Members' Stories

Kathy Arbogast: My mother sewed a lot of my clothes. We would go to the department store and pick out patterns, fabrics, and buttons. And I learned to sew in my HomeEc class in 7th grade and continued for many years. It wasn't until we moved to New York 20 years ago that I discovered collecting buttons. A friend and I visited a local antique mall with a stall of just buttons. And on another visit, I met a collector named Mary who told me about the button club.  I became enamored with buttons!

Mary: I was a member of the American Association of University Women. The association had study groups. I belonged to the Antiques Study Group. For one of our programs, we invited a member of the Half Moon Button Club to present a program on buttons. I was fascinated with the topic. After the presentation, I joined the button club and have never looked back. I am the longest member in the club (now also the oldest, I think I joined in 1983) and through my other activities was able to build up the club.  At one point we had fallen to six members and were not sure if the club could continue. Today, we are a solid club and continue to grow. 

Sherry:  I have always enjoyed history.  When I retired about 10 years ago, I became interested in joining the Button Club because I had two friends in the club who frequently spoke favorably about it. From the beginning, I knew it was a good thing. I've learned so much about buttons, the history around them, and so much more! We have an interesting program each month and have also visited many historical sites. People sometimes chuckle when I say I'm in a button club - they have no idea how many different things we participate in. Great people, great fun, and great buttons 😊

Marcy:  I've been fascinated with antique/vintage buttons for the past 35 years.  I admire the beauty and precision it takes to make each one unique. I remember how excited I was to find a stash of black glass/luster design buttons in an old barn sale.  Since then, whenever I'm at yard or estate sales,  thrift and antique stores I'm constantly seeking them out. I joined the HMBC 4 years ago.  I've learned so much about button history, materials, and design.  The members are full of knowledge and there is always a topic presented at each monthly meeting.  I look forward to learning as much as I can and am happy to share my knowledge with others. 

Kirsti: As a kid, I loved buttons. I loved going through my grandma's and great aunt's button tins, where they kept buttons that they had cut off discarded clothing. I loved the bright colors of the buttons of these buttons from the 1930s and 1940s. I still love the bright colors today. Little did I know that there were button clubs around the world. Thanks to a chance meeting with a club member at an antique show, I found out about the club. This member had noticed a button bracelet I had purchased from Jenny's Dresser Drawer and was wearing, and told me about the Half Moon Button Club. I  still like wearing my button jewelry and finding bright-colored Bakelite buttons. I was inspired when my great-aunt gave me her button tins 6 years ago. Jenny inspired me to make my cousins button bracelets. I named each bracelet to remember the wonderful stories we all shared. Buttons have connected people and I hope they continue to do so for many years.

Ted:  I bought a box lot of a variety of items for $5 at a garage sale. Unbeknownst to me, it had a jar of buttons buried at the bottom. I found an unusual-looking button in it and realized I didn’t know anything about buttons. I called a friend who was a member of the Half Moon Button Club and asked if I could bring the button to a club meeting. However, no one knew anything about it. I later found out it depicted a movie star, Myrna Loy.

Carol: I come from a long line of pack rats. I collect things.  I have always noticed and collected a few buttons. Many years ago,  I came across a House of York catalog that contained many artist buttons.  I sent for some several times.  Occasionally, I would ask select people if they had a button container for me to look at and choose some buttons from. Sometimes I was given the buttons I picked out. I had never heard of the Half Moon Button Club until my late 90-year-old fellow square dance friend gave me an ad about a club meeting.  (I had looked through her button jar, too!)  I went to a meeting and on a day trip to a button museum. I was hooked.  The members were so nice; the buttons shown were like jewels and they were displayed in many different artistic ways.

Jeanne: A former member encouraged me to come to a club meeting. I stayed because the club members are so nice.

Norah: I am a member of a knitting club that was going to move. Different members took responsibility for various club supplies. I took the buttons. After that, I went to a crafting session at the library. We used red, green, and white buttons to decorate holiday-related items. After the session, I started talking to others who, it turned out, were club members. I told them I had buttons in the car, and they practically carried me to the car so they could get a look at them! I sold $121 worth of buttons to them, and my interest in buttons went from there. By the way, I gave the money to my knitting club, which bought more yarn with it.

Trudi: My mom was an expert seamstress, so there were always buttons around the house. Other than finding the perfect ones for a new garment she was making me, I never paid much attention to them. But just a few years ago, I found many display cards of buttons at an antique store. The cards were grimy, but the buttons were alluring. I bought more of the cards than I care to divulge. However, then I had to figure out what they were and what to do with them. I contacted the National Button Society, who referred me to a local collector who is an extremely active member of this club and other button organizations. She kindly came over and helped me so much. She mentioned that I should join the local club to learn more. When I did, I found an incredibly friendly group of people who are generous with their knowledge.