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Jen Best

@beakerbutton.bsky.social
120 followers 48 following 201 posts

button maker, textile artist, nature lover, hugger of trees, tamer of dragons. beakerbutton.co.uk

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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 16h
ko-fi.com/beakerbutton This month's button club pattern is now available to monthly supporters on the blog. Want this pattern and a host of other cool tutorials and more? Sign up to our Ko-fi blog with a £3 monthly donation to access everything. #dorsetbuttons #beakerbutton #supportsmallbusiness
A Dorset button with autumn trees either side, and a moon in the centre, with a moonlit path climbing a dark green field.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Second bird finished for my scroll for the exhibition @whitchurchsilkmill next year. #slowstitch #robin #embroidery
Hand embroidered robin sitting on a noisy branch, stitched onto Green marbled background fabric.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 01/10/2026
Lend your support to entrepreneurs in low-income countries through @lendwithcare.bsky.social Make your first loan for free with this link! lendwithcare.org/referral/SSM...
lendwithcare.org
Microfinance from CARE International UK
CARE International's microfinance lending initiative
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Great tit front and back. For my next exhibition.
Embroidered great tit on a watery green background. Back view of the same great tit with all the gloriously messy threads on show.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
Robin #womensArt #pencilSketch #polychromos
Pencil sketch of a robin with colour using polychromos pencils.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Repeating this for the #BlueSkyArtShow because it's the only #Golden thing I have at present. I'm making rust coloured Dorset button cogs to represent the Whitchurch Silk Mill. The trout represents the River Test which surrounds, and used to power, the mill.
Gold work and beard brown trout stitched with needle turned applique onto a patchwork linen background.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Become a supporter by donating £3 per month to our Kofi blog, and get access to this, and a host of tutorials, Dorset button patterns, and more. There's a link in our bio. ko-fi.com/post/Tree-br...
2 Dorset button tree brooches with the banner about a tutorial to make them over the top.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Making a cog. A Dorset button cog. With my human hands. No AI just in case meta decides to tell you my work is AI. Apparently they're labelling lots of artist work as AI when it's not. So there will be more work in progress, and moving shoots in my feed from now on.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
Not perfect but not bad for my first needle turned applique. Work in progress. #slowstitch @whitchurchsilkmill #browntrout
Beaded and Goldfield trout on a hand stitched linen background representing the river
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
Look what you get in a journal kit! And I've finished another temari! beakerbutton.co.uk/product/free... #slowstitch #temari
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 07/09/2026
This month's button club is Singletons. Available on the supporters blog now. Can you tell I'm yearning for the sea? ko-fi.com/beakerbutton #dorsetbuttons
Aset of 4 embroidered singleton Dorset buttons with images of the sea. A dunescape, shell, bucket and spade, and a sandcastle.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Now I've just got to cut him out and applique him onto his background. No problem! 😳 #slowstitch #TextileArt #browntrout
A beaded and stitched image of a brown trout, on a blue background. He's stitched with gold, copper, and a mix of brown coloured beads.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 29/08/2026
Burrowing owl art the Hawk Conservancy this evening. They're so 🥺🥰🦉 #HawkConservancyUK
Sketch of a burrowing owl I made at the Hawk Conservancy this evening. The burrowing owl I sketched this evening, posing for me. Although he kept turning his head so I sketches his face in a hurry
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 25/08/2026
One of the first pieces I ever exhibition. It was part of an embroiderers guild exhibition called page 17, at Ally Pally in 2017. Inspired by one of my favourite artists.
A paper covered canvas with a small stitched picture from Hans Christian Anderson The Ugly Duckling illustrated by Rex Whistler.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Been at the dye pots again. These will be listed next week.
