...and it was FUN!

Battle of the Beadsmith 2015 is underway! And I have done something completely different this year.  Below are my efforts in 2012, 2013, and 2014... Ghosts of Battles Past.

But this year... I made something unusual.  Meet my Urban Safari Coat!

When I started beading, I consciously tried to keep my beadwork out of my costume design studio.  Because, I beading is fun for me, and I didn't want it to distract me from my work.

And then I thought, "Why?" I have some self discipline.  So I began experimenting.  Maybe some other day, I'll show you the progression of garments that followed.  But for now...

This coat was fun, even under the pressure of a time deadline for the Battle of the Beadsmith. Maybe a little exhausting on the tails of Bead Dreams... And while it is not perfect, I don't think the flaws are in the beadwork. It's a challenge to get dense bead embroidery on fabric to lie perfectly flat and not pucker the material around it.  But I feel like I got that part right.  I didn't put much effort into the garment design and layout, and could have done more.   But even so, the project was fun, and soothing in the hypnotic, meditative way of bead embroidery!

I asked Jana Rose if I could hire her to help me with my photography, and she said yes.  I got to hold her huge camera and open the shutter.  And even THAT was FUN! Although my arms knew for sure, after a couple hours, that the camera was really big.  So... BIG fun!  :)

It was fun in the shade of city buildings... and fun in the setting sun at the park.

AND it was sneaky fun by a mud puddle!

 You have seen it on the hunt in a city street, and on a walk in the park.  I hope to have an opportunity to share all the things I think this coat can be with you... a cocktail party accessory, an evening jacket over a formal gown, a bathing suit coverup on the beach, a blazer worn with a briefcase on an office executive with panache, maybe an Asian look (it has a kimono quality, I think), and maybe even as a robe or bed jacket.  

Tantalizing fun for me!  I plan to do more for sure.  

Testing... 1, 2, 3, 4... 5... 6...

I have been thinking about making bead embroidered clothing for almost four months now.  And it has been hard to start, because I knew the results would not be very swell the first time.  But I am going to share my struggles.  Because both of us can learn from my mistakes, eh?

 Lesson #1

If I want to keep using quilted dupioni silk as a base, I need to contrast the embroidery with the silk color.  Matching it doesn't work.  I am used to working in the super-bling of rhinestones, but the beads do not have enough punch of their own, (unless I am planning to be very subtle) to be the same color as the busy textured ground.  If the ground was not quilted, it might work.  I do like seeing some fabric in this piece, but I can also imagine loving entirely filling the graphics with beads.  But, wait... weight!  But the idea of using floss in conjunction with beads is pretty juicy too!

Lesson #2

I was so excited when I realized that I was finally ready to give this a try, I did almost zero design work.  I just flew by the seat of my pants.  I grabbed a quilted vest I owned, patterned a similar vest, chopped it out and laid out applique on it as fast as I could, so I could start working with the beads.  

Fine, but if I want to produce something gorgeous, I need to plan.  And since I am planning to make the garments myself, I need to start with the design of the garment, and THEN the design of the embellishment.  No more wasting energy on making it up as I go along.  

Lesson #3

I don't think I want to use bead backing.  I want the garments to stay as supple as possible, so tension is everything.  And I have a notorious tight hand with a needle. So I must pull the thread taught and STOP.   I don't really see a way to put the work in a hoop, so I have had to learn to keep it completely flat where I am working, so I do not cram in too many beads, another of my favorite things to do. Every time the lines buckle, too many beads is the problem. Took me a long time to catch on.  

 I started at the top and worked my way down with the scroll work.  You can see how my edges improved as I went along.  They REALLY SUCK the the top.  It is much easier to work over the extra layer of fabric where the applique is, than to stitch free form without the added stiffness of the applique.

Lesson #4

Finishing the garment is going to take time, and I have to account for that.  I imagine that what I want to make will be mostly tailored things, vests, jackets, coats...  And everything will need linings.  I am an adequate tailor, and hopefully my skills will be sufficient to the task.  

Lesson #5

There has to be a way to clean these garments I want to make.  I purposefully chose beads with various finishes from various manufacturers.  And I will send the thing to the dry cleaner and see what happens.  Eek.  That will be a grand lesson.  I know Miyuki has a list of beads they consider to be colorfast.  I imagine Toho does too.  No idea about Matsuno.  We shall see.  This was the thing that was maybe the most frightening to me, but the stores are full of fall and winter party dresses. Many of them have beadwork, with beads that look less permanently attached and of lower quality than mine. 

Lesson #6

 I need to think about closure as part of the design.  I have some awesome Chinese frogs I thought would close this garment, but nope, WAY too busy.  I ordered gold snaps.  FROM TURKEY!!! Because that is where I could find nice brass snaps.  Really?  Really!  So the closure will have to wait a bit.  But I think I am ready to do some sketching for a second effort.