Wednesday, November 30, 2011

MY GRANDMA'S BUTTONHOLE SCISSORS, and Christmas Sewing

A couple years ago when I was visiting one of my cousins, she showed me Grandma's sewing cabinet that she has, and in the drawers were a lot of Grandma's sewing supplies.  She said I could have something from the cabinet, so I picked these buttonhole scissors, which I remember seeing my Grandma use.  I blogged about them once before.  

A couple days ago I was getting ready to put in some buttonholes, so it made me think of these scissors.  


I made a test buttonhole first.

Then I tried the buttonhole scissors to cut it open - and it worked great!  Of course, when my Grandma used them, she didn't have a sewing machine that made buttonholes with the push of a button, so she would cut the buttonhole and then by hand using the buttonhole stitch, she would sew around it.

Here I am cutting open a buttonhole on Eli's shirt.

I got this "wheel" fabric somewhere in Montana last summer and decided to make Eli a shirt out of it.  Hope it fits.  It will probably be too big, which is OK.

We bought Abigail an 18" doll for Christmas and we heard she wanted one with long hair, because she likes to comb hair.

This doll was cute and I think the hair is long enough.  When we were looking for dolls, the Disney dolls didn't have eyes that opened or closed (and they cost more).  So I was looking for a doll with eyes that could close and she had to have long hair.

I didn't really like her clothes too much, so I made her a fancy dress.  Next, I will make her some play clothes - overalls and a shirt.

I'm having fun!  I loved to play with dolls when I was a girl and my Mom used to make doll clothes for them, so it kind of takes me back to my childhood.  Are you getting ready for Christmas?

12 comments:

  1. It looks like you are having so much fun!! What a fantastic dress. I'm sure she'll love it as well as the doll.

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  2. I have seen buttonhole scissors before, but never understood how they worked. (I'm a slow learner.) Thanks for the demo--fascinating! Nice little keepsake for you.
    Great looking little boy shirt! He can grow into it. : )
    I used to make clothes for refurbished dolls for our church's Christmas project for needy families. I thought it was so fun. That little dress is beautiful.

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  3. It's great that you were able to get your grandmother's buttonhole scissors; not many around like those anymore I'd bet. Eli will love the wheels shirt, and you know Abigail will love the doll and those cute clothes you're making. You are a good granny! I'll get the binding stitched onto the last gift quilt this morning, and this afternoon the porch lights go up before another week of cold, wet weather sets in! Ugh! Christmas is coming too fast, and decorating is going too slow! ---"Love"

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  4. Clever scissors! Never saw one. I've always used the chisel and block of wood and hammer method!

    I never played with dolls as a child but as a young mother, was asked to make clothing for some cause. My goodness, did I have fun, got so carried away - made at least 25 entire outfits for a decent sized doll! Much easier than making clothing for myself! 8-))

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  5. How wonderful that you can use your Grandma's scissors! Eli'd shirt is quite fun, and I love the dress you made for Abigail's doll. I loved my dolls as a child too, and grandma made me clothes for them...I'm sure Abigail will be thrilled.

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  6. What a treasure are those buttonhole scissors... a wonderful memory! Very cool they still work so well and don't need to be sharpened!

    Cool shirt... and I love you're making doll clothes! My grandchildren are playing with doll clothes I made for their mother...

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  7. Those scissors are just awesome!

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  8. That wheels shirt is awesome! I bet Eli loves it. As for the doll clothes - more power to you...I tried and failed, but thankfully none of my nieces really got into dolls, so I was never asked to make clothes. The dress is really cute and I do believe that qualifies as long hair.

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  9. I have never seen buttonhole scissors before. Very cool.
    That shirt is so cute! I love the fabric.
    The doll dress is so pretty And so much cuter than the other outfit. I love her long curls.
    I am trying to get ready for Christmas too.
    Happy Stitching.

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  10. Those scissors are just awesome - and what wonderful memories you have of your grandmother using them. The stitching has begun at my house so yes, I'm getting ready. Slowly but surely. blessings, marlene

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  11. Those scissors are awesome!! How cool to have a keepsake that you can use;)
    Happy Quilting!!
    Kathleen
    p.s. thanks for the Christmas music;)

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  12. I still don't get it with the buttonhole scissors... I have a pair from my mother and finally figured out what they were called... So... How are they actually used, and what exactly is the notch for? (I can see this post was written about ten years ago, but hopefully someone can answer.

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