Pearls, pearls, pearls

[frualeydis]

Having looked at a larger version of the Margareta Leijonhufvud portrait I see that the coming months will consist of little else than sewing fake pearls on garments. I don't have to since I'm not making a copy, but just to get a similar look requires quite a lot of them. I am currently sewing 4 millimetre plastic pearls along the edges of all the panes on the puff sleeves.

But I won't put on more after that until after I've made the kirtle and shirt, because if I do I may never be able to wear any of it.

Comments

[fool000.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a lot of work. Are you doing this by hand, or did you find a way to do it with the machine?

[frualeydis.livejournal.com]

By hand, I don't think you can do it by machine. Certainly not with mine. And it would also mean visible machine stitching which I don't have on my historical clothing.

/Eva

[seamstrix.livejournal.com]

Do you have the option of using glass pearls? I have seen amny historic outfits ruined by the way the 'pearl' part of the the plastic pearl wears away leaving dull, obviously plastic beads in it's place.

[frualeydis.livejournal.com]

Too expensive by far, unfortunately. The bigger oens are really good imitation pearls, but the smal ones, which I think may be 3 instead of 4 millimetres actually, are just too many. I'm trying to think about fake pearls from wax in period ;)

/Eva