Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-26
HOME MADE BUTTONS
PRETTY TRIMMINGS TO DISPLAY
INDIVIDUAL TASTE.
Crocheted Covers Can Be Easily Made
by Deft Fin
gers.

Written for The Evening Star.
The immense popularity of buttons and
their first cousins. rosettes, opens up new
field for the deft-fngered girl who must
evolve dainty dresses from limited allow
ance. This season buttons are used singly,
In groups and in rows, independently or as
the heart of saucy rosette. Naturally
enough, prices in buttons have doomed
along with their popularity, and the woman
who needs anywhere from two to ten dozen
to trim her dress finds that these little gar
nitures are big item Of expense.
Jeweled and enameled buttons are counted
among the extravagances of the season,
and they cannot be made or Initiated at
home. But a no less jaunty effect can be
given to frock by the use of other home
made buttons If the work is properly done.
The first thing to decide is the size or sizes
required for giving the chic touch to the
frock. and then the decorations must be Sc
lected accordingly.
On many of the frocks two or even three
sizes of buttons are employed, and the girl
who intends to embroider or paint her but
tons will note that on the best French i'm
portations the decoration is In proportion
to the size of the buttons. That is, If roses
are employed the bud will be large on the
big, fiat button employed to set off the waist
line of the coat, while much smaller flowers
are used on the tiny buttons employed on
the collar and cuffs.
After the cloth, velvet or silk has been
chosen and measured to fit the molds the
handwork is executed and then the cover is
fitted over the mold by an expert button
maker. 1t is folly for the average home
worker to attempt the covering of the
moldS, as this can be accomplished prop
erly and quickly at very small price by
men connected with shops which deal in
dressmakers supplies
Pickup Work.
One of the prettiest forms of home made
buttons shows a crocheted cover over the
silk. A good crocheted button at shop is
high-priced. but at home these small cover
ings furnish excellent pickup work for
mothers and daughters. They are most ef-
fective when the crocheting appears over
openwork pattern in white crocheted silk
thread over black or vice versa, black over
white, furnishes an excellent contrast. One
homemade crocheted button will outwear
three or four of the cheap factory-made va
riety.
Velvet furnishes a beautiful background
for embroidery, and 1t is a particularly ef-
fective button with which to set off a bro
cade or even taffeta blouse A brocade
showing a crimson pattern on a white
ground was made into a coat with velvet
buttons gorgeously spangled. These can be
produced easily at home, using a mold the
size of a half dollar. The center of this but
ton may be stamped with conventional
pattern, such as a fleur-de-lis, star or a
cred. If Spangles are used they must be in
gold of the very smallest size, set so close
that they give the appearance of a metal in
crustation.
Pretty Design.
Gold embroidered thread in padded satin
stitch is also effective. A striking green
button shows hunters green velvet with a
pattern done in cut-steel beads while DEL
icate piece of pale-blue panne velvet has its
pattern picked out in seed pearls set close
together. These large buttons, used to set
off the waist line of Louis coats, admit of
elaborate decoration, and stunning effect
in embroidery shows black velvet covering
for the mold with jeweled center in en-
broidery-that is, the same stitch and colprs
employed in jeweled altar cloths were used
on the velvet for this button.
Hand-painted buttons are very effective
for delicate evening gowns. Here silk af-
fords the most desirable foundation, and
either Dresden or Louis patterns are en-
ployed. The pink and blue combination
which appears so much In evening frocks
Is admirably developed in buttons. If the
frock is pale blue the buttons will be of pale
blue satin, painted In dainty Marie An
toinette garlands. showing pink flowers of
the most delicate tint and pastel green
leaves.
These buttons are frequently used for the
hearts Of rosettes, the rosettes being formed
of the three colors employed In the button,
and evolved from the narrow grosgrain rib
bon which is employed In the Louis en-
brOideyy.