New Buttons for Water Street

The original buttons for the Water Street sweater unfortunately aren't available in the same color combination anymore, so I had to look high and low for a replacement.  Luckily what I came up with is pretty terrific.  It's still a bright and light blue swirl, but the colors are twisted up.  The sweater is just as cute as ever!  And, as a plus, these buttons can be made in other colors, so they could be used on the Water Street sweater in another color combination. 

Ontario Place Update

Announcing new buttons for the Ontario Place sweater.  The original buttons are no longer available, so I had to scare up some replacements.  I never thought finding white buttons would be as challenging as it turned out to, but these are pretty terrific.  Good thing I found them, because I've just had a run on Ontario Place sweaters!

I think you'll hardly notice a difference, though the new buttons are just a smidge bigger than the original buttons.  (I'm noticing that the blue green yarn in the top picture appears really dark.  Rest assured it's the same color as in the bottom picture.) 

 

New Buttons for Spring!

The Spring Road sweater is getting an upgrade!  I just got these great new daisy buttons, which will be featured on the Spring Road sweater going forward.  The overall look is very much the same, but these new buttons are higher quality and will make the sweater that much more special.  The response so far has been great.  I think you'll love them! 

 

Blowing Buttons

I think these blowfish buttons are so stinkin cute!  I love the combination of orange, red, and blue and the unexpected pop of my favorite lime green on the lips.  I think they'd be so cute on a cardigan for a little boy in blue and orange.  Or they'd be charming on a little red hoodie.  Also, the craftsmanship on these is amazing.  Each fin and scale is a separate little piece of clay, so they have a great texture as well.  Let me know if you'd like to see these on a custom sweater.  (It might not be too long before you see them on a sweater in the collection!)

Penny Candy

You've seen these translucent buttons in red on the Macomb Street sweater, but I recently got some in turquoise and purple as well.  I absolutely adore these buttons--they enhance a sweater without becoming the focal point of the sweater.  The shade of the button is somewhat affected by the color of the button band underneath, so it's important to look at how the buttons will look against the actual sweater (or a least next to a ball of yarn in the same color).  They don't work for every sweater, but when they work, WOW do they look great. 

Lime Swirl

I'm really into these blue/aqua and lime green buttons.  Of course, a quick spin through the Yellow House Knits collection confirms that I'm really into those colors generally.  But I think the color combination and he slightly irregular shape would really jazz up a sweater.  I'm seeing them on a little boy's sweater, but I think they'd also be darling on a girl's sweater. They would be fantastic on a sweater knit in these same colors (maybe a cardigan with blue and green stripes?) or on something in a contrasting color (maybe a red and orange?).  Let me know if you have a different idea!  I'd love to create something with you.   

Peppermint Twists

I picked up these red and white buttons when I was stocking up on some other buttons.   I saw them peeking out of their box at me, and I couldn't resist them.  I love how bold and graphic they are--a little bit of 70s mod on today's baby.  And the holes are on the back, so the design of the button isn't interupted by the yarn used to secure the button to the sweater.

These would obviously look great on a red and white sweater.  But they'd also look terrific on a solid red sweater or as an accent to a sweater in a totally different color.  I'm thinking purple or turquoise.  The buttons are about an inch in diameter.

I have FIVE of these buttons only.  All five could go on a single cardigan, or fewer buttons could be used on several sweaters (at the shoulders, on a pocket in front, etc.).  But I don't know if I'll be able to get more.  So speak up now if these buttons are speaking to you! 

Macomb Street Revisited

The buttons on the original Macomb Street sweater aren't available anymore, so I had to swap in some different ones for a two-sweater order I just finished up.  I love the spherical shape and the slight funky texture.  Actually, I think may even like these new ones better than the originals--good thing I stocked up!

A Dog and His Hydrant

These dalmatian/hydrant buttons crack me up every time I look at them.  I think they'll be such a fun addition to a little sweater.  They would work well in pairs--maybe one at each shoulder or on two pockets in front.  Or, how about a cardigan with a series of dogs and one hydrant in the middle?  Charming!

They'd look great with red, obviously.  But for those of you who can tolerate color only in small doses, these would also be perfect on a charcoal gray sweater.

Email yellowhouseknits@gmail.com if you'd like to talk about a custom sweater with these clever buttons.

Buttons for Girls

In a previous post, I featured some new buttons for boys' sweaters.  Not surprisingly, I also got some new ones for girls' sweaters.  Check out these candy hearts and purple stars--sounds like something you'd find in a Lucky Charms box!

I might use the pink hearts on that new Lilly Pulitzer custom sweater I'm working on.  I think the stars are going to go on a purple and gray sweater that I've been thinking about for a while now.  I think it should be a pretty sophisticated color combination, and the buttons will really pull the whole thing together.

Sailboats and Baseballs

You may recall that I've written before about my commitment to knitting sweaters for little boys.  It's hard to find high-quality, clever buttons that are appropriate for boys' clothes (setting aside solid-colored buttons, which are always a good fallback but are less interesting).

So I'm really loving these new buttons I just got featuring sailboats and baseballs.  I think I'm going to use the baseballs on a blue cardigan, but I'm still trying to decide whether to make it a solid blue or stripe it.  I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the sailboats yesterday, but I know they'll look great wherever they end up.

In a future post, I'll feature some new buttons I got for girls' sweaters.

Button Obsession

I am obsessed with buttons--kind of like some people are obsessed with shoes.  That's actually a pretty good analogy because the right buttons can really make a sweater, much like the right shoes can make an outfit.

When I see buttons I like, I buy them, regardless of whether I have a real or anticipated need for them.  On occasion, I've actually designed sweaters around a great set of buttons.

When possible, I like to use handmade buttons, both because I like to support independent artists and because I like the buttons on my sweaters to be unique.  That's not to say that there aren't some really great mass-produced buttons out there, and I buy them too, but the handmade ones are particularly special.

So imagine how pleased I was when these beauties arrived yesterday.  I had special-ordered them from an artist in Israel, and they ended up getting lost in the mail.  We were at the point where we were ready to assume they were gone for good, and then they miraculously showed up.  And they were definitely worth the wait!  I just love them.  The blue swirls are perfect for a sweater I'm just finishing.  I don't have an immediate use for the others, but I know they'll look spectacular however I use them.

Handknit Sweaters for Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is just over two weeks away. A handknit pink and red sweater is a perfect present for your little sweetheart. Or a red and white striped sweater would be adorable. Need some inspiration? Check out these great buttons. I particularly like the blue hearts, which are great for a little girl who's not too girly. There are five different buttons in the whimsical little set. I'm picturing a striped cardigan in dark and light blue and white, with the heart shaped buttons. So cute!