VICTORIAN BUTTONS & FABRIC DYED TO MATCH

Victorian Buttons and Fabric Dyed with Lily-of-Valley Leaves

When I found these Victorian buttons, I knew that they would have had "language of the flowers" significance. Victorians used pictorial symbols, often to express sentiment. But, last Spring, I also got the notion that dying fabric with lily-of-the valley would be the perfect accompaniment for these antique buttons. Lily-of-the-valley leaves makes a great dye.

Here is one recipe:
Chop two pounds of fresh, mature leaves from a flowering plant into small pieces and add twice the amount of water. Wear rubber gloves and take care with handling and disposal of water. All parts of lily-of-the-valley are toxic. Boil, simmer for one hour, and strain. Prepare your natural fiber, light-colored fabric by simmering for an hour with a plant dye fixative of four parts cold water to one part vinegar. Wash out fixative by rinsing until water runs clear. Simmer wet fabric in dye until desirable color is obtained. Your fabric will dry lighter. Launder in cold water, separately.

About the buttons:
These five matched black glass Victorian buttons each have a 1" diameter and  are decorated with lily-of-the-valley sprays. The pattern is set in a recessed, matte black bowl, filled with a background of leaves. The bellflowers are raised and polished glossy. A brass inset on the backs for attachment. Stamped on reverse: "Pat'd Dec 28, 1880." Tiny flea bites to front edges. One bigger bite to back of one button and pressed mold crazing evident to backs. (D.H.)

~More about these buttons~