glue for beads and pearls

"CypSew" wrote in message news:tbtGg.283234$ snipped-for-privacy@bgtnsc04-news.ops.worldnet.att.net...

I'd like to help, but you are wildly mistaken! ;-) *Every* one of the tanzanite and clear Swarovski crystals was *hand sewn* on DD's gown. The lace came with pearls

*sewn* on, and where I removed them for cutting and seaming, I saved them and sewed them back on *by hand*. This was a one-of-a-kind and the only opportunity I will ever have to make DD a wedding gown, so I was determined to make it as perfect as I was able. Here's a close-up of the lace yardage: here's one of the bodice pieces, you can see that all the pearls and embroidered motifs have been removed from the seam allowance: is the assembled bodice front, the motifs and pearls have not yet been sewn back on to the seam line: this picture, you can see all the tanzanite and clear crystals, plus all the pearls are now sewn back on (trust me, they *are* sewn on). DD didn't want traditional buttons up the back, so I sewed the larger flowers, each with its pearls and a tanzanite crystal, to the back over the hidden zipper,. Each one is secured on the opposite side of the zipper by a tiny clear plastic snap.http://home.comcast.net/~ickesbe/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-1687437.htmlI also hand-sewed tanzanite crystals to the center of each of the larger flowers on the lace inside the inverted pleats of her skirt: just in case you wonder how we get along: of the reasons I was so scrupulous about doing all the couture techniques: also, because I love my DD.... ;-)

Since your friend has until December, urge her to do it "right" and sew them on. Really, it's not all that difficult. Just time-consuming.

Beverly

The best place to look for suitable glue is the places that supply the crystals and beads for dance wear. Competition ball gowns usually have most of the crystals glued on for speed, but it can still take 40-50 hours to bead a gown fully!

While the crystals are glued (or hot fixed!) the beads are sewn, individualy!

I have had supplies and samples from several UK sources, but haven't looked at USA sources in a long while.

Sounds like she's found Mother Knows Best after all! Or is that Mother

*Sews* Best? ;)

If you check out

they sell a glue called Gem-Tac by Beacon. Hope this helps.

Cathi

Beverly wrote: ...

HAHAHAHA! Was that before or after its several hours in the spotlight? (Mustve been after. If it was me, I'd have incorporated the ribbons as part of the dress.)

(Joy Hardie, check it out!)

Way to go, Bev!

--another Karen

> ...>

Thanks!

The OR state fair was about a month after the wedding. You'll see that I had to add a 1 1/-4" bias binding of the satin to the hemline before I sent it to the fair, as it suffered during the wedding.

I'm making a shadow box for my sewing room, with pictures of all my entries and the ribbons I won. DD didn't want me sew the ribbons to the gown for some reason. ;-)

Beverly

I noticed the satin bias. It looks really nice...what a clever solution!

It was a real pleasure to see the pictures again. The shadow box will make it easy for you to enjoy them.

Doreen in Alabama

Did you design and draft the bridal dress or is that a 'store bought' pattern'? If the pattern was purchased can you tell me brand and number? With a few modifications I think it could work for a soon to be upcoming wedding of an indecisive bride.

Thanks, Val

and here's one of the bodice pieces, you can see that all the pearls and > embroidered motifs have been removed from the seam allowance:> This is the assembled bodice front, the motifs and pearls have not yet > been sewn back on to the seam line:> In this picture, you can see all the tanzanite and clear crystals, plus > all the pearls are now sewn back on (trust me, they *are* sewn on). DD > didn't want traditional buttons up the back, so I sewed the larger > flowers, each with its pearls and a tanzanite crystal, to the back over > the hidden zipper,. Each one is secured on the opposite side of the > zipper by a tiny clear plastic snap.> I also hand-sewed tanzanite crystals to the center of each of the larger > flowers on the lace inside the inverted pleats of her skirt:> and just in case you wonder how we get along:> One of the reasons I was so scrupulous about doing all the couture > techniques:>

> and also, because I love my DD....>

After DD tried on several styles to see what actually looked good

*on her* (as opposed to what she fantasized about), she selected that off-the-shoulder look as the one she wanted. I pulled out an old (mid 80s?) Vogue pattern, 1677, and that was our starting point.

