Lion Brand Notebook

News, Ideas and Information for Crafting with Yarn

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Buttons Make All the Difference

September 27th, 2010 by Jess

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Like many crafters, I inherited an enormous collection of buttons from my grandmother. Whenever I work on a cardigan, I search my collection for the perfect buttons. The color, shape, size, and design of buttons can really make a cardigan go from good to great. My most recent finished cardigan is the Marigold Sweater from the Summer 2010 issue of Interweave Knits. I love the vintage-inspired lace pattern, and I used a black yarn (LB Collection Superwash Merino in Night Sky) for a versatile fall cardigan.

Marigold Sweater

When it came to find the buttons, I knew that I didn’t just want black ones, but I also didn’t want the buttons to detract from the stitch pattern. I opted for a round black button with a splash of sparkling around it. I love how the white complements the open sections of lace.

Button Close-up

To stabilize the buttons, I used a little trick that you may know about: sew the front button to another one on the back! This helps your front button lay flat on the sweater, and it keeps the button more secure. I used some extra purple buttons that I had, but plain shirt buttons are perfect for this.

Button Back

How have you used buttons to enhance your yarncrafting? Let us know in the comments!

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This entry was posted on Monday, September 27th, 2010 at 9:00 am and is filed under Fashion & Style, Knitting, Lion Staff . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
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  • DCAlaneKnits

    That is a great trick to know (extra buttons on the back). I hope I remember that when I need it!

  • lara

    What a great tip! I like your idea better than using a piece of ribbon as a stabilizer. Less sewing involved. :) And I think finding the perfect buttons for a piece is part of the fun. I usually have an idea for a color or type of button I want for a project, and then I take my almost-finished sweater to the craft store to lay out several types of buttons as close to position as I can to see the effect. Buttons can change the whole look of a piece.