Dorset Buttons

One of my latest crafty adventures is Dorset button making. If you visit my Etsy shop you'll see a series of hair clips decorated with these buttons.
Dorset button making was a flourishing industry before the button making machines took over around 1850. Originally they were made with sheep horn rings but now a curtain ring will do very well. The type I've been producing is known as 'Cartwheel' but there are many other types, as you can see in the gallery of the British Button Society. More information can be find in Marion Howitt's website, including kits and booklets. And if you are interested about the history of these craft, here is an interesting article.
If you want to try it, follow this tutorial at Craftstylish, which I think it's perfectly clear and gives you the fundamentals to start experimenting on your own. Regarding the technique, I think it's important to remark that you need a VERY long thread to complete the button in one go, unless you want to change thread for decorative purposes. For example, to make a 2 cm diameter button with a single thread,  I need to cut a length that is approx. 6 times my arm length (this is ca. 3 metres!)
I am only starting to discover this craft and it's really exciting because the possibilities of variation are endless and this buttons can be used in many different projects.