Until I watched last year’s Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas (in December 2020), I had never heard of Dorset Buttons before. That was until Louise Armitage (also known as Gini) created the most beautiful picture using five Dorset Buttons to depict the four seasons to clinch the trophy for the Handmade Decoration competition.
Dorset Buttons originated from the county of Dorset (the clue’s in the name) on the south coast of England and have been around since the 1600s. They were used to fasten items of clothing in the days before mass produced machine-made buttons were available and were worn by all sections of society even royalty.
Gini first discovered the buttons as a 17-year-old student when she managed to trace a lady in Dorset, who was in her 80s at the time, and was the last of her family to practice the skill after it had been passed down through the generations. That lady agreed to teach Gini the basics on the understanding that she would keep the tradition going. Gini certainly did that when she introduced so many people to Dorset Buttons on primetime TV!
I caught up with Gini in January this year, after the excitement had died down and the flood of orders which came through in the aftermath of the TV show had been dispatched. We had a great chat about her creative journey as well as her TV experience.
You can find out more about Gini by visiting her website and Instagram page.
You can listen to Gini’s episode here. Alternatively look for Making Stitches Podcast on your favourite podcast app and you will find Gini’s episode in the podcast feed there.
The music featured in this episode is Make You Smile by RGMusic from Melody Loops.
Making Stitches Podcast is presented, recorded and edited by Lindsay from Postcard from Gibraltar.
Making Stitches Podcast 
Ahhh, dorsets… that’s something I haven’t heard outside the world of living history for quite a while. My gran made many a button when she was alive. Now, I try to make them… not nearly as beautiful as hers were, though.
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They are really beautiful aren’t they? Who knew you could fit such intricate beauty into such a small thing. I loved hearing the story behind them.
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I’ve not seen them so elaborate as what you show, though. My Gran made functional ones, but I do remember watching her with her needles crocheting them, or weaving them. My attempts are downright ugly as in UGLY!
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