shoot me now
Ok, that’s it, I think I have officially lost my tiny mind.
This afternoon, whilst mulling over methods for the button coat, it occured to me that the next fun project (as opposed to serious historical stuff that i need) could be a jacket with no seams where every fabric join was fastened by a row of buttons. It further occured to me that obviously this could not use fancy buttons like the one I’m playing at next week but would have to employ myriad flat buttons, perhaps mother of pearl or the like.
an even more idiotic part of my brain suggested working out a spiral cut frock coat that buttoned together
and an even more unhinged area of my cranium started inquiring as to where, exactly, I could procure several hundred mother of pearl buttons at wholesale.
I expected Gareth to shoot this down, but he thought it was a wonderful idea.
I need a drink.
aaaaaaand possibly a straight jacket.
and you know that because i’ve had the idea i will eventually have to give it a crack at some point now, don’t you?
opusanglicanum 
I assume you’re acquainted with the whole Pearly Queen thing? Google images, if not… you’ll be splendid, I’m sure. 🙂
oh yes – my mum’s area of specialisation is english follk costumes, and it can be very hard to shut her up, beleive me!
I was actually thinking the darker abalone type shell, rather than sparkly white mother of pearl, possibly on a red coat
Back in the pre-blog Ancient Forgotten Times, I knit a kid’s cardigan that was done in four pieces, buttoned together down both the front and back, on the sides and across the top of the arm. This let the wearer swap colors and styles. I did two sets – one red, one white, with slightly different ornamentation and buttons on each, so that the wearer had lots of mix and match options to chose from. All the buttons were black. Half were fancy and were on the fancier pieces, half were the same size, but plain and were on the simpler components.
The project was a riff on a piece I found in an old Knitters mag (from back when it actually posted clever stuff), except that the Knitters version was only left-right/two piece – not four. Lots of fun both to make and wear! Wish I had pix for you. K.
PS: I’ve found mason jars of pearly shirt buttons in yard sales and second hand stores. Rarer now, but sometimes they still surface. Best wishes for project success!
I actually found a bulk lot of exactly the ones I waned on ebay for peanuts, which makes it very tempting
luckliy I dont really knit tho – its too complicated for me cos I cant understand the patterns
Yup. shooting is your only hope… or you will be mired like me, trying to catch up with everything! But if you’re like me, you’re going a head anyway.
i was thinking this time next year – making a coat a year isn’t unreasonable
You could make interchangeable parts! Make the same pattern 3 times in different fabrics and button them together in interesting patterns according to your mood.
That may be taking it too far.
oh yes, make it even more complicated, why dont you?
I should say that’s definitely official. There are times when I envy those with fertile imaginations but today I rest content!
you dont want my imagination -n its hyperactive
When I start having ideas like this I go looking for a life size child doll. Fortunately, I don’t have that many ideas like that (I’m into fleeces at the moment) and don’t yet need a doll. However, I’d still get one for your project because that way if I make any mistakes (and I will) I can undo inches instead of miles. Then when I do the miles I’ll only have to undo one or two times instead of 10. Sewing isn’t my forte.
This would be a very fun coat to see when it is done. I can almost picture it.
dolls irritate me tho, everythings is such a fiddly size for dolls that i tend to find dolls clothes take just as long as full size versions. I make a toile when i need to tho
I am pretty sure that you are a much more confident seamstress than I. It is a skill that I’ve always admired but don’t have the desire to do. My highest accomplishment in sewing was to make a long skirt with elastic waste band.
I’m 100% self taught (clever girls weren’t encouraged to do sewing at school) so sometiems I don’t realise when things are meant to be hard
Go to it! Sounds a wonderfully flamboyant fashion!
eventually – button coat first!
We’ll see you again when you emerge from under a pile of material and a towering pile of buttons …….
you make it sound like mutating radioactive slime – I’m not going to turn into the incredible hulk you know
Nah, The Incredibly Coated Opus!
I think I have a bit of a thing about coats
I just have a vintage maroon silk velvet buttonup, not shaped, And one in lined satin black, with corsetry up the front and flared over the hips with leather trimmings at the wrists and more corsetry on the sleeves (a charity shop rescue that I got re-modelled). And a full black silk velvet cloke as well, fitted at the waist (and by cloke, I mean with arms – I can’t handle my arms being ‘trapped’). I Loooove the designs you are putting up, but I can’t really justify getting one made up. I’ve recently lost around 70lb, so ALL my clothes, including my good pieces, need re-tailoring. Tho I’m a bit scared to take that step in case I gain weight back…I’d really love to have the vintage maroon shaped properly, but once it’s cut….(it cost me $20 at a charity shop – one of my all-time finds)
I hvae a green velvet embroidered one that gareth calls my stolen coat. I gave him a lift to one of his rental properties a few years ago and he came out looking confused and holding a parcel, ” the new tenant found this in the back of a cupboard, it must hvae been there ages, that girl moved out ages ago and I dont have a forwarding adress.”
me – “worrisit?”
him – “how the hell should I know?”
me (inspects parcel) “ooh, its clothes, I like this company!” (rips open parcel)
him – ” you can’t do that!”
Me – “just did. anyway if it turned up after she left she’ll hvae claimed the money back off her credit card ages ago and the sender will have written it off” (pulls out gorgeous coat) “oooh likey like!”
him “you can’t have it, it isn’t yours! besides, it’ll never fit you, she was really skinny”
me (scowls very very hard at gareth, puts coat on, ripps off tags) ” mine now”
oooooo…..yummmm!
I got a really lovely pair of curtains like that. Well, not in a package, but left in a cupboard. Alternate green striped with cream, with gold filigree on the cream.
gareth has trouble telling the difference between stolen and found. I hated the curtains that were in my house when i bought it – i left them up long enough so I could paint the walls naked (saves ruining clothees with paint) then replaced them with silk brocades
Silk brocade…….{slaver}