Author Topic: Dorset button maker  (Read 29183 times)

Offline casalguidi

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Re: Dorset button maker
« Reply #45 on: Saturday 19 January 13 11:47 GMT (UK) »
What a fascinating topic .............. I adore Dorset Buttons and has made my day finding this ;D

They are part of the "curriculum" for City & Guilds Embroidery or at least they were when I was studying around the millenium.  Some found them a bit of a faff but I loved doing them albeit the flat ones worked over brass curtain rings as Lydart has done.  Am just trying to think if I still have any samples incorporating them :-\

Casalguidi :)
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Offline Lydart

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Re: Dorset button maker
« Reply #46 on: Saturday 19 January 13 11:52 GMT (UK) »
One of my daughters is very 'ethnic' if that's the word !    She gets given fleeces of various colours, including alpaca, and spins; then she knits the wool up into jumpers and cardi's .... and at that stage, they need buttons, so she makes those too, as in my previous examples.   

I love to think she is carrying on what her two and three times great grandmother was doing.   Daughter probably doesn't think of that connection with her ancestors, but I do !
Dorset/Wilts/Hants: Trowbridge Williams Sturney/Sturmey Prince Foyle/Foil Hoare Vincent Fripp/Frypp Triggle/Trygel Adams Hibige/Hibditch Riggs White Angel Cake 
C'wall/Devon/France/CANADA (Barkerville, B.C.): Pomeroy/Pomerai/Pomroy
Som'set: Clark(e) Fry
Durham: Law(e)
London: Hanham Poplett
Lancs/Cheshire/CANADA (Kelowna, B.C. & Sask): Stubbs Walmesley

WRITE LETTERS FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS TO TREASURE ... EMAILS DISAPPEAR !

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Offline ginabsilk

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Re: Dorset button maker
« Reply #47 on: Tuesday 26 February 13 19:40 GMT (UK) »
Hello,
I hope that you do not mind me butting in - I discovered your post while doing a general search. I am a maker, researcher and teacher of passementerie (textile trimmings - in particular historic items) and so was very very excited to see this beautiful sampler.

Whilst I am not an expert in the lives of button makers in Dorset or elsewhere, I do know a bit about their general history and can perhaps give you some extra info, if you are still looking. The industry itself was actually quite massive, and while makers worked from home, many people earned their livelihoods making buttons - as I understand it, when the industry collapsed thanks to the button machines, many families left for Australia.

What is particularly interesting in your sampler, from my point of view, is that at least four of the buttons are types that are usually found as decorative coverings for satin-wrapped or cloth covered buttons not normally, as far as I know, associated with the area. Don't get me wrong - there are some that are associated, as have already been mentioned - the Dorset Knob (which appears to be the first one, second row), High Top and various 'Singletons' (singletons were still made using rings though, not on the padded shape shown here)- And so, the sampler perhaps sheds a little extra light on what was taught, as in 1914 there really wasn't an industry left at all (there was a slight revival attempted by Lady Lees but only generated £38 in 1912 - with expenses of £36!)

I would love to be able to discuss your sampler in more detail with you as I think that I may be able to tell you how most were made (Though I cannot see the details of the stitches in the image posted)

This recent publication might be of interest - "Dorset Buttons Hand Stitched in Dorset for over 300 years" by Thelma Johns
Durham, Leics, Notts // New York, Holland, Czech

Offline Stitcher

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Re: Dorset button maker
« Reply #48 on: Thursday 22 June 17 18:15 BST (UK) »
I've really enjoyed reading your stories about Buttony, I am currently researching it and would welcome any stories, facts, or history to add the research I have been doing over the last 25 years.

Thank you