How to Bead Bridal Gown
Hand-beading a wedding gown is one way to reduce the cost of your dress, and turn it into a memorable keepsake. Purchasing a beaded wedding dress is more expensive than purchasing a plain gown. Adding the bead work yourself also allows you to personalize the design, type of beads used, and amount of embellishment. Choose beads, crystals, pearls, or sequins that match the color and style of your dress. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Lay the wedding dress out on a clean flat surface. Observe the dress, and decide where you would like to add beading. Suitable places for beading include the neckline, shoulder straps, sleeve edges, waistline, seams, embroidered designs, train, and hemline.
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Select beads that match the color and type of fabric. Use crystals and sequins to give your dress some sparkle. Include white seed beads or small round pearls to add luster.
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Thread a needle with thread that matches the color of your gown. Push the needle from the back of the gown's material through to the front in the spot where the bead goes. String the bead onto the needle, and push it down the thread until it is resting on the gown's fabric. Stick the needle back into the fabric near the first point, and push it through to the back. Tie a knot in the thread close to the back of the fabric.
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Add the beads one at a time, making sure they are positioned in the exact same manner to provide uniformity. Tie a knot after each bead. If the knot comes undone, or the thread breaks, only the one bead will fall off. Place a small dot of glue on each knot if the fabric is thin or the bead is heavy.
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Create beaded scallops by tying a knot in the thread and sticking the needle through the fabric at the point where you want one side of the scallop to begin. Thread three to five beads on the needle, and push them down the thread until they reach the fabric. Stick the needle back through the fabric close enough to the first point that the beads hang in a gentle "U" shape. Pull the needle and thread through the fabric, and tie a knot.
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Sew sequins on one at a time. Tie a knot in the thread, and push the needle from the back through the fabric. Thread the needle through the center hole of the sequin. Push the needle back through the fabric just under the outer edge of the sequin. Push the needle up through the fabric once more, coming through the center of the sequin. Stick the needle through the fabric underside the edge of the sequin, one-third of the way from the first stitch. Make a third stitch around the sequin between the first two stitches and tie a knot.
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References
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