Today we're doing a little vintage button mythbusting.
Everyone loves seeing the gorgeous vintage buttons at Treadle, but we find that a lot of folks are reluctant to use them in a project, for fear of cost, breakage, or that they're just too fancy!
So today I want to set your mind at ease and tell you how easy it is to use vintage buttons!
Myth #1: Vintage buttons are too expensive
While a super-fancy giant rhinestone clasp might set you back a bit, there's definitely a range of options!
We're more used to seeing buttons individually priced at Treadle, and anywhere from $2 to $8 per button is pretty common.
It's common to get a little sticker shock when you see a card of buttons for $24, but for 8 buttons, that's still only $3 each!
Some of our vintage china and bone buttons in tubes are as little as 35 cents each!
Myth #2: You can't wash vintage buttons
Not so! We often hear fears of having to remove the buttons before laundering your garment, but in 98% of cases, that's simply unnecessary!
Water won't damage china, ceramic, bone, shell, mother-of-pearl, glass, and other natural materials.
The only concern with shell and glass might be breakage, so try this tip: button up the garment, turn it inside out, and wash and dry inside a garment bag.
All of us at Treadle have had great success for years with this method! And remember - these buttons have survived for decades already - they're stronger than you think!
Myth #3: Vintage buttons are just too fancy for my project
Not every vintage button is encrusted with glitter! There are so many options in mother-of-pearl, glass, ceramic, Bakelite, metal, vegetable ivory, shell, and more.
Take a look - you might find that perfect addition to your project! Becky refreshes the vintage button selection about every 6 weeks, so there's always something new to see!
Check out all our Friday Fun Facts in the archive here!
I love those buttons and have used them for several projects already! And they wash up just fine so don't worry.
ReplyDelete