You Wouldn't Be Pulling My Leg, Now, Would You, La Mode?

I went out to JoAnn's to get buttons for a sweater yesterday. When I got there, I discovered that buttons were 50% off, and I kind of went a little bit crazy. 

What was I thinking? Ah, well. At least they were cheap. Le sigh.

Lately I've been intrigued by the interesting patterns and buttons in this Green Earth line by La Mode. I put a set of buttons on one of you-know-who's sweaters recently that were supposedly 50-60% post-consumer recycled plastic, and they look for all the world like wooden buttons. Kinda nifty, I thought.

Up there in that collection of buttons, you will notice a set of black buttons from the same line. Up close, they're quite nice, with a marble-ish line running through them. Very tailored, very vintage-looking:

I had a surprisingly hard time getting buttons to go with this Lauren's Coral Peace Fleece, which is really why I ended up with so many dumb buttons, none of which seems just right. 

The ones below are, to me, the most pleasing with the yarn, but they are a bit too large. I bought them anyway. I figured I'll MAKE them fit. But when I got them home and read the card more closely, I said, "HUH?!"  

Recycled COTTON? Seriously? The card says these are "up to 80% recycled cotton fiber."  SERIOUSLY? 

If it says so, I guess it must be so. But weird.

I can only show you a hint of the sweater for the moment. Maybe later.

And I'm really not so sure I can make these big buttons fit. But we shall see. 

P.S. I got some online chat help with my camera from Sony last night, and after several tries, we got the camera reinitialized. Now it seems that at least it works -- all except that the flash will not pop up automatically. I don't really care about that much. If I really do want it to work, I can pop it up manually, and I don't usually like the flash anyway. What I was mostly concerned about were the lack of ability to auto-focus and the macro didn't work. We managed to get those back, so I'm happy. And I PROMISE NOT TO EVER TOUCH THE SETTINGS AGAIN. Yeah, right.

P.P.S. How much you wanna bet that next year my resolution will be:  Use up all the BUTTONS I've collected!

Comments

[kellys]

quite the button stash! Hey, any ideas on what is safe for an-almost-2yr-old kid's sweater? The ones my friend put on are cute, but she's about to chew em off.
Suggestions welcome! THANKS

[Cookie]

Cotton? How cool and totally weird.

You should just give in and get a "button stash" tag now. ;^)

[AnnaMarie]

Use up my button stash?!??? GACK! Now I feel like I need to go button shopping. Just because.

****mutters.... use it up, are you NUTS!???

Can you tell I love my buttons *lol*

[marianne]

I'm with AnnaMarie re: buttons. wishing I'd gotten my grandmother's button stash. Now see, someday you may have a grandchild who would enjoy a nice tin of old buttons... it could happen.
Cotton buttons, how about that! They look good with Lauren's Coral :^) and I LOVE the black buttons!

[Mary Fran]

The only button stash I have is the singles that come with my clothes. Back in my old neighborhood in Chicago, there was a button store - very cool. It's a good thing I wasn't into knitting sweaters back then, or I would have a huge button stash. Sadly, I don't think the store is there anymore.

[margene]

You bought a few buttons when you were here in SLC...mostly green, I think. Do you have a big button box and know where your buttons are at all times?

[gayle]

One of my happy childhood memories is playing with my grandmother's button tin. I now have a tin of my own. Use them up? Never!

Cotton buttons? Interesting...

[Judy]

I'm with Marianne. I wish I had my grandmothers button tin. I wonder what happened to that, or which one of the crazy aunts grabbed it first. I used to play with those buttons for hours. Must stash buttons. I'll have grandchildren one day.......... (seems like a legit excuse, doesn't it?)

[Holly]

I don't think it's possible to have too many buttons!

[Manise]

Cotton buttons? So do they disintegrate in the first wash like recyclable packing peanuts? Good luck in the button hunt for the coral sweater.

[Joannah]

You've got yourself some very nice buttons there! I don't have a button stash, but I have very fond memories of my grandmother's button tin. Hmmm...

[Elizabeth D]

Norma, I fell into the same sale at Jo-Ann's yesterday. Oops. I'm collecting for three different sweaters that are meant to have mismatched buttons. Gives free rein to my "buy all the colors, and never enough of any one thing to do anything with" bad habit.

[Jennifer]

Ooh - great looking buttons! Well, it seems they can recycle anything these days. I'm always amazed. Love the buttons you chose. P-R-E-T-T-Y!

[Joansie]

Bring the buttons with you on Tuesday! I want to see them. Buttons are just plain fun to buy!

[Anne]

Cotton - really? Totally cool concept tho. Who'da thunk it?

[Kym]

I've been collecting buttons for longer than I've been knitting. . . which is a really long time. I love my button stash. Love it. You can never have too many buttons. . . and they don't take nearly as much space as a yarn stash. Really.

[Marilyn]

I did a cardigan in Lauren's Coral and got the plain wooden buttons from Peace Fleece. They look super on the sweater. Maybe you need to order more yarn and some buttons?!? Just call me an enabler. ;)

[Elaine]

Love buttons! They can make or break a project. In response to Kelly's question about kids' buttons: I sew buttons on kids' projects with dental floss and back the button with a smaller, plain one on the back of the band, so it doesn't cut thru the yarn. Works for me...

[michelle in california]

i went to joann's just for the button sale yesterday too!! it's the only time i buy buttons. i always spend between $20-40...at half price!!

yes, i have a button stash and i'm not afraid to use it. '-> i have been known to sew entire outfits to match a button i fell in love with.

the celtic button are great! recycled cotton, hope it doesn't fray! hehe!

[Teresa C]

RE: Sony Camera, I have the same one and the flash stopped popping up on its own a while ago. I don't use it that often, but when I want it......

[Seanna Lea]

I made a pair of shawls/wraps for a person I know from the chocolate shop and part of her payment was her button box. It's not quite enough of any one button for the average cardigan, but it is great seeing the buttons in twos and threes for inspiration.

[Geri]

Button sale! I need buttons for a fair isle pillow cover. Hope the sale is going on tomorrow, too. Just think now you have a button stash!

[Jean E.]

Nice buttons! Looks like I missed a good sale. Dang.

[Adelaide]

I love the buttons. I need to get myself to Jo-Ann's.

Next time you come to NY, you need to go to, among other button stores, Tender Buttons on 62nd Street near Lexington Avenue. No bargains, but the buttons are incredible.

[elizabeth a airhart]

i enjoy the comments

by now our leader has all her buttons

i am yours freezing in florida

[alke]

Thei're not, Norma.
Remember the little car's from my home-country, the Trabant?
One main component in making the chassis parts was cotton. So if you can make cars out of it, buttons should be possible as well ;-)