Monday, November 16, 2015

A Wedding Suit for a Sun Prince

When I decided to marry my darling dumpling, and that I was going to have the finest and most spectacular dress I could possibly imagine, I knew that he must have the finest and most spectacular suit he could possibly imagine.  Luckily he already knew what he wanted, and the first sketch I made in my school notebook looks a lot like the finished product.  We decided on a morning suit in ivory, elaborately embellished somehow.  It seemed most reasonable that the embellishment be glass beads, and such a thing only seemed reasonable because I had recently acquired an eight foot long rolling quilting frame that seated six. 


I had never made a full tailored suit before, so to practice and also to time things out, as well as perfecting fitting, I made a full wearable mockup in a dandy striped cotton.


I had already made him a shawl-collared double-breasted waistcoat the previous year in the same fabric, so he had a smart suit going on, and I had a waistcoat and coat pattern, both of which I adapted from the Simplicity pattern.  Here as well, full historical perfection was not what was required, but I was not going to scrimp on any technique!
Finding the fabric was a challenge; I could not procure an ivory gabardine for even ready money.  Moire was too distracting, faille too ribbed.  I was sincerely considering duchesse silk satin and groaning at the thought.  Finally I discovered wool/silk gabardine which is carried at Fashion Fabrics Club in a dizzying array of colors, including the perfect ivory.  It cost about as much as the duchesse satin, but for some reason seemed hardier.  It was.

Slk-wool gabardine from Fashion Fabrics Club.

Sewing folks, use this fabric.  It has an amazing subtle sheen almost like satin, a dense weave, and a firm hand.  A tube stands up on the table.  It presses perfectly, and stretches on the bias.  It was quite expensive and worth every penny as the canvas for a glass and crystal masterpiece. 
I took my cue from historical embroidered garments where the pattern pieces are embellished before they are cut.  Bit by bit, I traced the pattern pieces on paper and drew in the beading design in pencil.  This was then transferred to the fabric using a light box, or in my case, a window as a leaf in a dinner table with lamps under it.
Improvised lightbox

  M chose the main iris motif of my own gown for the back of his jacket, inverted, with the long curling fronds at the shoulders, tapering to a point at the waist seam.  The rest of the beading I made up, spots of density to mark out lapels and collars, a smattering of vertical bugles on the sleeves suggesting epaulets, a bright crystal at his heart.  The rest was individual seed beads and bugle bead stars spaced sporadically down the garment and tails.


This frame is really big, hence its status as My Secret Sewing Weapon.
I got it for a latte and a pumpkin loaf

After marking, the length was rolled onto the frame and beading began in earnest.  Never having done such a thing, I went to Harlequin beads, our local bead store, and asked advice.  I came away with a bag of clear, silver lined, and iridescent seed and bugle beads, crystals, glass pearls, thread that looked like dental floss, and long thin needles that resembled nothing more than wisps of steel. 

First batch of beads

We quickly discovered that a) the sheen of the fabric rendered marks invisible when lit directly, b) it is hard to scoop beads out of shallow containers, and c) even needle threaders weren’t small enough to thread the needles.  We solved the problems by lighting underneath the fabric, which backlit the beads perfectly and helped differentiate the silver-lined from the clear when it mattered.  The beads were placed on squares of velvet, and I threaded most of the needles, getting 10-20 at a time ready before a session.

Backlighting makes it better!
Gabardine on the frame, practice beading in black.


The halves were separate, the back seam stitched by hand later to meet the beading as much as possible.
We beaded for about two weeks straight over Thanksgiving just to finish the main back motif.  The rest was done gradually but regularly.  Meanwhile, we ordered vintage cut glass buttons and a glass buckle.
Outline of main back motif

Finished half of back (above)  with waistcoat collar (below)

Waistcoat collar with sample beading

The back fronds curled over shoulders

Other shoulder, the threads are visible because of the underlighting, which makes the silver-lined beads look almost black.

Upper Collar

Detail of Upper Collar


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