Today, using advice gleaned from The Haby Goddess, I am going to wrestle some buttonholes into it.
You are my witnesses, Three Readers.
Wish me the best.
Today, I chose to work with this cheap-and-nasty ... it's OK, but it's only basic. And when I start-it-up at my sewing circle meet, the others look at me as if I'm revving a dirty old two-stroke ...
I'd prefer to use my mother's old machine. It dates back to 12 December, 1966. It sews beautifully and easily, but I have an easier time lifting my car, and the four-page instructions on sewing a buttonhole are written in Mid-Century language which, I'm ashamed to admit, I find hard to understand.
Translate, please.
Right, so I started with a practise piece of fabric, as advised.
The Haby Goddess swears by her buttonhole foot-thing, but mine said nothing and did, pretty-much, nothing. But the practise run turned out fine.
My support crew was cheering me on, and reminding me that now she can stand and has teeth, she needs more for food than just the odd banana thrown in her general direction. So I fed her a couple of bananas. On a plate.
This blurry shot shows you my third attempt at the buttonholes. By this stage I was extremely cranky and throwing bananas, and plates, at anyone who came into the room. The Haby Goddess buttonhole experience was not my buttonhole experience .
So, I found a small chisel which looked like it was built for splitting the fabric between the stitches, and much to the shock of Child 1 photographer, I hammered away to create a hole for the buttons.
Success! And doesn't she look like the happiest 10-month-old that you've seen in a long time?
In reality, her new smock frustrates her because it impedes her crawling.
I say, that's fashion for you!
Love the little smock. You did a helluva lot better at your button hole making than I ever do. Hate the bloomin things. Bought myself one of those nappy snap presser thingies specifically so I could avoid buttonholes wherever possible. Hot tip on splitting the middle bit of the buttonhole given to me by Jennie of A Little Vintage. Stick a pin in one end end use a seam ripper towards it.
ReplyDeleteHa! Now that sounds exactly like my one and only attempt at buttonholes thus far.
ReplyDeletePS - love the chisel... don't remember seeing that over at the Haby Goddess. Might need to find one to add to my sewing box.
Who knew a chisel would work for buttonholes? The child is sweet and so is the smock. Just tell her that beauty is pain.
ReplyDeleteI'm impressed, although the hammer could do with a lick of paint.
ReplyDeleteI found the Bernina chisel useful in all sorts of ways.
Like the books of the Bible, the Bernina instructions were first written in Aramaic then Greek.
From there though, it was translated into double Dutch.
I had the good fortune of an excellent primary school education in which "Sewing" for the girls and "Woodcraft" for the boys, were taught for the last hour each Monday afternoon in Grade V.
It would be too un-PC for that arrangement today.
So, my hand sewn button holes are a thing of beauty and joy forever in this technical age.
But, I too, reverted to rivets and fasteners when time was of the essence.
If ever you require a chat on hand patches for patterned garments, just let me loose.
mmm, I've been a bit of a buttonhole avoider too! Best get myself a chisel then...
ReplyDelete