Monday, December 17, 2012

Sequins and the holidays...

If you're anything like me, you have a healthy respect for sequins, and a genuine love for them, but SHUDDER at the thought of trying to cut them away on your seam allowances, dig them out of the crevices of your machine, manipulate them to fit your design and force them to lay the way they were intended. What a pain in the nether region...

Sequins, however, do have one absolutely stellar advantage: they make anything ordinary look festive.  They make you feel like a million bucks.  Here are some alternative thoughts on how to use sequins for your holiday finery. The following project was for a client of mine.

These are fabulous metallic sequins attached  to a mesh from B&J Fabrics.


This fabric is wonderful, but the application of those sequins looks so random, how do I navigate the seams efficiently with a sewing machine?

My solution?  You don't.  You pull out a hand sewing needle and thread, and go for it! (I did line this top with china silk, by the way, using my client's flesh tone.)



Minimal seams make it easier.


Why not show a little skin in the back, huh?
Okay, so you can also add sequin trim to a garment, or you can get hot-fix sequins you can iron on, which I imagine, can be problematic, so experiment a bit before committing to this.  For the truly committed, you can sew on your own sequins individually, but you'd also be amazed at how beautiful a delicately interspersed sequin embellishment with a Swarovski crystal center can be on even the very simplest silk tank! Add them to your shoes, you bag, your hair accessory, your hat... whatever!

From low priced to high end, there are LOTS and LOTS to choose from.  I'm feeling like an infomercial here. (Note: The above example is a high-end one.)

So where you can you find fun sequins?


So, it actually isn't too late to get started.  Don't be afraid to add a little sparkle to your holidays this year!

2 comments:

  1. OK, spill the beans...you made that top for Liza Minnelli, right??!

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    Replies
    1. Ha! Personally, I loved it for the woman who wore it! She was going to a fancy event in her native Puerto Rico, where they really get into festive dressing!

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