storm
04-08-2005, 00:00
A Eucalyptus Seed Button Quickie
by storm
It’s difficult to avoid Eucalyptus trees when traveling along the California coast. I’ve read that there are over 550 species of this genus in Australia alone! The taxonomists in charge of characterizing Aussie vegetation are splitters, for sure.
In this Giant Egg Cockle shell are some seeds from this tree. Let’s put them to some use...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/stormbythesea/eucalyptus%20seed%20buttons/pic1--eucalyptusseeds.jpg
Some seeds sport four holes, some five.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/stormbythesea/eucalyptus%20seed%20buttons/pic2--4and5stareucalyptusseeds.jpg
Using some abrasive sand that I adhered to a flat rock with deer hide glue, I abraded the top and the bottom of the seed until it was relatively thin and the holes shown clear through.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/stormbythesea/eucalyptus%20seed%20buttons/pic3--eucalyptusbutton.jpg
I then cut a buttonhole through some commercial leather with an extremely-sharp novaculite shard that I accidentally made while destroying good rock via flintknapping.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/stormbythesea/eucalyptus%20seed%20buttons/pic4--burincuttingbuckskin.jpg
A hollow bird bone served quite nicely as a punch to get a hole through the leather for an easier upcoming sewing experience.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/stormbythesea/eucalyptus%20seed%20buttons/pic5--thinbonechiselgoesthroughbuck. jpg
Seeing that I had some Yucca Leaf Fibers handy, I used one to sew the Eucalyptus seed button onto the leather. Surely some sinew fibers would be more durable. Note the Elephant Seal Whisker eyelet I employed to draw the sewing fiber’s end through the tiny hole. Sweet! Me smart...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/stormbythesea/eucalyptus%20seed%20buttons/pic6--buttonandsealwhiskereye-loop.jpg
Another successful nature experiment completed!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/stormbythesea/eucalyptus%20seed%20buttons/pic7--finishedbutton-and-loop.jpg
Next—the primitive zipper!
[don’t hold your breath... ;) ]
by storm
It’s difficult to avoid Eucalyptus trees when traveling along the California coast. I’ve read that there are over 550 species of this genus in Australia alone! The taxonomists in charge of characterizing Aussie vegetation are splitters, for sure.
In this Giant Egg Cockle shell are some seeds from this tree. Let’s put them to some use...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/stormbythesea/eucalyptus%20seed%20buttons/pic1--eucalyptusseeds.jpg
Some seeds sport four holes, some five.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/stormbythesea/eucalyptus%20seed%20buttons/pic2--4and5stareucalyptusseeds.jpg
Using some abrasive sand that I adhered to a flat rock with deer hide glue, I abraded the top and the bottom of the seed until it was relatively thin and the holes shown clear through.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/stormbythesea/eucalyptus%20seed%20buttons/pic3--eucalyptusbutton.jpg
I then cut a buttonhole through some commercial leather with an extremely-sharp novaculite shard that I accidentally made while destroying good rock via flintknapping.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/stormbythesea/eucalyptus%20seed%20buttons/pic4--burincuttingbuckskin.jpg
A hollow bird bone served quite nicely as a punch to get a hole through the leather for an easier upcoming sewing experience.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/stormbythesea/eucalyptus%20seed%20buttons/pic5--thinbonechiselgoesthroughbuck. jpg
Seeing that I had some Yucca Leaf Fibers handy, I used one to sew the Eucalyptus seed button onto the leather. Surely some sinew fibers would be more durable. Note the Elephant Seal Whisker eyelet I employed to draw the sewing fiber’s end through the tiny hole. Sweet! Me smart...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/stormbythesea/eucalyptus%20seed%20buttons/pic6--buttonandsealwhiskereye-loop.jpg
Another successful nature experiment completed!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v190/stormbythesea/eucalyptus%20seed%20buttons/pic7--finishedbutton-and-loop.jpg
Next—the primitive zipper!
[don’t hold your breath... ;) ]