Colourful mini skeins hanging up to dry, while I take a photo. You can see my legs at the bottom of the photo.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
ko-fi.com/post/Andover... I've just posted a short, free, blog piece about Andover Museum of the Iron Age. There's a link in the bio to the blog, if the link here doesn't work. @andovermuseum_ @andover_trees
Replica iron age weaving loom. 2 upright pieces of wood, with a crossbeams top and bottom, handle to pull the headless and change the shed, bags for loom weights at the bottom, and a thin strip of woven wool in red, black, and yellow.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 12/08/2026
Felting class today! They worked really hard, and their rabbits are wonderful! beakerbutton.co.uk/page/booking... to book your own workshop.
Five felt rabbits with a background of Britain. 2 blue, one off which has a carrot. 2 light brown. 1 hey.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 09/08/2026
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 07/08/2026
Very old tree 🥰🌳🪾🤗
The Big Bellied Oak in Savernack forest.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 05/08/2026
Just added a new goal to my Ko-Fi blog. Let's see how far the algorithm takes it. ko-fi.com/beakerbutton...
Tree painted with gouache on a blue and green background.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 04/08/2026
A photo of me that I actually like! Came across it while I was looking through my journal app. I'm wearing a Dorset button poppy made for Nature's Buttons The Flowers Issue from 2023. The braid is kumihimo, taught to me by @MyosotisJewellery payhip.com/b/R2XKP
Photo of me wearing a Dorset button poppy necklace with a poppy kumihimo braid, my favourite green dungarees, and big metal glasses.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Made for a friend's birthday. She loves it, thankfully. 🥰
Blue and green dragon sleeping beneath a tree of light. Made using felting, spinning, and wrapping techniques.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Annandale Water
Swans and signets at Annandale Water services. Loose strife and meadowsweet bordering the lakeFleabane, hairy willow herb, meadowsweet, loose strife bordering the water.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
I illustrated a book, written by the brilliant Bobby Coelho. She's selling them for £5 each to raise money for Oxford Parkinson's disease research. Let me know if you'd like one! Email beakerbutton@gmail.com #parkinsonsawareness #OxfordParkinsonsDiseaseResearch
Book cover. Illustration of a fairy meeting a dragon in a forest. The fairy has a bunch of flowers. The story is called Isabella and Alice by Bobbie Coelho illustrated by Jen Best
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 22/07/2026
Dorset button tree. Happy Wednesday everyone! #DorsetButtons #womensArt #SlowStitch
A brooch made using Dorset button techniques, using hand dyed wool. Blues, people's, a little pink and a little green. My favourite colour combination
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 18/07/2026
A Touch of Space Abstract pencil on paper. #WomensArt #colourPencil
A geometric inspired abstract with lots of coloured shapes, black lines, and metallic dots/shapes. One space remains in the top left corner.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
Me wearing my new Leafy Sea Dragon Scarf. Pattern available on my supporters blog. It's very warm and cosy! ko-fi.com/post/Leafy-S...
Sorry haired woman wearing blue glasses (me), with a green ruffly scarf tied around her neck.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 13/07/2026
Don't stray off the path 🐉
A pencil drawing of a path through some dark woods with the sun setting over the hills behind. There is a fairy ring of toadstools, 2 fairies playing on a log, a small troll, a cave with a pair of red eyes and fire coming from the unseen muzzle under the eyes. Next to the cave is a pair of smoking boots, and a fallen stick.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
Happy Sunday!
White flowers against a blue sky.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 28/06/2026
One whole year of Button Club! #DorsetButtons
Front of a book with a variety of Dorset button projects. snowman; bracelet; tree; star; lavender posy; clock; flower; butterfly; wheel; mouse; fish in a hoop; set of 5 buttons.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
I seem to be collecting photos of pebble faces.
4 boxes with a pebble face in each
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 27/06/2026
Portland sunset
Sunset over a calm sea with gulls flying in the fairground
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 24/06/2026
Yarn in blues and greens with purple at the bottom. Over the top of says today is a good day to dye.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 21/06/2026
My shop border is so pretty at the moment.
A low building with a colourful flower border in front. Poppies and marigold mostly. Lots of green, yellow, and purple
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 19/06/2026
Beautiful poppies in my border this morning. Grown from seeds chucked in last year willy nilly.
