I love buttons...

mother of pearl buttons,

especially.

There is something therapeutic about running your
fingers through a box of old buttons,
in search for that perfect one.
I even like how they smell...
If only these old jars of buttons could tell us their story.
Like whose shirt
or
whose dress they came from.
When the shirt didn't fit or had a hole in the sleeve,
it wasn't thrown out,
rather cut up and sewn into a quilt.
The buttons then would get snipped off
and put into jars,
to re-use when needed.
These jars of old buttons
came from past generations
that didn't waste...

We played with buttons
at my Grammie's house.
I don't recall her having any toys at her house,
but we were never short of things to play with.
Her button box being one of them
and
playing hide the thimble.
How many of you played hide the thimble?
I collect buttons.
I have them in old jars
sprinkled throughout my house.
I love just sitting and looking at them...

They are extra special
when you find them
still on their original cards...

A card of buttons
that were made
in my home state even!
These buttons were made at the Iowa Pearl Button Co.
in the year 1923.
Here is the backside of the card.
It reads...

And
the humble little factory
from which they were made...

The Iowa Pearl Button Company,
located along the banks of the Mississippi River
near Muscatine, Iowa.
Did you know Iowa
was known as the button capital
of the world?
In the late 1800's
Iowa turned out over 138 million buttons!
Buttons are still made in Muscatine, Iowa
today,
however from synthetic materials.

Notice all the mussel shells on the ground?
Iowa Pathways has an interesting documentary
on the history of the mother of pearl button making.
You can read it here.
Another interesting read about mother of pearl buttons
and
their Iowa history can be read here.
The article was put together
by a 4th grade class
as a history lesson.

Sometime ago you may remember
I spotted these sweet little mother of pearl purse frames.
It was only natural,
due to the fact that I love mother of pearl,
that I would be drawn to these little frames, right?

Remember the prototype purse from a previous post?
Well,
she is now done
and has sweet little motifs
and a stitcher's verse stitched upon her.
I knew I wanted the overall look
of the little purse
to look soft, subtle, delicate and faded with time...
a perfect look for the mother of pearl closure on the purse.
I think I've achieved that look
and I love how she turned out.
The linen of choice was Confederate Grey by Weeks Dye Works.
Want a little hint?
Think antique sewing bird clamp,
stitcher's verse
&
a small scattering
of
mother of pearl buttons...
Can you visualize it?
The "Stitcher's Sewing Purse" pattern
will also include
some other fun little sewing companions
for your stitching pleasure .
It is the perfect little purse
to tuck your favorite stitching scissors,
needle case
and even a thimble perhaps.
A fun little piece
to tuck into your big purse
and pull out
at your next stitching class or retreat...
you will be the envy of the party!!

Watch for "The Stitcher's Sewing Purse"
and 2 antique reproduction sampler patterns
coming in the near future!

With thy Needle & Thread,
Brenda