Beading and Ribbons

I'm designing a new christening gown ensemble named "Elegance" that will be a future class. The inspiration was an antique gown that had scalloped edging meeting in the center of the gown. Interesting motif and idea to me, and my mind was turning it over and over until I came up with a design of an overdress with a ruffle of Swiss embroidered edging and an underdress.

But what about the seam of the Swiss embroidered edging? It would be seen if the front of the overdress folded open along the hem. I decided to "hide" the seam with Swiss embroidered beading....with the seam of the edging hidden under the beading. I've used this technique before on a yoke seam. What's beading? It can be lace beading....but that was too soft and delicate for this design. It usually has ribbon woven through the holes.

I used the Swiss embroidered beading because it's heavier, prettier for this project, and it can have embroidered motifs that show after the ribbon is woven through the holes in the beading (see photo at right). It has entredeux on both sides so it's easy to apply with a machine zigzag stitch. You can trim the fabric off right up against the entredeux (railroad track design) and it won't unravel. Neat, efficient and oh so attractive and fancy! The result is easy to achieve. Just sew the fabrics wrong sides together with the seam facing the right side, finish the seam and trim it close, press. Apply the beading on top of the seam with a narrow zigzag on each edge with one stitch in every hole of the entredeux. Weave the ribbon through with a bodkin before or after applying the beading (depending upon the design). How simple is that?

This photo shows the beading idea to finish a seam on a baby dress yoke.

And here's the curved seam of the

Elegance Christening Overdress with the beading ready to be stitched on the last side. The seam is hidden under the beading and it looks just as nice on the inside as the outside of the garment. How neat is that?