feb 2012 Monday Covent Garden, Jubilee Market.
16th Feb 2012 Thursday SpitalfieldsMarket, London, UK
20th Feb 2012 Monday Covent Garden, Jubilee Market
22nd Feb 2012 Wednesday Campden Passage, Angel, London, UK
23rd Feb 2012 Thursday Spitalfields Market
27th Feb 2012 Monday Covent Garden, Jubilee Market



Sunday 5 February 2012

Colourful Buttons For Your Spring Projects!

Morning all. Hope you are not too snow-bound! Still, it's a good excuse for getting on with some indoor craft projects...

Here are some bright, new buttons to add a modern twist to your latest creation. First up are these gorgeous ultramarine blue, ceramic buttons. They are fairtrade items, handmade by women in Africa. This set costs £4.95 for five buttons. There are many other ceramic buttons on Love Buttons HQ here.

Looking forward to the coming season: here is a large, 200g pack of assorted buttons in Spring colours: acid/apple green, pastel and golden yellow, powder blue and pale pink. This pack costs £8.49.

Finally, these gorgeous dotty hearts in violet with white spots, cost £0.20 each.

Keep wrapped up warm, folks!

Posted by Julia of * Love Buttons HQ * Love Buttons on Folksy * Love Buttons on Etsy *




Thursday 2 February 2012

7 yards of black net flocked flower fabric

SOLD
http://uk.ebid.net/for-sale/approx-yards-of-flocked-flower-net-fabric-wide-61770354.htm

From my late mother-in-laws estate
Approx 7 yards of black net flocked flower fabric 54" wide. flowers have a velvety feel. Cost £2.50 a yard new. So for £5 its a bargin



Wednesday 1 February 2012

New items at Henrietta's Buttons and Patterns Store

This bright red velvet hat with a plume of red feathers belonged to my mother-in-law probably purchased when she ran her family dress business in the 1970's/80's
Looking at the position of the elastic i think it could be a tilt hat but i'm not sure. It measures approx 7" by 6" and has a label saying 100% viscose, made in Britain.

Another one of my late mother-in-laws items 2 lots of unused silver and gold coloured ric rac with a stiff metallic feel.
This 1949 edition of Homes notes is in lovely condition as the front cover suggests why not make the lovely dress from a remnant.
SOLD
Vintage chocolates adverts approx 1950's - Boxes of chocolates with various gifts including, dart board, galleon wall plaque,paint set,childs knitting outfit, etc.
Would look nice framed.