Sunday, September 19, 2010

Collections

I have a problem. It's not really such a big problem, but it is annoying. I'm a tiny bit too tall for petite and a tiny bit too short for a regular size. Petite sized pants end above my ankles and regular sized pants drag on the floor. But I buy regular sizes.

As a result, and because I hate to mend clothes I usually roll the waistband of my pants to shorten them. Today I decided to do something about it. I gathered my sewing supplies, dusted them off and set about shortening three pairs of pants. I took the lazy way out and just folded the hem up. Hopefully they won't be too long now.

While I was going through the supplies looking for a needle and thread, I saw a couple of plastic bags in my sewing kit. They were full of buttons, old buttons, very old buttons.

It made me think. Why do we save old buttons long after we've worn the clothes. I recognized some of them, others not so much. They're useless, I don't make my own clothes any more, Most of my clothes don't even have buttons.

I can't see any reason why I should keep them but I can't bring myself to throw them out. Can someone please answer that? Why, why, why?

4 comments:

BetteJo said...

Some people love buttons. http://buttonfloozies.blogspot.com/

I have a button bag that my mother made for me, because I used to sit and go through her buttons when I was a kid. I don't know what there was about them but I enjoyed looking through them. My daughter too - now she has her own button bag.

ANGELFITZ/SSS said...

I HAVE A BUTTON TIN TOO. I THINK WE COME FROM A GENERATION THAT DID ACTUALLY SEW BUTTONS BACK ON. I DO KNOW MY MOTHER WAS ALWAYS THINKOMG. "I'LL BE LOOKING FOR THIS ONE DAY, SO JUST IN CASE, I'D BETTER SAVE IT." THAT CAN BE THE ONLY REASON I CAN COME UP WITH IN MY CASE. I'LL BE INTERESTED IN WHY OTHERS HOLD ON TO THESE BUTTONS ALSO. THANKS FOR THE CHUCKLE.

Cromely said...

It could make for an interesting project. If there are enough buttons in the collection, especially if they "theme" take strip of cloth wide enough for 5 across and just start sewing buttons to it. A 5-foot by 6-inch button banner might look nice hanging on a wall.

Anonymous said...

Don't throw them away, many people collect buttons. Maybe donate them to Goodwill? Many of us still hold on to the ideas of those before who lived through the Depression. linda