Intricately bead embroidered gowns have appeared at so many Hollywood events this season that I'm beginning to lose track. The latest is this full-length Ralph Lauren piece worn by Jennifer Lawrence while promoting The Hunger Games:
The beading creates a golden snake-skin or crocodile pattern (depending on who you ask) over black fabric. The Telegraph reports that the beadwork took over 800 hours -- 98 days of stitching -- to complete. It makes you wonder who did all that beading, doesn't it?
Beading directly onto clothing fabric can be a complicated task. You typically need to complete the beadwork on the fabric before the pattern has been cut out, you have to avoid stretching or pinching the fabric with your stitches, and you have to consider the sheer weight of the beadwork and how it affects the drape of the outfit. In some cases, you even need to attach "dressmaker's weights" to a gown to counter the weight added by the beads.
Have you ever bead embroidered a piece of clothing? Is it something you'd like to learn more about?
- Read my review of Dimensional Bead Embroidery
- Bead embroider a heart ornament
- See Jennifer's bead embroidery stitch tutorial
Images by Getty
Connect with Beadwork:
Facebook | Twitter
No comments:
Post a Comment