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What to do with sack of buttons I literally mean a sack
NhiHuynh   Advanced CA USA Member since 1/4/11 Posts: 593	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 6/3/12 2:22 PM About a month ago I was shopping in the LA garment district where I picked up a sizable bag of buttons for $12. Here's a pic next to my basset hound for reference. My thought process was that I spend at least $4/garment on buttons from JoAnn's. If I made 3 garments I'd break even. So far I've made 1 garment which used 3 buttons. I also made a nice wreath for the front door. It barely made a dent. So what other ideas are there for me to use up my stash.
missticky2 Intermediate AUSTRALIA Member since 12/14/09 Posts: 123	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 6/3/12 2:30 PM I have no ideas but that's quite a bag of buttons..lol. I love the wreath ------ Blessings Janice
Nikki   Advanced MD USA Member since 4/8/02 Posts: 2427	Login to reply to this post 3 members like this. Date: 6/3/12 2:38 PM I buy bags of buttons like this all the time, often from the thrift store. I sort them out and separate identical buttons so it is easier to find them later. Color buttons go into a divided case by color, others go into smaller baggies. This makes it very easy to look through when I am working on a project. At this point, I have enough stash of buttons that I don't need to buy any about 2/3 of the time. At some point, you will be making a project and need 30 identical metal buttons, and they will be in your stash! ------ mmmmm woooool
gramma b Advanced USA Member since 7/25/08 Posts: 2272	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 6/3/12 3:19 PM Take all the little cream or white small ones and sew all over the yoke of a creamy camisole-style blouse. I have seen vintage-looking ones like this in boutiques for lots of money. Make pieced pillows with a lace strip covered with the buttons or as the petals on emb. flowers. Use up on Christmas angel clothing. If you have headband wearers in the family, cover them with buttons too.
beauturbo Advanced CA USA Member since 5/2/09 Posts: 1457	Login to reply to this post In reply to NhiHuynh << 2 members like this. Date: 6/3/12 3:27 PM I would go through and sort and first pick out any real mother of pearl or shell ones, and real glass ones, see if you have some matching ones, and just save those for when you make nicer more expensive items for your self, ( like silk blouses or such) just since "real buttons of those" are pretty expensive in the fabric stores now, and not even made as nice as the older ones at all. So most times if I get a box or bag of buttons like that, I just dump them all out on a table top and start sorting. Then I string any matching ones up with some dental floss or a string and a large hand needle and then just tie the strings together. That way you can at least see more "what you have got". I most times save any matching ones, that are enough enough for a garment, for a garment. Also some people like to just make fun Jewelry out of them sometimes, if especially if you like the look of them, when viewed sideways on a string like that, then you can always use some sewing elastic cord or maybe some of that clear stretchy real bracelet cord or such, to just string through the holes in them, and even wear them more intact as a bracelet or such too. Done that way, if they are unusual, or real shell or such, you have not changed them around in such a way, that you could never use them on a garment or for something else either. Or you could just hot glue gun them onto things, but it you do that, and then if you change your mind later, it might be pretty hard to get that glue gun stuff off the backs off them.
lgrande   Advanced Beginner MT USA Member since 1/18/12 Posts: 1053	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 6/3/12 3:34 PM What a sweet looking puppy dog! I want to give her a big smooch! ------ Linda Bernina 830LE Bernina B530 Janome 6600P Pfaff 1209 Babylock Evolution Janome 644D
Mary Stiefer   Intermediate CO USA Member since 2/17/03 Posts: 1709	Login to reply to this post Like this post Date: 6/3/12 3:36 PM I also have a stash of buttons. Because I do quite a bit of charity work - Knitting and Sewing, I use buttons for decorations. I place buttons on the brim of a knitted hat. I make small tote bags to hold a box of crayons and some coloring pages and I use unique buttons on the front of the tote for decorations. Stuffed animals use buttons for eyes. Little skirts for dolls use buttons. LOts of stuff with buttons. ------ What is Maxine saying?? "I don't iron. If I'm not wrinkle-free why should my clothes be."
mastdenman   Intermediate CA USA Member since 1/12/04 Posts: 5843	Login to reply to this post 2 members like this. Date: 6/3/12 3:37 PM I would start sorting by color and then go through each color and sort by buttons that are the same. You can purchase bundles of tiny baggies at a smoke shop and put the buttons that are the same in a baggie. Put all the little baggies in a big tin. ------ Marilyn January 2009 to January 2010 81 yards out and 71yards in January 2010 to the present 106.7 yards out and 146.5 yards in. January 2011 to the present: 47 yards out and 69 yards in.
a7yrstitch   Intermediate TX USA Member since 4/1/08 Posts: 4402	Login to reply to this post In reply to NhiHuynh << Like this post Date: 6/3/12 4:06 PM Have a poker party? ------ I have no idea what Apple thought I was saying so be a Peach and credit anything bizarre to auto correct.
mssewcrazy   Advanced MS USA Member since 3/4/03 Posts: 2303	Login to reply to this post 1 member likes this. Date: 6/3/12 4:23 PM Don't despair -a week ago I used some that had been languishing here for probably 30 years and used to think no way I'd ever need/use that particular style or color. Those little zip lok snack size bag are also nice for sorting. It is so much easier to tell if stash buttons will work if they are sorted by color and size. Last year I bought some odd fashion color ones online in bulk and put them in the snack bags and put the snack bags over into a clear plastic recycled strawberry box which I like for those as I can see the pretty neon colors. I do confess to having a couple of tins from way back when that could use sorting but I've had them so long now I mostly "know" what is in the mixed tin. Don't think the bulk buy will always be available. There used to be sewing factories in this area of the state and you could get a pint or mug scoop for a dime. We used to go there and sort of pick them out and we should have been filling a market tote as cheap as they were. We took a lot of things for granted like super wide interfacing on big rolls that was cheap and specialty threads galore on .50 cones. So don't be in too big a hurry to use them up, except for a few types most of mine have kept well and still look new. The stash I own that is sorted is more useful and you are more likely to find and use them if you have something appropriate. I am thinking of making a button chart for some boxes of factory buttons I have so I won't dig through those when searching-probably should do it for the tins of assorted like yours I have here.

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