How to Make a Dorset Birdseye (Bird's Eye) Button - 18th century thread shirt button tutorial

[@celiajean7093]

Brilliant! This will get saved for another time as I just got my Dorset and Yorkshire kits in the mail from you and I'm excited to learn them. Thank you so much for your very well done videos. Happy stitching!!!

[@ScrappinlizziArt]

Thank you so much. I first learned making these buttons out of thread only. Using the piece of fabric seems to work just as well. I will try that. Thank you for your informative videos,

[@GinaBSilkworks]

Thank you!

[@jeremyng6086]

Bless you for your videos! I have your book, but the video explains everything so clearly!!!

[@GinaBSilkworks]

Thank you so much!

[@pattijacobs1]

Thanks for sharing. Great video, very clear instructions!

[@GinaBSilkworks]

Thank you!

[@Raegrea]

I love your channel, thank you so much for sharing your skills. I am putting finishing touches on a linen chemise and thought of this type of button, but I had not made them before. 💕

[@GinaBSilkworks]

Thanks so much for commenting. I hope the video helped.

[@vincentbriggs1780]

Thank you for this tutorial! I finally got around to making a couple of these for the shirt I'm working on and I like them very much. All the tutorials I'd seen before this said to wrap thread around the awl lots of times and use that, and I have done a bunch of those using very heavy thread, but this seems more sensible. Would a similar sort of coiled fabric base be appropriate for Dorset knobs?

[@GinaBSilkworks]

Thank you Vincent! I do like the fabric ones myself for the sturdiness, but the thread type were also used in lace, called courrones. Dorset knobs - yes they do originally use a piece of fabric wrapped around a sliver of ram's horn. The piece isn't the same as this, not rolled around itself first, just around the horn and stick. Quite clever really

[@michelesimpson4817]

Thank you for your tutorial. I have been struggling to make the 9 buttons to complete a Swaddling Scroll Doll, as the instructions have not been adequate. I will try your method. As a side note, I am a retired RN. If you haven’t already, please have the spot on you left hand checked. It has 3 hallmarks that indicate it needs attention: irregular size, shape and color. Best wishes.

[@GinaBSilkworks]

I hope this does help. And thank you for your concern - it is actually a little heart shaped tattoo - a relic of my teens :)

[@janemorris3293]

Hi. Loved the video and am going to try making them as a Christmas present. Can you tell me the dimensions of the square of fabric that you started from?

[@GinaBSilkworks]

The square can be almost any size you wish - the size of it, and your stick will determine the button size. A good starting would be one that's about 5cm square. You might want to adjust after that. (My apologies for the late reply x)

[@sandypennell8323]

Very interesting Thankyou. What is the best way to sew them to a garment please?

[@GinaBSilkworks]

The most common is to simply make a shank as you sew, taking your needle under some of the threads at the back of the button, back through the fabric and back up through the threads a few times. Then, wind around the threads as you would when sewing on modern buttons to create the shank. I hope that makes sense. :)

[@sandypennell8323]

@@GinaBSilkworks Thankyou it does.That’s what I thought. I enjoyed your video. ❤️

[@abbiesamson8485]

Can you use a bone or wood blank for the center instead of fabric?

[@GinaBSilkworks]

Hi Abbie, you could, but it wouldn't then be a 'proper' birdseye button. Which is fine, depending on your end use for the button! There's lots of options for modern versions. Another variation (which is actually a little circular decoration for lace known as a couronne, not a button) is made by wrapping a thicker thread around the stick and then covering that in the same way.