Early Saturday morning my kids joined me at the Costume Design Center.
The staff meets my kids
While my daughter and I took a class to learn how to make colonial buttons, my son brought a book to read.
Enthusiastically greeting my kids, the seamstresses remembered the stories about them from my last class.
They had wanted to see the Lafayette costumed coat I had sewn for him, and for which they gave me historically accurate fabric samples for me to sew him a new one.
Supplies for creating thread buttons
Receiving a bag filled with all the materials needed for the class including written instructions, we got to take them home.
First we learned to sew a Dorset button, named for a town in England.
Because of the tiny nature of these thread buttons, we practiced sewing yarn onto large metal rings to learn the technique more easily.
Then we wrapped thread around a small ring, which is the historical size for these buttons.
After some practice with that, we made another small Dorset button, this time wrapping the thread around our fingertip!
A week ago we analyzed the Dorset button on the men’s shirts at the Tailor shop in the historic area.
My son is looking forward to these being placed on the new shirt I’m currently sewing for him.
Wrapping Death Head Buttons
Then we made Death Head buttons with an unknown origin.
Because of how the threads form an X while wrapped around a wooden disc, it’s thought that the name is derived from the cross and skullbones imagery popular in the day.
Our first button was again done with yarn on a large wooden disc.
Then we wrapped silk thread around a smaller disc, that is historically accurate.
With practice, these will look better.
We’ve seen these types of buttons on gentlemen’s coats, waistcoats, and breeches in the Tailor’s shop in the historic area.
As we oohed and aahed over them, the tailor had told me these would be perfectly easy to create and add to my son’s historical attire.
My son liked that idea!
Um, I’m not quite there yet.
The CDC staff told us that the tailor can whip these buttons up in ten minutes while talking to guests and not looking at what he is doing!
This tailor even brags about how children in England commonly made these for the tailor, they are that easy.
Well after 30 minutes of intently wrapping, Iām still figuring it out! =)
Asked if any of us would like to make 30+ Death Head buttons this weekend for Mr. Jefferson’s coat, we laughed.
It would certainly give us plenty of practice, and the last one might be perfect!
Learning lots in these simple classes
Now that I have two 18th century sewing classes down, I have greatly expanded my ability to create a historical wardrobe.
Class 1 – I learned the key to historically accurate fabric and hand stitching. (Wow! I can do that!)
Class 2 – I learned how to wrap Dorset buttons and Death Head buttons. (Wow! I can even do those now!)
Two classes down, seven to go.
My son can’t wait to see his new attire. He’s quickly outgrowing the old, so I should be complete with his new suit by the spring.
Stay tuned!
For more photos check my Flickr set.
