Dorset eNewsletter December 2013

Designer women's clothing feature Buttons

Viva women's clothing the lace on the sides. now features Dorset Viv was a successful Buttons. designer and pattern Recently, I have cutter in London who collaborated with local decided to relocate to fashion designer Wiltshire with her Vivienne Dines, who husband. Although she has her own label is frequently asked to 'Viva'. Viv specialises in help develop designs women’s clothing and by her previous has designed a range of items of fashionable clothing which feature Dorset Buttons. Each item is unique with usually only employer, Viv now one in the range. concentrates on This is one of her developing her own creations a jacket range of unique that features three tops inspired by our Dorset Buttons local heritage of designed to reflect Dorset Buttons.

The War Child Embroidery Project

The War Child inches. One of the Inside this issue: Embroidery Project is panels features Dorset Happy New Year 2 the brainchild of Lavinia Buttons. Earl and is supported You can see a detail of Dorset Buttons Morris 2 by Coates Crafts. The this panel and find The Great Dorset Steam Fair 2 project began in 2000 more about this and, when completed, worthwhile project on Lord Nelsons undershirt 3 the embroidery will be Henry’s Buttons my website: Henry's Norfolk Weavers & Spinners 3 made up of 100 main Buttons - News and 01747 829010 panels, each A Christmas tree angel 3 [email protected] Views www.henrysbuttons.co.uk measuring 90 x 60 A Dorset Challenge 4 Page 2

Happy New Year by Anna McDowell

The build up to Christmas to experiment with new and 2014 is a wedding range was an opportunity to vintage fabrics and threads inspired by Abraham Case experiment with a and his wife. The Dorset selection of fabrics, Button industry started as a threads and designs. love story. When Abraham One of my most Case, a professional popular designs was soldier, was passing a flower brooch made through the area he fell in from local alpaca love with a local girl from yarn from my sister’s Wardour. They set up home heard at Shute Farm near and Alpaca at Donhead St started the Dorset Button Mary near Industry. A wonderful love Shaftesbury. Another story with monumental A selection of this years Christmas range of gift items was one I designed consequences as can be from rolled sari silk seen on the following web from India with the button and I have made it my new page History of the Dorset Button worked from two different year’s resolution to spend Industry. colours of Chinese silk more time creating new I look forward to receiving thread. designs. your news and images of It is an inspiration to be able One of my new ranges for your own projects to share with other buttoners.

Dorset Buttons Morris

Last June, Ben Fogle, TV Button Morris team who, as wearing wooden clogs that presenter and international fitting for a group of dancers were everyday footwear at explorer, explored Dorset in based in Dorset, decorate the time the dances were new ITV series of their costumes with Dorset first performed. The team's programmes called Harbour Buttons. colourful dresses and vibrant Lives. One of the topics he This Morris dancing group dancing have become well mentioned, included a Morris was formed in 1978 and known throughout the dance team based in based in Wareham in Dorset. country. For further Wareham called the Dorset Their outfits also include information click on Wareham Whalers The Great Dorset Steam Fair

Traditionally, this English fair crushed the world record is held at the village of for the greatest amount Tarrant Hinton, near of steam rollers in a , in the formation over a set heart of the beautiful Dorset course with 102 rollers countryside and attracts taking part; and secondly around 200,000 visitors. In I was sent this 2013, the Fair had two firsts, photographs of the first stall gifts featuring Dorset the organisers officially holder dedicated to selling Buttons. VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 Page 3

