"Summertime", Part 3

Look! I gave it a name! I never name my projects, so it was a little tricky for me to come up with this...

The beads (from Joann's "Beader's Paradise" brand, 6/0 Czech Glass E-Beads, 3 tubes!) are labeled with the color, "Miami Surf". The different tones of blues and greens sparkling completely remind me of swimming, although I've never been to Miami! The structure of the dress (racerback/wrap dress) is something that can only be worn in warm weather (here in Michigan), so...

Swimming + Warm Weather = Summertime!

This post will be brief, just some detail of the beading. Thanks to those of you who shared your input, I really appreciate it. The good news is, I can wear the dress both ways! It occured to me that the beads may not be washable or dryclean-able, so the trim needs to be easy to remove. Since I have enough supplies left over, I can make another band without the beads, and baste it when the beads are a little too much. My husband prefers the non-bead version, while I prefer the color addition... so, a compromise is always good! For the contest entry, I will use the beaded band, though.

The Neck Band

For the same reason (laundering), I had to make the belt embellishment removable also. Basting on a collar is one thing, but a belt... too much work! So, I figured out how to decorate the waistline without stitching anything onto the dress.

The Belt Band

I used the same black trim as the neckline, but stitched it into a long double wide band. By leaving the end loops open, I can slip the belt through the holes, tie the dress in the back, and the bead embellishment is secure on the front!

I think this is a pretty good idea on my part, and also allows me to leave both embellished parts off, and wear it as a simple black dress! Genius!!!

*Ignore the fit and seam lines, my dress form is a younger (slimmer) version of me!

This project is nearly finished, so the next post will be the final installment. You'll finally get to see all the pieces put together, and I hope you like it as much as I do...