no if's, no buttons.

When I lived in Camperdown - buttons were not a problem, you needed a button, you went to the button shop, the lovely ladies provided assistance if necessary, and oohed and aahed over the little knitted creations regardless, very civilized.

I recently bought a cheapie cardigan made from good fabric, but with boring buttons, I decided that the cardi was a good buy (for work) and that I would just change the buttons - I had the perfect buttons in mind, hand stitched clear glass beads in concentric circles - prefect, except that I only had 5, and the cardi required 8.

Time for a trip to the button shop! oops, wrong country...search the net, search the yellowpages, no time to set up wholesale accounts, I want my buttons now! A trip to Spotlight looms ominous...they have nothing, some of the nothings cost $4.95 each! gah! I come home, despondent, and sew vintage green buttons onto my black cardi - not what I had imagined, but alright for work.

A drive with Flash yesterday, exploring the surrounding neighbourhoods, discovering the changes made in two and a half years, finds us at a bead shop, light, airy - busy...and they have buttons - hmmm, not quite to my taste, garish , plastic, theres some gold involved...and between $8 - $24 each, get out of town! The saving grace is hiding in a basket on a low table...I have tried to steer away from plastic buttons for the littlies, but these are something else - moulded plastic from Czechoslovakia, the little pictures are in relief and handpainted, snails, bears, bunnies and chicks, too cute. The price is very acceptable, and of course as we drive away I think..."I should have bought more"

I am being brave and walking up to knitters and telling them about the new group, today at the Titirangi Market I met a woman whose handmade clothing is extraordinary, she combines candlewick with knitted peices and makes the most incredible skirts (you all know how I like myself a good skirt) she gave me a list of places to try, new, vintage and antique buttons and trims are hiding in suburbia, just below the surface, I feel like I am turning the corner, that likeminded people are close by.