Lord Nelsons undershirt

One of the artifacts held by the tape and fastens with a Dorset After Nelson's death at the Maritime Museum is Lord button. Inside the neck at the Battle of Trafalgar, 21 October Horatio Nelson undershirt. 1805, his belongings were The shirt is made of returned to his family. His lightweight cream-coloured clothing from his cabin was wool flannel. The skirt is of a given, in a small bundle, to heavier gauge wool flannel. his sister Catherine Matcham. The body is made of four This undershirt was included panels, the seams are in the effects that Mrs. finished with a combination Matcham received, it was of cross and herring bone passed down through the stitch in white silk thread. The Matcham family. It should be right sleeve is cut short and noted that while it was the edge is finished with amongst the clothing Nelson blanket stitch. The collar is took with him to sea, he was edged with linen tape. The Vice Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson, by Lemuel not wearing at the Battle. Francis. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. shirt fastens in the front with Unfortunately, the Maritime seven Dorset buttons which Museum’ owns the copyright are supported by a strip of and hence, I’m not allow me linen tape. The buttonholes are top is Nelson's laundry mark to show you an image of this stitched into a wide stripe of which features a coronet shirt but you can see it by cotton/linen tape. The right above the letter N done in clicking on the following link cuff is edged with narrow linen cross stitch in black thread. Lord Nelsons under shirt

Norfolk & Suffolk Guild Weavers Spinners & Dyers by Judy Read

I have been playing with buttons My next project is to design a on and off for a couple of years, bag for the National Exhibition in having done a workshop with Norwich of the Spinners, Anne Dixon - who is a member Weavers, and Dyers Guilds and I of our Guild. We have an plan to have some buttons on it. exhibition and sale in August The online guild is doing a every year in Southwold (on the workshop on Dorset Buttons for Suffolk Coast) during which we October - this involves members have a competition, and in 2010 from everywhere !! Dorset Buttons was the theme.

A Christmas tree angel

I have had a number of s simple design as you can see enquiries’ about how to include on the right. beads with Dorset Buttons. In I took this a stage further and the past I have always referred developed a Christmas angle such enquiries to Marion Hewitt’s using ready available beads fact File Book which has an from my local bead shops in entire section on working with Sturminster Newton and beads. However, I thought it was Shaftesbury. If you would like to about time that I taught myself receive basic instructions please the art of beading with these contact me at lovely buttons and came up with [email protected]. In praise of the humble Singleton - a Dorset Button Challenge for 2014

Within a couple of weeks of Your help and contributions Requirements sending out the August 2013 of Singleton buttons will  Each buttoner may submit edition of the Dorset Button enable me to mount them one button for the display. eNewsletter, I  The basic button received three must follow the original enquiries for this method of making a challenge. Singleton button but go Several other to town on your design buttoners have on the top of the shown interest button. so I have

decided to take  The button should be this challenge 25 mm wide and 15 further and I to 3 mm high

hope you will  The button must have join me to help a loop on the back

raise funds for Sample of buttons from the Macclesfield Button Project enable me to fix it to a the Dorset Local 2013 backing cloth. History Centre,  Please submit your Dorchester, for button by the 31st March conservation material. onto a panel for display. 2014 I have spent many hours Funds will be raised through Original buttoners were free researching into the Dorset donations received from all to put their own individual Button industry at the Dorset those who want to view the decoration into the centre of Local History Centre and I panel and I’m currently these buttons and it was know the Dorset Archives talking to several whilst up in Macclesfield for Trust, who support the organisations who have the Button Project I got to Dorset History Centre, are shown interest in supporting thinking on how we could seeking funding through their this project. I will also raise take this individualist idea sponsor-a-box programme; funds through Dorset Button into the 21st century. I was just £10 pays for the demonstrations coffee able to take photographs of purchase of a new, acid free mornings and tea parties. some of the entries and it archive box together and Your help with events and was this that inspired me acid free and pH neutral other fund raising ideas and I hope you to try materials which are used to would be appreciated. something new. wrap up archives, and The local press have also Full details of this project increase their longevity. shown interest in this can be found on my website project. Singleton Button Challenge

Workshops:

I have had two enquiries from individuals who would like to join other buttoners at one of my workshops for Dorset Cartwheel Buttons. If anyone is interested and would like to join me please contact by email : [email protected] or Tel: 01747 829010. I have not yet confirmed a date or time but hope to hold the workshop at the Gold Hill Museum, Shaftesbury.