Thursday 19 December 2013

At last....the solution..

Aha - that made you all look closely huh!  The solution I refer to is not, I regret, an earth shattering one. World Peace is simply not within my remit, but I promise, if it was...

Remember this?  Been on my desk, filling slowly, for nearly all of this year.  Although it was useful, it was also largely not what I wanted.  I don't want to sort the buttons..I like the hunt.  I didn't like them being in the jar because even when it was possible to close it, the mechanism was very anti-social.  The spring back re-opening would wither break your thumb or give you heart failure.  Not great.

Then, one summer's day,  I was with the Enthusiastic Educator at the local quilting store.  I picked up a Jelly Roll and told her about the baskets I'd seen on Pinterest, being made from really thick yarns.  Wouldn't it, I said, be fun to use fabric like this.  And there was the idea.  So, in a fit of feeling flush, I bought the Jelly Roll.  I cut each strip in half, which doubled the volume.  And then I crocheted.  With a huge hook - a 12.  It made my hands ache.  I crocheted in the same colour order that the strips were wound in the pack.  (Next time I would change that, but hey, I'm slow on imagination). I did it whilst we were in Spain in October.  It was lovely to sit in the sun and do something other than erm, nothing.


I knew it was going to be my new button basket, I just haven't had time in these last couple months to actually finish it properly.  I felt it should be lined, see..to stop the little buttons straying into the crevices and out of the basket. Yesterday, though, whilst wrapping presents, I found a large ziploc bag.  Perfect.  Now, I have a liner and the added bonus of securing the top if I want to transport my buttons.  Which I occasionally do - to Crop and the like. Not stylish, not really even what I want, but for now, an answer. Because the button jar was overflowing and the button basket was knocking about the house waiting.  Ridiculous.  And last night....when I was making something that needed a button, I didn't tip the contents out.  I just stuck my hand in there and rummaged.  



It's not even full!  I'm a bit smug.  
Even though I got carried away and thought that yesterday was Friday, I'm joining with Annie for Friday Smiles..this may be a smug smile, but hey...it's a smile!

36 comments:

Kyla said...

Fabulous, I bought my first jelly roll the other day too! It looks brilliant and no attacking of the lid on your poor fingers!

Now, just need to search for button crafts on pinterest now!

Kyla

Judys Lace Creations said...

I love containers of buttons to run my fingers through.Love this clever button bucket!!

Minxy said...

I'm rather more anal when it comes to my buttons, I have them in the little ikea jars all colour sorted, but I imagine for the rummager this clever make is just perfect, and it looks cool too xo

Monica said...

I wonder if collecting buttons has ethnic origins. I keep buttons in a plastic cabinet with little drawers meant for nails and screws, all separated by color from my sewing era.

Scrapcat 1 said...

Your button basket looks fabulous though I can't imagine crocheting fabric. the large bag inside will make it safer for transporting and as you say not even full what an excuse for more buttons :)

fairy thoughts said...

swoosh, swoosh
There did you here that noise? .... it was my hand swooshing around in the basket.... genius
janet

voodoo vixen said...

I think your smugness is just, brilliant little basket, esthetically beautiful and useful too, so you have covered all eventualities!

Brenda B said...

Genius, and I like a good button rummage too, always have. The background stamp is actually clocks, but I can see where you got roses from. The trouble with States that are mild in the Winter is that they're unbearable in the Summer. Bear in mind, we're regularly over 32C here in the summer, sometimes more. I always look at it like this. In the South they spend the summer inside glued to the air conditioner and the winter outside relaxing. In the North, we spend the Summer outside relaxing and the winter inside glued to the heater. It's swings and roundabouts!

Hugs
Brenda

Nan G said...

Love love love the button basket! You've crocheted ....fabric!? I was going to ask what's a jelly roll? So I will! :) And BB above is right, southern States are quite hot and humid in the summer...something else I love! For us "lizard types" as My Fella calls me...anything below 75F requires the heat be turned on. Anyways, love the basket wouldn't mind a good rummage thru it. :)

RosA said...