Purple poppy in a border of blurred marigoldsPurple poppy in a border of blurred marigoldsPurple poppy in a border of blurred marigolds
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 17/06/2026
Autumn oak tree.
A hand stitched Dorset button tree, with hills stitched in behind.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 03/06/2026
Flower Display for the Silk Mill Flower Festival If you're local and want to see them in real life come to Whitchurch flower festival 19th to 21st June. whitchurchsilkmill.org.uk/event/flower-festival
2 racks of propagation vases displaying textile flowers made using Dorset buttons.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 01/06/2026
Just came back from visiting family in Scotland. This is my train knitting. It's up to 1600 stitches! What's the most stitches you've had on your needles? Free pattern coming to blog supporters soon.
Circle of bluey green knitting on a Puffin knitting bag.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 28/05/2026
Dorset button flowers This is the first lot done for the Whitchurch Silk Mill Flower Festival 19th to 21st June. whitchurchsilkmill.org.uk/event/flower-festival
Textile flowers in glass propagation flasks. Flowers are made using Dorset button techniques.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
It's that time of year where we struggle, as people switch from crafting to gardening. We have a half price sale on all our PDF files to help us pay the bills. It ends in 5 days, so now it's a great time to grab an excellently written craft book, and keep a small business going through a slow month.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
3 new galleries, and a downloadable colouring page just uploaded to the monthly supporters blog. The perfect way to support Beaker Button, and get cool stuff in your inbox. Less than the price of a coffee! ko-fi.com/beakerbutton
Yellow poppies on a green back ground.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 22/05/2026
I won an award in the Teravarna 9th Water Exhibition. See the whole piece, and links to the exhibition, on the blog. ko-fi.com/post/Honoura... #textileartist #dorsetbuttons #mixedmediaarts
Swirly abstract made using a variety of materials and slow stitch. Certificate of honourable mention award
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 11/05/2026
It's that time of year again, when things get deadly quiet and we struggle to pay the bills. From now until the end of May all our PDF files are 50% off. Lots to choose from! payhip.com/BeakerButton #dorsetbuttons #felting #slowstitch
A blue Dorset button with a rainbow edge and the words PDF half price sale and Beaker Button on it
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 10/05/2026
I'm in the paper 🥰 Thank you @andoveradvertiser www.andoveradvertiser.co.uk/news/2609073...
A photo of me sat in front of a wall of yarn, wearing a stripey t-shirt and a Dorset button necklace.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 07/05/2026
New kit pre-order! beakerbutton.co.uk/product/preo... Monthly blog supporters get a discount. Just saying! ko-fi.com/beakerbutton #dorsetbuttons #peacock
Large hexagon shaped Dorset button in the style of a peacock. Large hexagon shaped Dorset button in the style of a peacock.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
I'm designing something new. It'll be a kit and booklet. To keep you going through the summer, until the advent calendar is released! Updates on the blog as regularly as I can 😃 ko-fi.com/beakerbutton #dorsetbuttons #summercrafting #beakerbutton
Yellow and green Teardrop shaped Dorset buttons in a wavy row.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
An interesting walk, a free crochet pattern, and how to make a scrappy brooch. Subscribe to the blog for £3 per month and get access to this, and all the other subscriber goodies, while helping a small business person feed her husband (among others things)! #fungi #crochet ko-fi.com/beakerbutton
Fan shaped fungi on a branch.
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 26/04/2026
Just over 2 weeks left to get your Beaker Button advent calendar. On @kickstarter now! www.kickstarter.com/projects/bea... #dorsetbuttons #adventcalendar #craftadventcalendar
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 21/04/2026
It’s with great regret that I’ve had to withdraw from my solo exhibition at Langford Lakes this May due to worsening vertigo. I’m grateful to the team at Langford Lakes for their understanding. Thank you so much for your continued support.
Blue sky with overhanging trees
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Jen Best @beakerbutton.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
Study of Bark. Another piece finished for my upcoming exhibition A Fascination of Trees at Langford Lakes.
Three strips of bark on a background of abstract leaves. The bark strips are fabric and stitch.
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