My original plan for buttons on the Einstein child sweater was to make some of these, found at CraftStylish.com:
But when I reread the directions today I found that they recommend starting with 1" rings for the first project. That is way, way too big for this sweater. The buttonholes are tiny. Plus I don't have any rings small enough to work.
On to Plan B.
Who knew how hard it is to pick the right buttons? I have a large assortment from which to choose in the delightful button box I inherited from my mother-in-law.
Above, you can see all the buttons that had any chance of working. The buttonholes are very small, so the buttons cannot be larger than about 3/8". Many of those above are too big.
The buttons circled in red, below, are my favorite. Tragically, I need three and there are only two. But they are too big anyhow.
The color of these transparent red ones is good, but I would like this sweater to be as unisex as possible just in case my friend has a boy someday. Clear red buttons = too girly? Not to mention too big.
These next red ones have the advantage of having a shank, which would make them perfect for buttoning through worsted-weight garter stitch. But once again, too girly? And too big?
A couple different brass buttons look good and have shanks, too. In fact, they probably look best of all. But they are too large for the teeny buttonholes. (Click to embiggify.)
These neutral little wooden balls will fit easily through the buttonholes. So easily, in fact, that the sweater may not stay buttoned. Plus, they are a little... dull.
What say y'all? Any favorites? Given that I have this splendid assortment of buttons and that my only alternative is Wal-Mart, I would prefer to use some I already have.
In my heart of hearts, though, what I would love to put on the sweater are three squarish wooden buttons, one stained teal blue, one stained tomato red, and one golden-brown. But that would involve a shopping trip to the Twin Cities, and I cannot justify driving 150 miles round trip for buttons.
Later: I did a little googling for "yarn ball buttons" and found instructions for some in Maggie Righetti's Crocheting in Plain English. That may be the solution.
Assuming I can summon the courage to take up a crochet hook.
