What did I accomplish: beading the chevrons on the skirt and bodice.
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| The Chevrons (Original gown Star Wars) |
I began the skirt beadwork while my daughter, a thousand miles away, was working on the beadwork at the breast and neckband. Each night I would knock off at the workshop, head to my bedroom, turn on the TV and sit for another 3 hours to work on the handwork for the skirt (and later the bodice).
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| Marked chevron lines on the inner lining |
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| Sewn chevron lines on the outer fabric forepart |
Firstly, I figured out that the angle of the chevron was a beautiful 90o. I marked out the "Vs" on the inner lining in the back ( a stiffer drill/denim fabric). I figured the bottom V on the skirt was about ⅔from the top, the second was about half that distance, and the top was about half the distance again.** Message me at designs.by.rhenn@gmail.com if you want the exact calculations.** The bodice was beaded along the waist at the bottom and along the bottom of the beadwork at the breast. I then split the difference for the middle. After attaching the inner lining to the main forepart fabric, I sewed along the V lines that I had marked on the inner lining. This created a nice clean look on the outer fabric for me to use as a guide.
At first, I tried doing the beadwork as I always do by gathering 4-5 seed beads on my needle and thread, laying them against the line, pushing the needle through the fabric at the end of the 4-5 beads, then coming up from under and securing the middle of the 4-5 bead set. Then I would move onto the next 4-5 beads. I didn't like how that lay, because the thread was so fine, the seed beads would drape on it and lay unevenly.
Instead, I purchased a thicker twine, used for making bracelets. I measured the length needed, with extra for ease of mind sake. I used fray check on the ends of the twine to keep it from fraying as I beaded hundreds/thousands of beads on it. (Let that dry hard!) I tied off the end loosely and worked from the other. Then I sat for hours stringing the beads.
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| Strung beads being sewn to the guiding line |
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| Strung beads demonstrating the securing method |
After stringing the beads, I tucked the side I had been using to string into the seam at the right place (the end of the chevron) and secured the twine to the seam allowance. I then laid the strung beads along the line and secured it every 4 beads or so. I tied off every so often with a knot, just in case the one stitch gave way, my customer wouldn't lose the whole row. I made sure the beads were just loose enough that when I got to the bottom of the V (the point) I could make a clean angle up the other side. When I got to the point of the seam, I removed any excess beads (which explains the need for a loose knot earlier) and tucked the twine into the seam and secured it to the seam allowance.
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| Three beads being strung to create a cluster at the point of the V |
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| Measured 5/8" from the previous cluster to create the new cluster |
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| Completed cluster |
Then starting at the point of the V, I brought my needle through the fabric from the bottom to the top and strung 3 beads. I pushed the needle through the fabric at the same location I came up and drew the beds down, creating the little cluster. I then measured from that point ⅝" and repeated the method for creating the cluster. NOTE! Tie off each cluster with its own knot (it is not necessary to clip the thread). That way if one gets caught and breaks away, you don't lose an entire line of clusters.
BE SURE to secure the strung beads every 3-4 beads to keep the line even, and make sure there is enough give among the beads keep them from bunching up on themselves.
