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

This video shows how to make a Dorset Birdseye button - a small textile button often found as shirt buttons during the 18th century. They are also known simply as "thread buttons". These buttons are traditionally considered the first ring button made in Dorset and the precursor to the famous Dorset wheel button.
This video will also show a couple of antique examples, and the actual making will be larger than originals and using coloured threads for clarity.
Tools materials and a comprehensive range of button making items can be found on our website at
www.ginabsilkworks.co.uk

[@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.

[@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 :)

[@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

[@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.