back to ye old simplicity pattern.....

[Gutterpunk13]

the pattern says i need to use 28 1"-1 1/8" buttons but i want to use 1 and 1/2" buttons how many would i need?

thanks fer yer help

PS I finally made me seabag if any er you dirty scabs want to see itjust ask and ill post some pics

[Atala Syrcuse]

It all depends on how yer wnating ta lay it out. With buttons that big, I'd sugest 5-6 buttons down the front with only 3-4 on each cuff.Ye still need 2 on the back ta make er look right. Lay down yer pattern and play with where ye want the buttons ta be. Hope that helps.

[Patrick Hand]

I was looking for buttons on E-Bay, there is a seller who post there all the time selling 7/8" buttons reasonably priced..... why not go for MORE buttons .... (Larger buttons cost more)

[Iron Jack]

FYI - A good source for very nice "period" pewter buttons be:

http://jas-townsend.com/index.php

The ones on my black "Sparrow" coat be slightly bigger than 1"D and I used 32 of em! They be a bit pricey at $.75 each, but they be way cool and very nicely done. Jas. Townsend does carry less expensive large plain pewter and brass ones as well.

Red Handed Jill, me cabin mate, used smaller pearl-centered buttons on her "Sparrow" coat, but she used more of em. And the pearl buttons worked well for a more "gurlie" lookin' pirate coat.

[lorien_stormfeather]

Aye, Townsend has some really fine period buttons, and they are good to deal with.

Another way to deal with buttons within yer budget would be to use covered buttons. Find them in the notions dept. Or even thrift stores.

But then there is the time in making them...

You can also put these together without fabric and then they are just plain domed silver metal buttons!

And who says a pirate's buttons have to match? Why not mix designs while sticking to one size and metal color?

Others have suggested the big tub 'o metallic buttons (about 5-6 dollars) available at craft stores like Michaels or Oriental Trading Co.

Great if ye can abide the dread "Plastique", some are metal sometimes.

I've found some really nice ones with rampant lions, and crests and thistles and other "period" looking designs in these assortments.

If ye have "smalls" at home let them string the leftover tub o' buttons on an elastic string fer very piratey jewelry at yer next pirate party.

[Red-Handed Jill]

The coat isn't THAT girly... but I can see that a guy might not make the buttons I used his first choice.

I liked the look of the coat on the pattern, with two rows of buttons, so I found two different sizes (about 1-1/8" and 3/8") of the pearl-centered buttons and did a row of seven larger buttons, then a second row of fourteen small buttons. It turned out pretty good.