We are button people
Looking in the button drawers at Make It Sew
I’ve been collecting buttons in some fashion since I was about 4 years old. That’s when my mom made me the yellow calico top that I wore in my kindergarten school picture. The buttons are little yellow fish and I’ve got them in a box somewhere, long separated from the calico top, waiting for the right thing to sew them on.
I’m married to someone who also loves buttons, and whose eyes are peeled, searching for interesting ones. For years, we haven’t been able to visit an antique mall without looking for the good buttons. And when I opened Make It Sew in 2017, I didn’t expect to sell buttons.
I found these buttons in my pocket—LOL.
But people want to buy buttons. I sell patterns that require buttons. Just like thread, needles, and pins, buttons are a sewing necessity. And eventually I sourced some vintage buttons. These are generally new old stock in sets/on cards, and I’ve found them at antique malls, yard sales, and ebay. Customers have been browsing our buttons for more than a year, now. One button “regular” is a knitter who buys buttons here to finish baby sweaters, for example.
Loose buttons, $.10 each
I love when button people come into the shop. They run their hands through our bowls and baskets of loose buttons, sorting through and picking their favorites. Our young sewing students often find special treasures among the loose buttons, and creative garment sewers often mix and match from the single buttons.
Now I’ve just added to the shop some really special buttons from Courtney & Co. Button Makers in Gloucestershire, England. Courtney began making buttons in England since 2016, and they use sustainable materials like Tagua nut and milk casein. This small company cares about the materials, the processes, and I feel their high quality buttons belong here at Make It Sew and on your projects.
18L (shirt size) Corozo buttons, in stock now.
We’ve got just a few options in stock now with more sizes on the way. I am really excited to offer Corozo buttons, made from Ecuadorian Tagua nuts in England. Come check them out!