YCBCNEWS01

A Letter from the Editor

Our December meeting was held at Ruth Leipold's house in Sanford (again thanks, Ruth, you are very generous with offering your home).

Those attending were: Clayton and Dotty Locke, Mary Markley, June Mitchell, Susan Brown, Pat Wolfe, Val Owen, Ruth Harju, Em Bently, and Ruth Leipold.

As always it was a congenial meeting with good food, good button talk, and some good brisk sales!

This month (February) we welcome the Valentine Fairy. I did some research in my button books and on the internet and not counting numerous cherub and cupid buttons, found only one button specific to Valentine's day. It is button #1 on page 464 of The Big Book of Buttons. The description is as follows: A small figure holding a rose emerges from an envelope. A basket and handle form the border of the design. Tinted brass; steel back and wire shank. $15.00 (which probably means $30.00 today).

The only other place I could find a connection between buttons (not counting the pin-on type) and Valentines was at ebay. Some crafty people made a Valentine's Day card with buttons (something all of us are capable of doing) and some button dolls. Here is the card complete with the typical lace and buttons placed on the heart.

I particularly like the following two button babes.

Button Doll

For those of you who might like to attempt to make your own doll baby, here are some instructions.

Items Needed

3 buttons for the hat
5 buttons in graduated sizes for the head
9 buttons for each arm
3 buttons for each hand
8 large (4-hole) buttons for the torso
13 buttons for each leg
4 buttons for each sock
1 large button for each shoe

(Choose your buttons for color and shape.)

Strong nylon cord or dental floss

A needle large enough to carry the cord but small enough to fit through the button holes.

Steps:

1. Tie a large knot in one end of the cord and thread the needle. Arrange the hat and head buttons in a stack, lining up the button holes. Slip the needle down through the button holes on the right side. Pull cord through, leaving a 3" tail at the top of the hat.
2. Stack the buttons for one arm and hand. Slip the needle through the the upper holes. Pull the cord through the hand, then bring the needle back through the hand and the arm in the lower holes. Pull the cord tight.
3. Arrange the torso stack and bring the needle down through one of the rows of holes on the right side of the torso. Pull cord tight holding the length at the top of the head to keep the 3" tail.
4. Arrange one leg and shoe. Slip the needle down through the right side. Pull the cord tight and bring the needle up through the left side. Bring the needle up through the still unused rows of holes on the right side of the torso buttons.
5. Arrange the buttons for the other leg and shoe. Bring the needle down through one row of holes on the left side of the torso, and on down through the row of holes on the right side of the second leg stack. Pull tight. Bring the needle up through the holes on the left side of the leg. Continue the thread up through the remaining empty holes on the left of the torso buttons. Pull tight.
6. Arrange the buttons for the second arm and hand. Bring the needle out through the top row of holes, pull tight and slip it back through the lower row of holes. Pull tight.
7. Bring the needle up through the left row of holes, in the head and hat, and out through the top of the hat. Adjust the tension on the cord by tugging at the limbs and/or pulling at the cord until your button doll seems to hang right, and maybe even stand up. Tie the pieces of cord coming out of the top of the hat in a square knot or two. Trim the cord to a half inch and fray the ends to make a wispy tassel.

Note: This is just a basic pattern. You can experiment with your own ideas. For example, I think I would buy a large round wood bead (such as you would find at Michael's or Jo Ann Fabrics) and use it for the face, painting on the eyes, nose, and mouth.

This could be a fun project to do with a grandchild. While enjoying bonding time, you might also create a new button enthusiast.

Caution: This is not a project for young children who are still stuffing their mouths with everything they see.

You could also try the following form, which is more interesting than the previous one:

Other News

NH Seacoast Button Show

The New Hampshire Seacoast Button Club is sponsoring a button show on Saturday, March 18 from 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon. It will be held at the Marie Houard Community Center, Packer Meadows, Newton, NH. This will be a sale only; no program. There will also be coffee, tea, and sweets, and a lasagna luncheon. For more information call Cheryl Killam at 603-382-8504. For detailed directions to get there you can e-mail a request using the link on the MSBS Homepage.

NERBA

The Northeast Regional Button Association (NERBA) will take place June 9th to the 11th, 2006, at the Hilton Hotel in Southbury, Ct. Complete details will appear in the March newsletter.

Ole Bull

Also next month, the story of "Ole Bull", complete with a verse from Longfellow's Tales of a Wayside Inn, characterizing the poet-violinist.