Part Three Buttons and Jars

Back to sorting the buttons by color, who knew it would take this long. This is not fun anymore and I have to get these buttons off my coffee table soon. Using different size boxes, bowls to sort with I realize this is not how I want to store or display them. What to use?! 

   

 [take a break and browse Pinterest] Didn’t take too long to see all those button jars!

Yes I am losing my mind, because it really did take me a couple of days to remember I had boxes of JARS in the basement!! Now I can put the buttons in the jar by color and have a rainbow of color button jars ...

 

 

Sorting

Things in button containers besides buttons:

Lapel pins, baby pins, paper clips, needles, tacks, coins, beads, earrings, stamps, thimbles, hooks and eyes, buckles, snaps, nasty corroded things, paper origami, cuff links, lots of broken bits and pieces, drapery clips and a cloth felt cat needle holder!

 

Did I mention this taking a long time - finally I just finish sorting the first batch of buttons, brag to my friends that I now have buttons, take pictures of the jars that I now have to put them away because I have to decorate for Christmas.

“Are you sure you don’t want more buttons?!” Well I am sure but I am also getting hooked so more buttons arrive and now I have to clean and make a space in the basement!

 

Once I get over the shock of the quantity that I am now dealing with, it is time to get serious and learn about the types of materials that buttons are made with. I am finding some interesting buttons that just by feel, I am certain are older than 1930 so the collector in me says Keep!

 

In the quest for more knowledge…

[take a break and browse the internet] Wow look at those old buttons I might just a have a few.

My fingers are getting dirty so I think, now I have to clean the darn things.

[take a break and browse the internet] How do I clean the natural buttons – wood, shell, glass, horn, nut, fabric? How to clean old and new plastic types?

 had to clean the jars first...

 washing what I know will be okay

 

 there were some really yucky ones



 

Time to access the serious button collector groups and their experience.

[take a break and browse the internet] Many button groups, they sure know their stuff. There is a button collecting group here, so I should probably just contact them someday.

So much to learn - type, age, cleaning, displaying….

SLIDING DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

Part Two Buttons

Disclaimer: I am not a collector of buttons

But I am a clothing and accessories collector. Buttons come with the territory mainly as a reference in researching, authenticating, mending and displays. Back to the lady who calls me after a clean out of yet another craft room ( I am guessing here because how does one person have that kind of volume of yarn, notions, patterns and fabric in one tiny house - is a mystery to me).

“Are you interested in buttons?” she asks.  “I could be”, I said, thinking there will be a ‘button jar’ and how nice it would be to have a button jar to put amongst a display. During my sewing years, I just put loose buttons in the bottom of my sewing basket along with those single buttons attached to store bought garments. But those are later 80s and 90s buttons so they didn’t qualify to be part of my collection. It has never occurred to me to start my own button jar, and if I did, I would use a big pickle jar!

To my surprise her buttons were in a box. Mainly from the 1960s and later.

 

The loose buttons were in small tins, baggies and plastic grocery bulk containers. Yes there are that many.

 

And many still on cards! Mainly from the 1960s and later. And very small buttons perfect for my crafty friends at the Doll of Club of Edmonton and doll artists who sew clothes and mend for their dolls.

 

Oh well, I am not a button collector so I will sort by type and color and if there are any that look and feel remotely older than 1940, I will keep in a separate container for future further research.

 

Handling the buttons reminded me of playing with Mom’s buttons from her button jar. We counted, we sorted, Mom gave us a color or type to find…just to keep us out of her hair for awhile.

Okay…where is her button jar and how come I haven’t seen it in her sewing room?!

A button jar is a very personal thing, it holds memories of the mending, making do, keepsakes of babies, special occasions, working clothes of loved ones and is one of the last items a person gives up when ‘cleaning out’. That and her wedding dress!

Two Christmas’s ago, Mom surprised all of us with one of the most personal gifts I have ever received from her. She made ‘button jars’ for each of her daughters (6). The jars had bits and pieces of everything Mom ever saved – jewellery, coins, pins, buttons, small trims, dolls, flowers, all layered in the jars and personalized for each of us.

 My jar with a green tint and says MASON`S PATENT NOV 1858...yes I know it is not from 1858.

 another jar

 

 

Oh yah - the jars she used – those old wonderful jars from the shelf above the fridge.

 

Part One Jars

Disclaimer: I am not a collector of jars.

‘Old jars’ we all love them, and the crafty possibilities are endless.  However, the memories of picking the fruit, preparing and ‘canning’ is an experience that I did not appreciate at the time. We wanted to spend our hot summer days at the lake!

A few of my close friends are much more ‘crafty’ than I, and while shopping at antique show one starts to admire the jars and brainstorm what she would do with them.  Suddenly it occurs to me, I know where there is a basement with more than a few a jars!! I stop her from buying a jar, sorry vendor.

On our next visit to the farm, I ask Mom, if we can go through her jars and pick out a few each  to take home. We were thrilled with our selections and Mom was happy that someone actually wanted those jars.

Umm… I wonder aloud, “but Mom there must have been jars older than these?”  “Yes” she said, “they are on that shelf above the fridge.”  She didn’t offer them to us, so I dutifully took pictures!!

 

My Aunt moved into a seniors apartment and long story short – yes I brought home a couple boxes of jars. Now I can only hide so much from my husband and boxes of jars are not one of them! They are family items I tell him, I am going to share with my sisters and cousins…and I did, kinda.

 before cleaning

 

 baby bottles

 

 regular types cleaned

 

The same summer, a lady who has been downsizing, rightsizing her home, called again and asked, “Are you interested in jars?”

Only if they are old I said!!! And another box of jars or two sits in the basement. And yes, I did label Moms and Aunties jars!!