Over the TOP Challenge: Day 4
/Day four and we are back with more exciting OTT inspiration for you! How is your sewing coming??? You have 3 more days to link up your creations HERE!!!!
But at the moment let's just take a look at Crystal's Amazingness!!!!!!!!
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‘Tis the season to sparkle, right?! Hi Pattern Revolution! It is Crystal, from Stitched by Crystal, and I am so excited to be part of the OTT competition and share my little ones holiday dress with you today! I have to admit, when the over the top idea was brought up, my first response was “I think I will have to sit out on that one.” Over the top is so far out of my comfort zone, I tend to stick with simple designs, less is more type stuff. But I love a good challenge!
Here is a little known fact about me; I was a synchronized swimmer for 14 years. I used to travel all over the country competing at swim meets in sparkly swim suits. Those sparkly swimsuits meant I had to spend hours every year hand sewing sequins before the competition season started. So I figured I could put all those hours of sequin sewing practice to good use for my OTT look!
For this dress, I started with the Caroline Party Dress pattern by Mouse House Creations. It is one of my favorites; I have sewn it a few times before. I picked out some navy blue chiffon fabric from Joann’s and some navy lining fabric to go under it.
I sewed up the Caroline dress just like the pattern with one modification; I added a big keyhole to the back that ties with a satin ribbon. Then I hand stitched on some sparkly gold sequins in a cascading design, with the sequins covering the shoulders on those adorable cap sleeves, and then gradually spreading out towards the bottom of the bodice.
Once I finished the dress, I decided it needed a bit more oomph, so I made a puffy tulle underskirt to go with it. I used some off white tulle with gold glitter to make the skirt, and then added some of the same sequins I used on the dress to the bottom of the skirt.
Thanks to Pattern Revolution for the encouragement to step a bit out of my comfort zone! Now my daughter has an over the top holiday dress we both love!
Have you ever wanted to try sewing sequins? Here is a quick tutorial to help!
To sew some sequins, you will need…
- Thread that matches your sequins. You can use invisible thread, but it is pretty itchy so I wouldn’t recommend it for kids.
- A really skinny needle, nothing is more annoying than a needle that is too big to get your beads on!
- Sequins, I used a combination of 8mm and 5mm cupped sequins on my dress.
- Seed beads that match your sequins.
1. Thread your needle and tie a knot in the end of your string. Push your needle up through your fabric where you want your first sequin to go.
2. Put one sequin and one bead on your needle then pull your thread all the way through.
3. Push your needle back down, this time pushing it through the sequin and fabric, but not through the bead, the bead will hold your sequin on your fabric. Pull the thread all the way through so the bead is secure against the sequin. It is a good idea to tie off your thread at the back of the fabric after sewing each sequin (or at least every few sequins), you don’t have to cut the thread, just tie a knot and then continue. That way if the sequins get tugged, the thread won’t pull leaving the sequin dangling and if one sequin pops off, they won't all come off!
4. Push the needle back up where you want your next sequin to go and repeat!
I hope you enjoyed my over the top look! I can’t wait to see all the designs you all add to the link up!
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I am just so impressed by all of those sequins..... I think I should make a dress now and then find a marathon show to watch and sequin the heck out of it!!! Thanks for the stellar inspiration Crystal. ;o)
