My  plump little yarn-wound-ring button is a variation of a Dorset button.   I’ve put focus on the center, built up into a puff like a bonbon, and only a few rounds of tasty contrast stitching encircle it.

1: You’ll need one 1/2″ or  3/4″ plastic ‘bone’ ring,  found at any fabric store that stocks full supply of buttons and notions.     2: With the same yarn as you have knit your Snowmelt Tam (or toque) cover the ring in blanket stitch with the knots on the outside, in a clockwise direction, and compacting stitches together a bit as you go.     3:  When you have covered 3/4 of the ring in blanket stitch, catch the tail and wrap around it as well as the ring.     4: When you have filled the whole ring , cut off the tail and turn all the knots into the inside of the ring.      5: Begin wrapping yarn around ring like spokes on a wheel, so that you have 8 sections (with 1/2″ ring,  4 sections will be adequate).     6:  Catch the center and begin to wrap firmly around it, creating a ‘hub’ of the spokes.      7:  Introduce another color (pink) and build up front & top of button only while wrapping the yarn around the spokes. Build up until the contrast color (pink)  nearly takes up the whole inside of ring.      8: In another contrast color (green) , back stitch around spokes, and do this a few times around the bulging center color.     9: Finish by weaving all but two strands in the back of button and cut them off.     10: With tapestry needle, pull the two ties through tam/toque about 1/4 inch apart in center, and then from the inside firmly tie the button with a bow, this way you can untie to wash tam.

And now for a photo tutorial slideshow of making the button…

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