Sunday 9^th October and another chance to get together at the Wildfowl Trust to indulge in an afternoon of  goldwork.  The meeting opened with Janice’s report on a recent visit to Liverpool and to tell us of proposed visits to The Victoria & Albert Museum and the National Trust textile collection at Berrington Hall in Herefordshire (more about these in later partwork publications)

Janice then announced the subject of the day – Dorset Buttons, was this to be a preview of Weymouth Amateur Dramatic Society’s next production of Cinderella?  With the aid of a temperamental overhead projector we soon got the message, we were shown pictures of beautifully decorative buttons found on historic garments but which we probably had never considered how they were constructed.  Janice had put together a selection of items for us to learn how to create a Dorset Button; metal curtain rings, washers, large wooden beads and an assortment of threads, now it was time for us to produce our own button.  The first stage was to cover the ring or washer with ‘blanket stitch’ or if using the bead, to oversew it and then begin to use gold threads to envelop the bead.   The blanket stitch border worked on the rings was inverted so that the loops were on the inner edge and provided an anchor for the filling stitches.

At tea break we were able to examine pieces either completed by members or purchased on their travels.  Marianne showed us a piece of Miao Tin Embroidery which was amazing as the pattern was made up of minute tin strips, she also showed us a piece of Ottoman embroidery which was originally part of a towel and now used as a stole.  This piece was reversible and stunning with its fine thread embroidery.

Nearing the end of the meeting we stopped to take a look at our efforts and (just like their creators) they were all shapes and sizes as you can see from the picture.  Time to go home and plunder ‘his lordship’s’ garage to see what treasures are lurking in his toolboxes and to ‘borrow’ his Screw Fix catalogue!

Chris.