If you have not purchased a pageant dress shell with the trim or you sewed it yourself (you go girls!) then trim is next on your shopping list! As usual there are several online places to do this and you can usually find nice appliqué at your local fabric store in the wedding apparel section. The online resources include: MJTrims.com, DreamtimeCreations.com and GlitzOnline.com. I’m sure there are many others but these rise to the top for my own choices. All of these places also carry your rhinestones, but don’t discount EBay as I find the best prices there sometimes. The main thing is to shop around. Good rhinestones are not cheap! Be sure you are getting crystal and not glass too. Swarovski rhinestones are the industry standard and I personally wouldn’t use a lesser quality stone. Never use acrylic stone unless you are creating something like a dance costume that will not be worn very often and you don’t want to put a lot of money into it.
First you want to begin with the appliqué or lace trim. You can cover completely in yardage, add pieces (most common) or just add a small amount of trim depending on the complexity of your dress design. There are different types of appliqué to choose from, the most popular is Venetian lace trim. It comes in many beautiful patterns and styles, is easy to dye and is very durable. Many of these are pre-made to fit bodices just right. There is also lace yardage which can completely cover. You can also get polyester and nylon type appliqués. These are harder to dye, but often come with sequins, pearls and rhinestones already affixed which can be a big time-saver. The right appliqué can make your project perfect! You will want to layout and pin your pieces on before beginning to stitch. This is to ensure you get the right look and all in the proper places. You can then rearrange as necessary without having to pull stitches! Once you have the appliqués where you want them then just sew them on with thread matching your fabric color. Take your bodice to the store when finding thread to match especially if your project is custom dyed! Also, it’s a good idea to tack the appliqué down before sewing it on permanently and trying the bodice on to be sure the appliqué lays where you want it.
Once you have your appliqué sewn in it’s time to turn to rhinestones, sequins and other embellishments! I’ll start with bows because they can be the most complex and time consuming piece of your design. If you are adding bows to your project you will want to decide what kind of bows and if you want them stoned or not. The most popular pageant dress bows are the full kind, often with more than just two full parts (the “bow” part). I will not go into how to make the bows as there are many different ways. For instructions on sewing and trim making (like bows) I highly suggest you visit Sewing.About.com. This site list tons of resources and how-to’s – it’s a beginner’s playhouse! You will want to find a good matching wired ribbon to make a good bow with. Make several and pick and choose your favorites. These can be sewn or glued on or both. My favorite way is to sew on Velcro or snaps and apply them separately. This way you can keep them nice longer. Always stuff the bows with tissue paper to help them keep their shape in storage.
The next thing you want to do is stone your dress! Rhinestones add the sparkle and glamour that every pageant dress must have. It can be very simple or very glitzy, it’s up to you! First you need the stones. The most popular stone to use is the Swarovski AB (aurora borealis) stone. The “AB” coating on the stone gives it a gorgeous iridescent shine and sparkle that can’t be beat. The AB stone comes in several different colors, sizes and shapes. Look for a chart to tell you their colors, sizes and shapes and order accordingly.
If you’re looking for less glitz or more contrast you can opt for colored crystal or clear crystal. Every color in the rainbow! And there are also some very unique “special effect” stones that you just need to see! Buy a sample card – it’s worth it! Don’t forget the adhesive! My favorite is “E6000” or “Goop” available at most craft stores and online. These dry clear and are flexible and washable! Some other supplies you may want to get are: a “Dop stick”, used to pick up stones for application; a “Hot Fix” wand, for hot-fix stones; tweezers; Sticky Spots and Mylar film. The Mylar is sticky on one side and see thru. You can lay it over say, your appliqué and the place hot-fix stones where you want them. When you have the perfect design just turn it over lay it on the appliqué and iron! Easy! Now what kind of stone you use is also to be considered. Do you want hot-fix, flatback or pointed back? Each has its own advantages and you should play around with them to see what you like best. And don’t forget the pearls!. I just love pearls. They are definitely not necessary but they seem to add a very elegant touch to the dress. These also come in many shapes, sizes and color and can also be dyed!
Want those big brooches? Take different sized stones and hot glue them together to create a custom brooch! Don’t want to take the time? Well there are a few tricks to finding those “stones” that are different. You can invest in a few high quality rhinestone pins or earrings and just glue them right on! (snap or cut off the earring posts first) You can also find rhinestone buttons and buckles that serve as great embellishments as well and are easy to affix! The main thing to remember here is to look for “quality”! Make sure they are crystal and not glass.
After the dress is stoned – put it on and look at it up close and from afar to be sure you have even coverage and no “holes”. Make any adjustments and then you’re done! All that’s left is any final embellishments that you need to add last, like bows or ribbons. After that… Voila! It’s ready to wear!
Now don’t go thinking that you can get all of this done in a day. Yes, you probably could; but it would take many non-stop hours and you won’t be as pleased with your results as well as if you took your time over several days and worked in stages. I know, it’s hard for me too but… put it down after a few hours!
