Dorset Button workshop - May 2017

The day after Anna McDowell's interesting talk about the history of Dorset buttons she kindly taught a group of Guild members the various techniques to enable us to create our own buttons. 

​Everybody was given a pack which included the metal ring, thread and the instructions to make a Dorset "cartwheel" button.  I was surprised to learn that you used one length of thread and, to begin with, I found 3 1/2 yards quite difficult to handle without getting into knots!  Our second button was the Daisy pattern which was worked on a larger metal ring but this had a staggering 5 1/2 yards.  We all managed with some results better than others!  The final button we were shown was called the "singleton" and for a group of embroiderers this button opened up a great opportunity to express ourselves.

---

By the end of the day, everybody had at least two buttons and some speedy people even had three! 

​Thank you Anna for a most enjoyable day.

​Report by Ros