Thread: HELP! need suggestions on bra/belt

I feel like there's no matching going on between the bra and belt.
I will never order appliques again...because of the bad experiences I had with these. I was supposed to get matching ones for the bra, but the chick messed my order all up about 50 times.
in the end, she refunded me...but anyhow

i made the center back applique for the belt and included the sketch of what I want to do on the bra- I actually might make the swirlies come off the bra for a little bit of funky shaped bra cups...

what do you think-
How do you feel about oposite colored leaves on the bra and then again on the belt?
do you like the trim? the small twisted beading? I feel like its the only thing pulling the bra & belt together :(
What could I do to make it more together?
pictures here:
jenlindseys/costume projects/cabaret/green and silver - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting

One thing you can do is to add some beading to the appliques to help blend them. But I actually think there is more conflict between the beading you did yourself on the belt and the appliques on the belt. They just look incongruous to me. You migt want to consider taking them off and using for something else and just doing your own beadwork or making your own appliques since it looks as if you are doing a good job with that.

souzan

Originally Posted by Souzan

One thing you can do is to add some beading to the appliques to help blend them. But I actually think there is more conflict between the beading you did yourself on the belt and the appliques on the belt. They just look incongruous to me. You migt want to consider taking them off and using for something else and just doing your own beadwork or making your own appliques since it looks as if you are doing a good job with that.

souzan

you mean taking off the big silver flowers? I could do that....but they are so fun...I have considered it over and over....I was hoping to tye them together some how, I just don't know how.... I really love the flowers...

Or maybe I should just leave the flowers and use my bead work on a separate bra/belt.... as if I need another green set!

sigh... =(

I agree with Souzan. While I like the concept of the large, silver flower appliques, the fringe on them clashes with your nice glass beaded fringe and other beadwork.

Also, having two large flowers like that on the belt, to me, begs for one to be on the bra also, maybe medium sized rather than large, but something to repeat the motif.

I can't really see the trim in great detail.

bummer... I knew what I was going to hear... I was just hoping I wouldn't!

I can see that the big silver flowers are fun and why you would want to keep them but somehow they just don't go with the beading in the lovely blues and greens that you are doing. It would look great if your beading was all silver like the appliques or if you just do all your own beading. You could possibly try to add blue and green sequins/beads to the appliques to get them to blend together more but it would be alot of work and still might not work. Sometimes we know the answer but just don't want to accept it until someone else agrees sees the same thing. You really have two great costume ideas here, not one.

thanks for the comments surida-
here's the story...
I bought two big silver flowers & 4 medium blue flowers all exactly the same...
and the blue flower was supposed to be on both cups near the neck strap to overlay my skin (hope this makes sense) and I was going to add two more blue flowers to the belt. They all had fringe on them and it was going to be PERFECT. but the stupid lady i bought appliques from....screwed up my order and sent me black flowers...of which half of the beads were missing. ugh.
Maybe I should just sell the silver flowers and move on...

If you want to keep the big appliques, go in and bead them with the blue and green beads you have in your hand beading. Find a simular one (or two) n a smaller dimension for the bra. My off the top suggestion is to cancel out the o ring and use the applique.

Then, get a handful (or two) of sew on crystals. In several shapes. then arrange them as you like. then 9and this is me - the Fringe junkie) I would do classic AmCab fringe on the cups.

{{{HUGS}}}

ita with the above posts. your bead work looks so nice. if you can, ditch the flowers [and use somewhere else]and do your own beading on the whole set. it will all match in color and style that way.

i like them both, just not together. my personal taste...
also, you probably already know this, but if using commercial appliques that will go beyond the line of the bra/belt, its helpful to give them a sturdy backing so they last longer.

good luck, can't wait to see the finished costume

Looking again maybe if you added alot more silver around the sections you have beaded and some silver fringe coming out of your beadwork (like the fringe on the flowers) it might bring it together more. I think it is the contrast of all silver next to mostly blue and green that is the problem.

The motifs just don't go together--the big flower appliques and the beaded work. It is like apples and oranges and I think leaving the flower appliques on no matter how you dressed them up with blue and green beading would simply detract from the lovely beadwork you have already done.

Those silver flower thingees are easy enough to find. So save them for an all silver flower bedlah.

Souzan

Originally Posted by Souzan

The motifs just don't go together--the big flower appliques and the beaded work. It is like apples and oranges and I think leaving the flower appliques on no matter how you dressed them up with blue and green beading would simply detract from the lovely beadwork you have already done.

Those silver flower thingees are easy enough to find. So save them for an all silver flower bedlah.

Souzan

Yeah, I totally agree. Sorry, I know you were really trying to make it work and I've been there, done that, and was trying to think of ways too but REALLY I think they just are too different.

anyone wanna buy some flower appliques?

When I have projects that just aren't working I usually put them away in a drawer for a while - later when I go through the drawer someday I have fresh ideas of what to do and I use some of the materials or finish the project, or I give it away to a friend, or throw it away.

yeah... I'm set on finishing my purple set first....because it needs to be done by summer (purple is our new troupe color). I really didn't think this beadwork took much time or wasn't too much trouble...but most of my future designs have a much more simple elegant look. I just took this bra with me on travel and worked on the bra straps during the car drive.

Simplicity is golden- especially when you are the beader!

When I have projects that just aren't working I usually put them away in a drawer for a while - later when I go through the drawer someday I have fresh ideas of what to do

I do that as well and then find that I have gained 10 pounds in the meantime!! I think that simple Sahar look has got to be the best marketing/profit scheme ever!

haha, its just so sad that it is close enough to being done that I would start yet ANOTHER project.
I literally have 9 cabaret costumes started (no where near wearable), 2 I'm still putting the finishing touches on (though I still wear them), 12 different skirts/pants in the works, and other random accessories started then shoved to the side.
I'm sure many of you have much much more than me...but the thing is that I live with my grandma....so my space is limited to my bedroom which ends up being a constant dump of bags and sewing grounds! I can't remember the last time I could see my couch