I know the button jar has been a source of amusement/entertainment or comment throughout the year so it's good that you've come up with a solution that suits you. Personally, I would probably have sorted them into (at least) two smaller (but still glass, cos I want to see them) containers, probably warm colours in one and cool colours in another, and then, when the buttons began to overspill I would probably have brought in two more jars and made subsections of dark and light! Welcome to my slightly OCD world! which allows me to ruminate on how to sort buttons but not actually tidy anything properly :)
Have a lovely Christmas Julia.

Helen said...

Not full? sounds like a shopping trip is needed... What a great solution to your button storage, though I shall miss the colourful jar on your desks come Wednesdays, but think the plus point will have to be not having to pick up gazillions of buttons in future...!!

Annie said...

What a fab idea...and now you have space to put more yummy buttons eh? :-)
Thanks for joining in this week...I know how busy you are.
Hugs,
Annie x

Craftychris said...

Cool idea, I love it! There is nothing like a good rummage! xx

mamapez5 said...

I'm glad Nan G asked, and i shall do the same. What is a jelly roll? I love the basket. I recently downloaded a pattern for three nested baskets crocheted in thick yarn, but they are more like shallow trays. My buttons are in two boxes, mixed, and 'tinies', but i love to have a rummage now and then!Kate x

Lorraine said...

what a good idea..looks fab

Gill Edwards said...

another great creation, what a good idea.
Merry Christmas
Gill xx

Glenda said...

I love your button basket! How clever of you!

fairy thoughts said...

hi
love it, take a look at my post will make you grin
janet

Laura said...

Methinks you need some more buttons from Santa to fill it up!

JoZart Designs said...

I love the look of the fabric once crocheted. I'd love a shopping bag made that way.
Jo x

Artyjen said...

Great solution! That's the problem though...as we keep collecting, our storage needs have to be revised!!!
xoxo Sioux
Have a Happy Christmas ;)

Twiglet said...

Great idea - never used a jelly roll but know I really do need one!!! lol x Jo

505whimsygirl said...

Hi Julia,

I like your little crocheted basket! I'm like you, I don't have the majority of my buttons sorted. I have a jar, somewhere, that has mainly variations of white but that really wasn't by design.

I've been MIA for a while. Heck I even wrote up a post for this week but didn't have time to take the photos.

Hugs,
Kay

Lindart said...

Love the button bag! What a great idea! Thanks for visiting! Lindart #71

Laura said...

I like rummaging for buttons, too, versus sorting them. Plus I don't have very many. I think it's partially because it reminds me of the button tin from when I was growing up. I always liked looking at the lovely variety of buttons in that tin. Happy Friday! ~ Laura the Bookworm, AWOL from WOYWW this week, but lurking anyway

Elizabeth said...

Brilliant! And the basket is clearly big enough for the collection of yet more buttons :)Hugs, Elizabeth xx

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

Happy Holidays!

Robyn said...

fun basket!
Ah, the hunt!

Leslie Hanna said...

That is such a cool idea! It reminds me of rag rugs that use up scraps of fabric. Now *I* want to try it!

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

OMGosh. Not only did I miss WOYWW, I missed Friday Smiles. I'm SO glad my internet is back.

I actually like the colors as they progressed through the jelly roll. And to think, not even a year ago, I had no idea what a jelly roll was other than a pastry. Form follows function, even.

Lisa-Jane said...

Well I never did! I had no idea that you could crochet with material but I think it is the perfect answer for you. Its good to rummage ;-)

Claire Grantham said...

Love this..how clever to crochet the fabric. You deserve to feel smug. I have hundreds of buttons, I keep them sorted in 3 ways - 1) by colour for sewing 2) special heirloom ones in their own box (from my Grandmother and my Great-Aunt) 3) in a huge glass for craft rummaging..my glass jar has a rubber pop off lid, so no finger damage. Cx

Mrs.D said...

What a good idea, but what is a jelly roll?
Chris

Unknown said...

I think we should all send you a few buttons in the post so your container overflows again!!

Sandy said...

So you now have room for more buttons woohoo..
Sandy :)

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