Thursday, October 30, 2008

The Infamous Button Box






"My mother, father, younger sister, and I lived with my mother's parents until I was seven years old. Some of my earliest memories are of being nudged downstairs to go visit with my grandmother, who would almost immediately set me to work at some sort of domestic play. Grandma would pull her sewing box down from the top of the refrigerator. It was an old black, metal cookie tin that never seemed to lose its oily metallic cookie smell. The bottom of the box was filled with all sorts of buttons from years of cutting buttons off of old shirts and blouses. I would sit down on the itchy wool floral carpet in the front parlor and sort those buttons for what seemed like hours. I'd sort them into piles of color, size, and matching shapes and in that time I would always dig out the few rhinestone treasures that excited me so. They were diamonds for sure, I thought." Ellen Zahorec, from The Button Craft Book, by Dawn Cusick, published by Sterling /Lark.

I love that. My whole life I have loved stories about quiltmaking, embroidery and buttons. I have no clue why, as no one in my family sewed. One of my aunts on my Dad's side of the family once told me I had my "grandmother's hands." She died in 1918, in Philadelphia, and I wasn't born until 1944, in Louisiana, then raised in Texas, so needless to say - I never knew her. My grandmother on my mother's side of the family never sewed that I knew of, neither did my mother (except for one little baby gown she made for me, which I still have)....so where did I get this wish to sew and collect sewing "stuff"???

I've always had it, so I won't go into a long story about how I learned to quilt, etc., just let me say that along the way I developed this urge to hunt down old things pertaining to sewing......like buttons. One hot Saturday, earlier this year, my husband and grandson decided to go to one of the local flea markets. It's one I only associate with having things "men want." But, my grandson asked his girlfriend and I to go too. So we did. I didn't have much hope of seeing anything I would want...but, it was something to do "with the guys" so, why not? Wouldn't you know...I was the only one to buy something!

There, under a table with lots of junk, I saw something GREEN. Green is my favorite color. So, I got under the table and pulled the green thing out to take a look. It was a green "box" with three drawers. Did I mention that I have a "thing" for most anything with shelves OR drawers? When I opened it...it had lots of little plastic letters that you make signs with..many of which were broken or missing. I wasn't the least interested in those letters, but had an immediate idea for the drawers.
How much? I asked the booth owner....$15, he said. Too much, I said. My husband said "what in the world would you want with that?" Button storage, I proudly said. The guy said he'd take $8 for it. Sold, I said.

The box is 12" x 17" and has three drawers. Each drawer has 40 little segments. I could just see buttons sorted by color in it and imagined how wonderful it would look. Naturally, the men thought me a nutcase. My grandson's girlfriend just grinned at me. We tend to like the same kind of things....sort of. Well, let me say this....she seems to be a "collector" also.

After we got home, the first thing I did was empty out the plastic letters. Cleaned the box. It's not wood, it's just really heavy cardboard with a green painted finish on it. There's a label inside that says it was made by Gaylord Bros, Inc. Syracuse, NY and Stockton, California. I'm sure I paid too much for the old thing....but boy, do I like it. After I spent a day sorting buttons in it.....my grandson stopped by to take a look. "Well, who would have thought?" he said.

In the first drawer, green, red and pink buttons. In the middle drawer are blue, purple and yellow buttons. And, in the bottom drawer are pearl, white, clear glass and black buttons. They ARE diamonds to me!!!

There are many other buttons here, both in the Nest and in my house. But, the ones in the green box are special....I could spend hours just going through them and looking at them...like the girl in the story. Since I didn't get to do that as a child, I am making up for it now. Let's see...diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls....

Take care. Pat

17 comments:

Paddy's Daughter said...

It looks wonderful - I love the drawers, and I would certainly have brought it home with me too! Sue McB

Christine said...

What a fabulous find, well spotted! Yes, I have several "button tins" including one from my Nanna Scott who sewed. Funny how the sewing bug can hit different generations isn't it? My grandmothers on both sides were sewers, and I have some of my paternal grandmother's work. My mother was a professional dressmaker before she married, and I've been well paid over the years for my own efforts. Only one of my 3 daughters showed any interest in learning until recently. Now one is teaching it at high school and another is lerning embroidery so she can sew some gifts for pregnant girlfriends. The third used to make Teddies, but can't afford the hobby just now. Can we enlist a fourth generation do you think?
Hooroo,
Christine
http://missmuffettwo.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

That is THE most fabulous button box I have EVER seen! WOW!

Gaby Bee said...

Wow, a absolutely wonderful buttom box, filled with so many fabulous stuff. Really amazing!

Isabella said...

Thats some button box what a find Pat, I'm going op shopping when I get to Hobart, I wonder what for and who for????
Started my CQ only on ecology cloth first LOL
LOTS OF HUGS

Judy said...

I love your box!! I remember as a child loving "diamond" buttons too!! How much fun was that?

Jackie said...

One word comment: Jealous!
(but pleased for you too)

Gayle said...

This post made me happy, happy, happy! Those buttons are gorgeous and I love the container. Thank you for the fun post.

Anonymous said...

I don't know what I like best, the buttons or the box!

StitchinByTheLake said...

I love your buttons and your button keeper. I especially love the button in the green section that has the three tiny leaves on it. Wonderful! blessings, marlene

Holly said...

Hi, I'm Holly. Wow, what a cool box! not to mention the buttons... makes me miss my mom- but in a nice sort of way. Well, I don't sew but I sure admire those who do!

Have a great day!

Unknown said...

Now that really is a button box! I love boxes and things with drawers too. I remember sorting my grans button box out, oh the treasures I could find in that...
My mum wasn't one to embroider, though she did knit, but my gran was all on with the embroidery and the crochet and so I assume thats where I get it from too.
So what if you paid too much for the box, it's exactly what you wanted!
Rosie x

BrenWall61@gmail.com said...

Dear Pat you know I am drooling over your buttons and you box. Sharing your collections is so wonderful to me and everyone who reads your blog.

Unknown said...

Oh I love your button box. Its wonderful!!

Sharon Tomlinson said...

Love your new old button box. I did that with my grandmother's button tin and now I have it.

Jacky said...

LOVE your green box!!! and I have button envy. Your collection is amazing and what better way to display/store them than your fabulous find. It was an absolute bargain at $8
Reading through this post I noted so many similarities...no-one in the family sewers, playing with Great grandmas buttons as of course everyone saved the buttons off garments back then. Favourite color green...
Great post, so enjoyed reading your story.

Elizabeth Golden said...

I instantly related when I saw this post. I loved the green and buttons, too. Beautiful! What a wonderful flea market prize.

A Bit of Heaven

A Bit of Heaven
An original designed wall quilt with my vision of heaven on earth.