She liked the "stand-away" shoulder of the RTW gown, so I altered the pattern for that, making a double shoulder part, with the inner elasticized, and the outer boned, and in addition she wanted inverted pleats front and back, no gathers in the skirt (but still as full at the hem), and a very short train. You can see a lot of the early process here:

the wedding here: click on the pictures to see them full size. I have all the altered pattern pieces in a size 14 for my 5' 2" DD, if that would help. ;-)

Beverly

I learned that lesson after I submitted older DD's gown to the State fair in 1983. She had, of course, worn it at her outdoor wedding (much longer train), and the skirt hem had been slightly stained from grass. It was disqualified, although several of the judges assured me that it would have taken first if I had "done something about the hem". Since this was another outdoor wedding, I made sure I had lots of satin left over, as I was pretty sure I would need to add the bias trim. The dry-cleaning did not remove some of the grass stains, and the hem was a little abraded from being dragged over all those wooden bridges at the wedding site. I just cut 5" wide bias, sewed it to the right side 1 1/4" above the finished hem, and hand stitched it in place on the wrong side (I didn't remove the original horsehair hem). DD wished after she saw it finished that she had had it that way for the wedding. ;-)

By the way, if anyone wants to see how I applied the waist stay, and how the *inside* of the finished gown look:

lining looks creamier in the photos than it actually was, she wanted real silk next to her skin, and I couldn't find pure white silk.

Thanks!

Beverly

Two years ago I went shopping with the bride to be for a dress to wear to my son's company holiday party. After a 7 hour shopping expedition she ended up with deep green velvet dress, very similar in style/cut to the stunningly beautiful dress you made your daughter. The neckline was cut a bit different so she could wear a good bra. Two years later people are still telling her that she never looked lovelier. She has worn that dress to two different functions since and always raves about the compliments she gets.......now that should be a bit of a light bulb moment.....you'd think.

My son has gone on and on to her about all the fabulous wedding dresses his mom used to sew. I was asked to make THE dress. The wedding is August 2007 and I have gently suggested to my dear (and she IS a darling, wonderful woman) future daughter in-law, who is built like a 5'3",160lb shoebox (no waist, no butt, no curves) with 46DDD bazoooooms and disproportionately short legs, that she try on some dresses. She, her mother and I could make a day of it; have a lovely lunch, go to a swanky bridal salon or two, try on her dream dress and also see what, if anything she may not have considered as yet, might catch her fancy since I can copy/draft pretty much anything she desires. If nothing else play princess dress-up, also check out veil styles and have a fun girl day together. Sometimes, what a 6ft, 80lb magazine model has on in a picture doesn't always translate to us 'real women'. I thought that was pretty diplomatic on my part. She didn't go for it. She is absolutely firm that she wants a strapless lace backed corset and a tight mermaid skirt with lots of tulle netting poofed at the bottom. I am very seriously considering taking the coward's way out and plead arthritic hands to have her pass this probable train wreck onto somebody else.

Val

The wedding is August 2007 and I have gently

And she has,of course, already found a bra to support those in a "strapless" gown???

We have marvelous times when we were doing the gown search. As you say, "fun girl day together". That's also when she decided she was NOT going to wear a veil, thankyouverymuch! And the train, if any, was going to be short!

Oh! Dear!!!! I do *so* sympathize. DD originally was absolutely SURE she wanted a particular style of gown (worn by one of the characters on a daytime soap ten years ago). I was fairly certain it would be AWFUL on *her*. Fortunately, she was more than happy to go with her older sister and me on *several* shopping trips to verify the style for her gown. Also, fortunately, she was wise enough to see that her original idea just was NOT going to translate well to *her* body. Older DD and I encouraged her to try on a wide variety of styles, and every time she tried on an off-the-shoulder gown she looked fabulous---radiant---gorgeous---BRIDAL!!! And she agreed.... Very happy dance!

At the very least, she should be willing to try on *one* gown in the style she "thinks" she wants. And insist that she will have purchased a *really* *good* foundation before hand, the ones they lend in the shops are C__P. If trying on one gown doesn't change her mind, and you still think it would look terrible, then by all means, have a *major* flare-up of tendonitis/arthritis/vapors... whatever, but _don't_ _do_ _that_ _gown_! She (and her mother) will never forgive you for making her look foolish on "her day".

Beverly

For a holiday party?!?!? I smell Bridezilla! Val, remember you're having hand surgery all next year!!

HTH

--Karen D.

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hospital switcheroo screw up my birth child was probably now in some remote area of a less known Central American country saving babies from disease and starvation before he flew back home for *his* holiday party while we are apparently stuck with the beautiful, sweet baby I mistakenly raised as my son and he, as many men, suffers from OASIS. The problem with babies is, once you bring them home and feed them you're pretty much locked into the deal.