Button quiz, projects and more

Here at Bead&Button, we love to feature buttons in our projects and find artists who use them in their work. In jewelry, buttons offer fashion and form. Ornamentation and closure. Beauty and purpose. Since November 16 is National Button Day, I have gathered some of my favorite button projects, articles, and a few fun facts.Plus, you’ll find a video on selecting buttons and profiles on button artists. After that, I leave you with a button quizlet to round out our button celebration.

A second button pendant project uses vintage buttons and fringe to make a statement. This design by Leslee Frumin incorporates a right-angle weave band that encircles the button.

1) What type of buttons are these?

A. Bakelite Buttons

B. Mandarin Buttons

C. Satsuma Resin Buttons

2) What country’s craftspeople were considered the first to pair functional buttons with buttonholes for use on snug clothing?

A. Belgium

B. France

C. China

3) In what U.S. state were these buttons produced?

A. California

B. Iowa

C. Maine

D. North Dakota

4) In the 17^th century, what item did smugglers attempt to hide in box-like buttons?

A. Drugs

B. Exotic insects

C. Eyeballs

5) Buttons are commonly measured in what measurement term?

A. Lieue

B. Pouce

C. Lignes

6) Where, when, and why were buttons illegal?

A. England / mid 1300s / to maintain distinction in social standing

B. Egypt / 600 B.C. / to control who may wear button-like talismans

C. Massachusetts, U.S. / early 1600s / to regulate unnecessary expenses for immodest fashion

Answers

1) What type of buttons are these? A: Bakelite, an early plastic, was invented and developed by the Belgian/American scientist Dr. L.H. Baekeland in 1907. 

2) What country’s craftspeople were considered the first to pair functional buttons with buttonholes for use on snug clothing? D: The pairing is attributed to Germany in the 13th century. Button with buttonholes soon became widespread with the rise of tight-fitting fashion in 13th- and 14th-century Europe. Note: Some evidence points to crusaders returning to Europe with buttons and buttonholes in 1100s, but the popularity hit much later.

3) In what U.S. state were these buttons produced? B: These buttons hail from Muscatine, IA, which is the Pearl Button Capital of the World.

4) In the 17^th century, what item did smugglers attempt to hide in box-like buttons? A: Smugglers from the 17^th century, as well as today’s bandits, have attempted to smuggle illegal drugs in buttons with hidden compartments. I hope you didn't think the answer was "eyeballs." That would be disgusting.

5) Buttons are commonly measured in what measurement term? C: In the 9th century German button makers began to use the term “ligne” to measure the diameter of buttons. A ligne, also called lines and abbreviated L, measures one inch to 40 lignes.

6) Where, when, and why were buttons illegal? A and C: Sumptuary laws were established in both England and in the U.S. in the 1300s and 1600s, respectively. I made up the Egyptian answer. As far as I know, no formal Egyptian code of law has been preserved from the 7^th century.

HAPPY NATIONAL BUTTON DAY!