If you have buttons you saved from discarded clothes, string them together (or run them through a safety pin) so that all the matching buttons stay together.

Just a little hint I learned after growing up with my mom's crazy-willy-nilly unorganized button jar.

I'm so glad for this topic!  When I put my niece's memo board together I'm going to use buttons from my jar where the ribbons criss-cross!  I had been racking my brain about something to use!

re-tired 

 I have a button jar :-)

re-tired:

I'm so glad for this topic!  When I put my niece's memo board together I'm going to use buttons from my jar where the ribbons criss-cross!  I had been racking my brain about something to use!

Clever idea! Let us know how it turns out. I'll bet it turns out really cute, especially if you use different buttons to give it an eclectic look.

I have a button jar and a plastic button box. We love those old buttons.

I have a button jar too!  It contains some buttons leftover from sewing projects, some that my MIL gave me and quite a few that have been salvaged from old clothes!   It's a habit I picked up from my mother and grandmother.

So few of my friends and colleagues sew that I wouldn't be surprised if they knew nothing about button jars.

Buttons have been used in various sewing projects; but when the kids were younger they were used for quite a few other non-sewing purposes.  The buttons became makeshift pieces for board games, pretend coins etc.  They were also used for teaching math concepts - sorting, addition, subtraction, times tables etc.

Nowadays, a lot of the buttons are used for craft projects.

My buttons are in a cough drop tin at the bottom of my sewing box. They came in really handy last summer when I found a nice cashmere cardigan at a yard sale for a dollar and the only thing wrong with it was a missing button. I was able to find a matching one in my button tin (not completely identical if you look carefully, but I put it at the bottom where it wouldn't show) and turn this yard-sale bargain into a nice Christmas present for one of my sisters-in-law.

Does anyone remember the button and string toy? I'll try to describe it: Take a large sturdy button, run a long length of heavy duty string thru the holes and tie the ends together. Center the button on the string so that you have two big loops on either side and holding it between both hands twist the button around in a big loop until the string gets tightly twisted. Then loop the string on your fingers and move your hands out and in. It will make a funny whirling noise as it spins. Caution here though: eventually the string will break so keep it away from the face and supervise small children. Edey

Edey:

Does anyone remember the button and string toy?

 

Yep. I made them for my kids when they were little. I also made button dolls. I should do that again, just for fun.  

I havent thought about a button doll in years my dear Aunt used to make them ..

Anyone know how to make them ???