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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hi Henry.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Yes. A soldier from Dorset England set up a business to make them starting in the 1600’s. There’s were a lot of sheep in Dorset at that time, and both the ewes and rams had horns, so the button-maker used pieces of horn for the rings. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We also learned that making buttonholes was a great skill, and buttonhole makers were paid more than regular seamstresses. Thus, a person could show off their wealth by having lots of buttonholes in their clothing, and rich people had buttonholes with no corresponding buttons. Funny, ay?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>And we learned that, when attaching any button, it’s important to create a shank by attaching button raised up enough to accommodate the fabric around the buttonhole. One makes the shank by starting to attach the button, but holding it up off the fabric and wrapping the thread around the first attaching stitch, to strengthen the shank, and then continuing to sew on the button in the elevated position. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hope that makes sense. I can picture it clearly, but maybe not explain it well. I think I’d hold the button up every time I made a stitch, and wrap at the end, and maybe more often.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Tracy<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='mso-ligatures:none'>From:</span></b><span style='mso-ligatures:none'> NFB-Blind-Crafters <nfb-blind-crafters-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>henry osborne jr via NFB-Blind-Crafters<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, December 3, 2024 10:48 AM<br><b>To:</b> 'List for Blind Crafters and Artists' <nfb-blind-crafters@nfbnet.org><br><b>Cc:</b> hosbornejr@gmail.com<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [NFB-Blind-Crafters] Dorset buttons<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif'>Good Morning Tracy, thank you for sharing this with us. Is there any origin like England where these buttons were first made?<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Aptos",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='mso-ligatures:none'>From:</span></b><span style='mso-ligatures:none'> NFB-Blind-Crafters <<a href="mailto:nfb-blind-crafters-bounces@nfbnet.org">nfb-blind-crafters-bounces@nfbnet.org</a>> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Tracy Carcione via NFB-Blind-Crafters<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, December 3, 2024 8:28 AM<br><b>To:</b> 'List for Blind Crafters and Artists' <<a href="mailto:nfb-blind-crafters@nfbnet.org">nfb-blind-crafters@nfbnet.org</a>><br><b>Cc:</b> <a href="mailto:carcione@access.net">carcione@access.net</a><br><b>Subject:</b> [NFB-Blind-Crafters] Dorset buttons<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Last night I learned the basics of making Dorset buttons. Amazingly, a member of the local knitters’ guild is the world-wide expert on these buttons. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I never heard of these buttons before, or really of making buttons, so it was very interesting.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Basically, you need a ring and a skein of pearl-cotton thread or fingering yarn. You make half-hitches with the yarn to cover the ring, then make spokes by wrapping the yarn from 1 side to the other, like a clock, then weave the yarn through the spokes to fill in the center. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pretty simple, once I got it. Children used to make them, as well as adults, to make money for the family.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Of course, there are fancier variations, but that’s the basic.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>And now I know, roughly, how to make my own buttons! Though she said it’s much harder than it used to be to get inexpensive rings of decent quality.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Tracy<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>