But they found not a button, or feather, or mark

The current knitting project calls for a couple of buttons to close the pockets. (Yes, I am knitting not just a hooded scarf, but a hooded scarf with pockets. I can't decide if this is awesome or officially moves me across some line of dorkiness not previously traversed).

My first stop in any button hunt these days is the large box of assorted buttons I inherited from Grandmaman. Before anyone gets too excited, let me assure you that this box is not the treasure-trove of wonderful vintage buttons one might wish it to be. 'Wonderful' comes somewhere after 'suitable for baby sweaters,' 'suitable for trench coats' and 'shirt' in the categories found in the box. My grandmother was a distinctive, even flamboyant, dresser, but you really wouldn't guess that from her button collection.

I did not find anything in the box really suitable for the scarf. The scarf will require two big buttons, so most of the buttons were too small. A few were large enough, but were singletons or came in sets of more than two. I don't like the mismatched button look (or at least find it hard to pull off effectively) and I don't like breaking up sets (at least not if I don't love the buttons so much that I can't stand not to use them).

I did, however, find some buttons that fall into the 'wonderful' category even if they're not right for the scarf:



I am especially in love with the black ones. The large clear glass ones behind them might be good on the Liesl cardigan I keep planning to knit.

Also completely inappropriate to the current project are these:



6 fish buttons and a matching buckle. Cut, if I am not mistaken, from polished coconut shell. These are in keeping with the grandmother I remember, though I don't remember the outfit they came from. I'm sure it was colourful.

Lewis Carroll