Splitcoaststampers.com - the world's #1 papercrafting community
You're currently viewing Splitcoaststampers as a GUEST. We pride ourselves on being great hosts, but guests have limited access to some of our incredible artwork, our lively forums and other super cool features of the site! You can join our incredible papercrafting community at NO COST. So what are you waiting for?
I was cleaning out my closet and threw a few shirts in the garbage. Awhile later as I walked past the garbage I saw these cute buttons staring at me. So, I took the shirt out of the garbage, cut off the buttons and put them with my craft stuff!!! How pathetic am I?? I guess it is called being thrifty, huh? I know someone else HAD to have done this before - fess up!!
I consider you thrifty. I need to confess I have like three or four dresses from weddings I've been in since 1999. I finally decided to donate them, then last minute I changed my mind. I figured when I'm in the mood they can make great scrapbook covers or pillows. Hahaha, I'm still waiting for my inspiration and mood. Very nice material. My husband just chuckled when I told him I think I'm going to use them to create something. I'm with you on being thrifty.
Cutting buttons off old shirts is normal. My mother has always done it, and so do I. My mother is wierd enough that she goes to thrift stores and buys old men's jackets just for the buttons Normal, it's totaly normal
That is too funny. I save the extra buttons (and little bags) that come with new clothes to use in crafting. I also save Pringles cans to store ribbon in and I save the plastic bottles that diabetic test strips come in to keep little goodies in. My DH thinks I am nuts, but it works for me! I am so bad that I go to the thrift store and get other peoples used stuff for crafting too. Now if I could just organize it!
I come from a family that sews. I thought everyone saved the old buttons!
I have a tin of them that were my Grandmothers. I also save the little bags of buttons that come with new clothes.
Another one that sews here and saves most of the buttons off old things even as a child we always saved the buttons off old clothes. I can remember playing with them as toys. If I'm donating them to a charity I do let the buttons go with it. Mholles that�s not weird to go to thrift stores for old buttons, unless I�m weird too! I found it less expensive to do that than buy from the store new.
I have done it, you are not alone. The thrift store used to put all the clothes they couldn't sell in a free pile. I would go through them and pick out all the ones with interesting buttons and take them home.
My grandma used to save her buttons, my mom did so, too, and now I've got my eye on that jar full of trinkets! There are some really neat, unique buttons in there!
I've cut buttons off clothes before parting with them, too, so no, not weird. Totally normal.
My mother, the button saver, learned how to make great button braclets, so we have used a bunch of her hoarded buttons to make the braclets. Sew a piece of wide elastic to fit around your wrist. Pick out a huge bunch of coordinating buttons from your stash, and sew them on the elastic. Her braclet is all silver buttons, mine is all brass buttons - yep those buttons she got off men's coasts at thrift stores They are lots of fun to wear.
Melanie in NC
I spent hours and hours as a child playing with my grandmother's button box. Kids can sort by color, sort by size, etc. It's a great learning tool--they sell expensive sets of sorting stuff for kids--why not use what you have! (Plus, you can put them on cards when the kids are done.)
My mother, the button saver, learned how to make great button braclets, so we have used a bunch of her hoarded buttons to make the braclets. Sew a piece of wide elastic to fit around your wrist. Pick out a huge bunch of coordinating buttons from your stash, and sew them on the elastic. Her braclet is all silver buttons, mine is all brass buttons - yep those buttons she got off men's coasts at thrift stores They are lots of fun to wear.
Melanie in NC
I absolutley LOVE this idea!!!! COOL!
__________________
You don't have to take on the world, just get on its good side.
My step-mother-in-law (I'm so lucky, I get *two* sets of in-laws! ) is a seamstress, and she will buy items from the thrift store just for the buttons. I remember the last time she did this was with an old, dated-looking women's dress suit, but the buttons were beautiful and she said to buy them on their own at a store, she would have had to look around a lot to find similar ones, and they would have cost her a few (Canadian) dollars apiece.
So don't put yourself down for your instincts, because you're in good company!
I had a student who had a really cool plaid shirt, and I was collecting plaids for a quilt. I asked him if I could have it when he outgrew it or got tired of it...he gave me a really strange look....I save buttons,( and way to much other stuff) some of us call it "recycling"...at church we would say you are being a good "steward of your resources"...in fact I have been know to buy shirts at the rummage sale for the buttons!!!!
You know you're addicted when....
Normal, it's totaly normal 
