Bead Journal Project - July

Passementerie is the art of making elaborate trimmings or edgings (in French, passements) of applied braid, gold or silver cord, embroidery, colored silk, or beads for clothing or home furnishings.

The "Fantasy Dressmaker" decided to create passementerie en suite, a coordinating collection, designed to be used in various ways on a single garment.

Here were her inspiration pieces, obviously not en suite, but with great possibilities to be recreated in beads:

And here are her results:

Starting at the top is the daintiest offering, created with a ladder stitch band and simple loops. It would be perfect on the edge of a netting, lace or chiffon sleeve.

In the middle, a much more substantial fringed braid; it would work nicely to edge a heavy silk taffeta or brocade - I can see it outlining an elaborately draped bustle.

And finally, the largest with triple bands connected with netting and finished with scallops; this piece could be used to fill a bodice or as a truly over the top hem trim.

The creative dressmaker of the past could have used any combination of this en suite set; the primary limitation would have been the deepness of her customer's pockets - or more correctly, the customer's husband!