Jacket buttons?

[Steve Barclay]

I’m very new to kilting. I have an old velvet sports jacket that I want converting into a kilt jacket, having read the excellent advice on this forum. However, not being brave or clever enough to attempt the task myself, I intend to take it to my tailor with crystal clear instructions on what I want, and pins in all of the necessary places. However, he is bound to ask what sort of button I want (there are currently two but there will eventually be only one on the front), the ones on it at the moment are a bit 1970’s, any ideas? I will also ask if he can make epaulettes from the cut off material so I will require buttons for those too. Thanks.

[HeathBar]

Are you attempting an evening doublet out of this jacket? If so, you would probably want silver or gold coloured buttons. These can be found from Scotweb, one of our vendors. They have different styles to choose from.

Here is a link to some http://www.scotweb.co.uk/sr_swhdr_pc_buttons

[MacLowlife]

Depending on how baroque you go in the cuff and epaulet and pocket flap departments, you may need 1 closure button ( debatable as to whether you should properly close it) and 2 epaulet buttons ( should you choose to add them, which is certainly not required) and as many as 3 per sleeve, plus the possibility of three each on the pocket flaps. That sounds like, um, 15 buttons, probably in 2 different sizes ( small everywhere except the closure, and possibly the cuffs).

Having said all of that, you could just put the one on the front and one each on the sleeves, in which case you can afford to make them very nice ones.

Please send us all a picture when you have finished.

[sfb]

I like that link to the Scotweb buttons.

Funily enough I've been wondering recently if you could still get a Prince Charlie "formal" look - or formal enough - without the silver buttons. And then I see that link and start wondering about buttons that might go with a brass sporran cantle, and whether that would work as a formal look. And then I see some ex-hire PC's in a local woollen mill-type shop today that are in surprisingly good nick, and surprisingly low priced. And now I'm thinking "why didn't I just get one?"

I'll sleep on it.

[Steve Barclay]

Thanks guys!

[BEEDEE]

I know these people are in the USA but many of us have had buttons form them:

http://www.threefeatherspewter.com/Buttons%20Celtic.htm

Brian

[Paul]

Chrome finish buttons:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-BUTTONS-ki...item51845a3430

Antique finish buttons (they look great and would match your cantle well):
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-BUTTONS-ki...item51845a23da

Interesting St. Andrew's chrome buttons:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/24-St-Andrews-...item1e58f65643

Celtic design chrome buttons:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-Highland-Kil...item1e58a767da

Stag horn buttons (work well on tweed):
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-BUTTONS-re...item29fcb4043d

[Ozark Ridge Rider]

I'll second the Three Feathers Pewter. Good folks to deal with, and their buttons are nice.

Dan

[Steve Barclay]

I've had a setback- the tailors that I usually go to and as a rule swear by won't touch it as it's velvet, something to do with needing a special iron. Well I suppose at least they were honest and didn't go ahead and attempt it and subsequently mess it up. Gotta do some ringing round now.....

[nehmah]

I've had a setback- the tailors that I usually go to and as a rule swear by won't touch it as it's velvet, something to do with needing a special iron. Well I suppose at least they were honest and didn't go ahead and attempt it and subsequently mess it up. Gotta do some ringing round now.....

I'm happy to read that your tailor was honest about velvet. BTW, velvet and good velveteens should never be ironed, only carefully steamed with the steamer head or iron held about an inch above the nap. There should be a needleboard or velvet-board underneath the velvet. The best boards have tiny, sharp needles/pin points embedded in the board. It would be a good idea to determine if the velvet is cotton, silk & rayon, or (what a wonderful find) all-silk. Ask to see the type of board, as some shops do have a "cloth" velvet-board, which will work, but the older, professional needleboards are much better.
Cordially, Nehmah