Button Possibilities

I've been working on items for the Tat Days Quilt for auction in September.  Sometimes when we tat a lot, or have deadlines, we look for shortcuts that will help fill part of the motif or design.  I'm sure that's part of the reason Karey Solomon wrote her publication entitled "Tatting with Buttons."  One of the patterns in the book is this one called "Buttonwood" :

It's clear that she has chosen several buttons, the smaller ones being decorative, while the central button is rather plain, although made of wood.  Earlier this year, I was making a purchase at our local fabric store, Carolina Foam & Fabric in Black Mountain.  (If they had a website, I'd happily direct you to it, but they don't.  I love to shop there anyway.)  There I saw a display:

    

Lots of 2-hole buttons, yes, but more importantly, some decorative ones with 4 holes or more.  There was also a display of buttons that were layers of these buttons.  They were most interesting:

Especially the one in the upper right-hand corner.  It not only had 2 center holes for attaching to fabric, but it has 6 "petals" that tatting could be attached to with relative ease.  My mind began to race and I bought one.  Yes only one - then.

I'll post finished product when I have something to my liking, but for now, suffice it to say that these buttons have real possibilities!