They Are Airborne!

I'm almost finished! Just need to put the backing on the butterfly appliques, heat set the center press with the iron, and attach them with springs. The picture above shows the beaded edge. This is an easy and effective finish to do with small beads and a whip stitch. You can use a sharp instead of a beading needle if you're driving it through Trimtex or Flexifirm because beading needles tend to break. Just use a bead that you test with the eye side of your needle to be sure it slides over.


I used some lavender and turquoise clear rocailles that Cindy and I found on eBay. I also added a row of the hologram sequins anchored with a rocaille to tie it together with the bra bead and sequin pattern. There are AB celendon green bugles used as accents. If you click on the pix you can see a larger picture and maybe a bit more detail. The long beaded strands you see are the ends of the long tassel which will go over center front of her 10" long beaded fringe. I'm still working on it.

I opted to use feathers and am really pleased with he results! I used colors from the brocade and the airbrush paints that I'll be painting her wings with. I think the feathers add a wonderfully tacky background to the wings and give them that outre' that Cindy's character Tessie would have her retired seamstress make her. Bottom left corner shows one of the appliques turned over so you can see the feather application to the back - again with good ole Aleene's Super Fabric glue. Click on it for a better look. I'll trim the quills when I've let them set a bit more and then make a back lining of the brocade. Should have the pantie skirt finished and think I'll make it a separate piece so that she can wear a clean pantie while washing the other pair.

Her character shoes came in yesterday along with the lace body suits. And hallelujah, they fit her tall frame! Always an issue with one-size-fits-all pieces. But the net and lace stretch just enough.

Her shoes will go to the shoe maker to have two industrial grommets placed into the sides so we can thread ribbon lacing through to emulate pointe shoes lacing. She bought some hologram ribbon just tacky enough to do the deed.

What do you think about the feathers?

Bells and Butterflies

What you're seeing in the picture above is some of the prop pieces for the stripper's costume. The white lace with red and blue stones is the G-string that one of the Toreadorables picks up in the dressing room and hangs around her neck because she thinks it's a necklace. On the shoulder are the colored jingle bells Cindy's character installs on her costume as a gimmick in the 'Gotta Have A Gimmick' number.

We found some incredible appliques appropriate for an actor and I gussied up a tee-shirt for her as well. These three items are ready to go out the door.

Today, I work on the butterflys that go on the front of the gostume. I used the back side of the brocade I dyed as a contrast and will embellish and back them.

The gorgeous green silk gauze wings are cut out. I will keep them together as I lay out the color design with chalk before airbrushing them. Then they will be cut out, edges rolled, I'll stick a few pounds of beads and sequins on them to help weight them and finish with a collar and the dowels in the front edges.

The white ball of light you're seeing at the bottom of George's scratching post just flew by as I photographed this with the tripod. The other light balls on the green gauze I didn't see until I uploaded the pictures. I hope 'they' were approving my work!

This is the finished piece of 10" beaded fringe to go on the dance pant. The beige you can just barely see is the lycra pant and the brocade above will be pleated into a split skirt to cover the front. I'm also beading an 18" tassle for center front from additional colors of Miyuki's and rocailles. When you bead on a header of twill or horsehair, or even directly onto a garment. Keep your work from coming undone with a dab of fabric glue on all the knots on the wrong side.