Every year I look forward to the Stiches West convention that is designed to make every knitter’s dreams come true. Knitting experts fly in from all over North America to give classes, we meet up with remote friends, and best of all, the market tempts us with hundreds of yarns, design books, and accessories. Interested in “quivut,” an ultra-soft fiber derived from the musk ox? Curious about the Japanese Habu’s steel-wrapped wool? Or lusting after Miss Babs' hand-dyed yarn? The best day to go to the market is on Thursday, on “Preview” day, when only knitters who have enrolled in classes or events are allowed. There is usually an incredibly long line that forms in front of the locked doors of the market and when the doors first open, a giant girlie cheer goes up that reminds me of the hysteria confronting an all boy band! As the hordes of ecstatic fans stream into the market place, I direct my own hurried footsteps to the one booth that attracts me above all others—the “Buttons!” stand.
Linda Sicard, owner of “Buttons!” is an amazing person, as kind as she is discriminating about the exquisite buttons she sells. She is a jeweler as well as a button seller, and you can purchase her beautiful creations as well as an amazing array of vintage buttons spanning many eras and styles.
Her booth is always mobbed with people during the Stitches knitting convention, but my mother-in-law and I usually are the first to arrive. I bring my yarns and project notes with me and Linda and her son never fail in helping us find the perfect pairings for our knits. One year, I had a special button mission after I had met Jean Frost wearing her elegant version of Grey Flannel, whose questionable design photo is below:
As I explained before, Frost’s version of this jacket is gorgeous but somehow it was translated into the sad looking piece photographed above. Anyway, I was determined to knit a well-shaped version for myself like Frost’s using a delicious tweed yarn. I emailed Linda Sicard, explaining my plan, and she promised to find the perfect Chanel-style buttons for me. So determined was she to fulfill this task to the letter that she actually took the time to consult with sewing guru, Sandra Betzina, who personally picked out Chanel-style buttons for me. Can you imagine? Sandra Betzina is a bit of a legend, having pioneered the “Today’s Fit” line of Vogue sewing patterns, and she teaches sewing workshops all over the United States. For anyone who is unfamiliar with “Today’s Fit,” the idea was to poll real women across North America and use their measurements to change the fit of Vogue patterns so that it matched REAL women instead of some 1950s stereotype.
As a result, most Vogue patterns now have hips that are wider than the bust, as most real women’s figures do not correspond to Barbie any more, if they ever did at all. Anyway, when I found out that Sandra Betzina had personally chosen buttons for me at Linda Sicard’s request, I was absolutely flabbergasted. That is just an example of the customer service Linda excels in. Here are my buttons, perfect for a retro-inspired Chanel:
Another incredible thing about Buttons! is the price—this year I picked up several strands of gorgeous vintage buttons that averaged out to $1 a piece. These prices are so much better even than what you find at discount brands, and the buttons are so much superior that I tend to stock up every year with general types that will fit with future projects I’ll be planning over the next twelve months.
My favorite find this year was a 22-button strand with an SP logo that looks imposing enough for any top designer brand. What does the SP signify, you may ask? Southern Pacific railroad! Isn’t that a fun piece of history? I plan to make a super elegant cardigan with the SP buttons and wear them brazenly to my swankiest open houses this year, daring all passersby to question me about the designer, “SP”!
I have also stocked up on some expensive-looking buttons that I am saving for Chanel-style cardigans in future. Although this means I have currently more buttons than I need, once I do have a project in hand, I don’t want to have to go to the San Francisco stores and spend an outrageous sum. So I have spent reasonable sums instead on multiple button strands which I can now choose from any time I have a designer-inspired knit in mind.
It was particularly fun for me to shop at the Stitches market this year on my own two feet. For the past three seasons, ever since a serious foot injury four years ago, I had had to ride an electric cart in order to navigate the giant stretch of the convention center and the long lines at each booth which force one to stand in place for 30 minutes at a time. Anyone who has ever damaged foot tendons knows that standing still is even more impossible than walking if the wait is long enough. So one of the reasons that Buttons! has become such a happy refuge for me has been the unfailing kindness I experienced from Linda and her son Bryson. Every time I chugged up in my little cart, they conducted the transactions at cart level and chatted so warmly that I felt like the most valuable customer in the world. If things got to be too crowded, they would make a chair available for me to sit in while I was shopping, where my cart wouldn’t fit, or hide my purse away from other customers so I was unencumbered enough to sort through their beautiful display. Such kindness of heart is more valuable than the most precious antique buttons in the world.
Buttons! can be found at many vintage fairs as well as jewelry and yarn conventions, so keep an eye out for them. And I always have a business card of theirs close to hand in case I am seeking a special kind of button for a project:
Buttons!
Antique/ Unique
Linda Sicard
(415) 699-0172