Dorset Button Brooch

Rainbow Beaded One Dorset button brooch

One of a kind Dorset button brooch, ready to ship. Made by Jen in our studio in Hampshire. 

Here at Beaker Button we're passionate about this fabulous craft.  We are always coming up with new designs and uses for Dorset buttons and we are fascinated by the endless possiblities they present. From finishing hand knitted or crocheted projects to embellishing Quilts, Dorset buttons add that special unique touch that makes a project really sing. We turn them into jewellery, either stitched together or simply on their own. We use them on bags, scarves, cards, clothing and more.  Everything you can do with a normal button you can do with a Dorset button, and you can make your Dorset button completely individual, customised to complement your project. 

Dorset buttons were stitched by hand in Dorset from the early 1600’s to 1851. They were shipped all over the world and were even worn by royalty. This cottage industry employed over 4000 people at its height, making over 100 different Dorset button types, all in white linen. Their popularity died overnight after the Great Exhibition of 1851, when a new button machine was showcased. Many families were left destitute and emigrated to escape starvation, and the art was more or less lost. The W.I., the Arts and Crafts movement and others have kept this fabulous craft alive and now you can learn how to make them too.

Dorset buttons are coming back in a big way. Here at Beaker Button we love using modern colour and materials to create a contemporary twist on this fabulous craft. There is nothing more trendy than personalising your project with your own hand stitch Dorset button!