In this chapter I looked at making samples of 3D shapes which would make potential buttons and help me construct my own designed shapes later. I selected a range of core shapes for my buttons and then fabrics with which to cover them
I also made some Dorset Buttons and whilst looking at traditional methods also had fun experimenting and with more unusual techniques.
In the third part of this chapter I had fun with toggles and playing with many different types of fabric and meltable materials [always wonderful]!
Simple button making first:
And the results:
Then Dorset buttons:
Really enjoyed this and had fun stretching the boundaries!
Now toggles:
Really liked these against some hand dyed fabric and because all the fabrics involved in making these are from the same dye batch the colour combinations are a joy.
Toggles made from ‘meltable’ materials:
I have photographed these pre-melting to demonstrate the changes the materials undergo, the first photo in each of these 3 sets are therefore taken prior to melting. The page numbers correspond with the text on the page above:
No 1:
Combination of layered materials some meltable and some not which are then zapped with a heat gun
No. 2
Layers of meltable materials [Tyvek and metallic threads] exposed to a heat gun:
No. 3
Layers of Tyvek and nylon or synthetic fabrics pressed with the tip of a soldering iron:
Time spent - approx 21 hours
Expenditure - Soldering iron [£23.50] and Bondaweb 1 metre [£4.75] both from Art Van Go
