buttons?

As a maker of polymer clay buttons, I asked this question of knitters a few years ago. Part of the answer is, it depends on the fabric. For bulky knits you need big buttons, maybe with shanks. For fine fabrics, you may not need a shank at all, and may want a much smaller button.

HTH, Georgia

I have lots of glass buttons because I can't bear to throw anything away. They were mostly those my mother (now 96) collected. YES, I'm that old.

Most don't have shanks, just two holes, a few have integral shanks. None is coloured. All, I think, are moulded rather than cut.

I suspect that different applications demand different types.

Mary

For knitted garments:

I like a little shank, not too long, that permits the button bands to lie one on top of the other with no pulling of the lower one or strenuous forcing of the upper one.

I like a button small enough that it does not extend beyond the edges of the button band, but large enough that I need a bigger buttonhole than a yarnover space, which has a tendency to get lost in the fabric.

Getting product into physical stores is difficult. E-sales is probably your best bet to start -- eBay, or your very own website. Of course, selling includes lots and lots of finicky rules, regulations, and laws -- talk to your accountant, who will probably know about all of them.

Cece