The Lengths To Which I'll Go...

...to avoid buttonholes. :) I've used the buttonhole attachment on my sewing machine ONCE, and it wasn't a pleasant experience. Yes, I still wear the garment, and the stitches have held up, but I was seriously tempted to rip them out and redo it BY HAND on calico with sewing thread. Not quite the same as working with perle cotton on eavenweave. Last summer I made a dress that was supposed to button down the middle - I made fake buttonholes on either side of REAL buttons - all stitched on top of the garment, and used hooks for closure. And had to hold my dress closed as I walked between buildings at church on a windy Sunday morning. But I digress.

The v-neck top I'm making has an interesting sleeve detail - a tab that comes from INSIDE the sleeve, out the arm-side, and buttons on top of the shoulder. Cuteness, right? What is my idea to avoid the dreaded buttonhole this time?

A lace tab! This is the narrower lace I've been working on since I finished the Cluny lace a few weeks ago. Here's a close-up:

I've got about 7.5" right now - and according to the pattern piece (which I've already folded neatly and put back in the envelope) I need 13" for each tab. I'll use a dark brown button at the shoulder so it has a nice contrast. Now, there's no telling when the garment will be finish-finished if I have to wait for the lace to be done, because my stitching schedule is kind of tight. I may (MAY) have to put off starting a new piece (gasp!) until it's done.