Thread: how would you make this?

I want to make a dress like this:



But I'm not sure how... how would you do it?

Crochet?

Good luck with that Shems. It looks impossible to me. Gorgeous though.

P.S. You could ask Mona on FB if she remembers this costume and how it was made.

Originally Posted by Michelle75

Good luck with that Shems. It looks impossible to me. Gorgeous though.

P.S. You could ask Mona on FB if she remembers this costume and how it was made.

I thought I heard that Mona of FB was a fraud. "She" messaged me not long ago advertising web design services.

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

I thought I heard that Mona of FB was a fraud. "She" messaged me not long ago advertising web design services.

Me too, but I was always prepared for the reality that Mona has far better things to do than mess around on FB, and that she can very easily pay someone to keep the thing updated for her ..g.:

The dress is definitely crochet. My instinct would be to crochet "arches" of chains, and anchor them into the tops of the rows below. (I'm not explaining myself well!) I'd cast on a chain for the neckline, then go around in something like: chain 20, sc in 10th chain on base row, chain 20, sc in 10th chain on base row, etc. Then in the next row, again chain 20at a time, but then anchor your sc in the middle of the loops of 20 from the row below. You'll need to modify the number of stitches and maybe fudge some extra loops to get the yoke and the body shaped the way you want.

I would do it with something like #10 rayon thread. They have threads with an irridescent ply mixed in that have a nice sparkle, and you could add in size #6 beads as you go.

This looks to me like just a dress, made of an extremely sheer fabric with the the spider-webby pattern embroidered on. Or beaded on, which would be far more ambitious . . . though there are (expensive) fabrics you can get with a sequinned pattern pre-sewn onto the fabric.
Rosette

Originally Posted by tamrahennatx

I thought I heard that Mona of FB was a fraud. "She" messaged me not long ago advertising web design services.

I guess I should have figured that much. Well, whoever takes care of that site sure does update with alot of cool pictures. I wonder if it's a friend. Fifi's daughter does her site.

Back to topic. Sorry!!!
..l;,

Look around at 70's knit/crochet pattern sites. Crochet dresses were popular back then for non-dance and you might be able to adapt a pattern.

Oh god, please don't think you have to make it from scratch! What a project!
You can find GREAT crochet, mesh, net, with beads, sequins and applique' fabric! If you were here in LA, in NY, Miami or even Chicago you could find fabric like this in the fabric district.
Otherwise, search online for it.
Your own city's fabric stores may even have something like it in the specialty section, or in a bridal and special occasion fabric store.
When you have the fabric you would just use a beledi pattern.
Good luck it's gorgeous!

Originally Posted by MelanieLA

Oh god, please don't think you have to make it from scratch! What a project!
You can find GREAT crochet, mesh, net, with beads, sequins and applique' fabric! If you were here in LA, in NY, Miami or even Chicago you could find fabric like this in the fabric district.
Otherwise, search online for it.
Your own city's fabric stores may even have something like it in the specialty section, or in a bridal and special occasion fabric store.
When you have the fabric you would just use a beledi pattern.
Good luck it's gorgeous!

I agree. I was able to find some large hole fishnet -- not quite that large though -- online a while back when I was shopping. Didn't wind up buying any, but spotted loads of it. Also lots of interesting laces and meshes with very large open weaves.

Originally Posted by MelanieLA

Oh god, please don't think you have to make it from scratch! What a project!

To crochet a dress like this would take, at most, a couple of evenings in front of the television, it would not be an enormous project by any means! Even including beads and sequins, since as long as the hole in the bead is big enough, you can actually just work the beads and sequins right into the crocheted fabric as you go.

To sew something like this would involve, for me, several long weekends of cursing my sewing machine, ripping out lots of terrible hems, and probably ruining a fair amount of fabric!

Originally Posted by Rosette

This looks to me like just a dress, made of an extremely sheer fabric with the the spider-webby pattern embroidered on. Or beaded on, which would be far more ambitious . . . though there are (expensive) fabrics you can get with a sequinned pattern pre-sewn onto the fabric.
Rosette

I agree. It looks like a print, not crochet.

so, I'm terrible at crochet, but I know a crochet genious, so I can ask her advice...but say I were to go the other route. Are there really fabrics out there like this? Where would a Maryland girl find those?

Originally Posted by shems

so, I'm terrible at crochet, but I know a crochet genious, so I can ask her advice...but say I were to go the other route. Are there really fabrics out there like this? Where would a Maryland girl find those?

I bet your crochet genius knows some great fabric sources!

Okay, so I'm torn. On the one hand I agree it looks like crochet. But the fact that it's got a seam on the side would seem to indicate that it's a fabric based pattern. Best guess is either sequins/beads sewn on sheer mesh fabric, or an actual crochet dress tacked onto a sheer mesh dress. That would also explain why the crochet fits so well without looking stretched. And then the crocheted bit on the arms was left unlined.

If this is crocheted, this would be a huge project for the likes of me. I would prefer to do beads and sequins on mesh, and then just crochet the sleeves....

I can crochet a basic stitch, and that's all, so this looks like a huge project to me. Of course if you are a crochet whiz, I'm sure it's much easier!
Shems, there really are fabrics like this out there! They can be pretty pricey and hard to work with but you can find it online if you don't have a nearby fabric district. I could do a search for you if that helps?.....

It looks like crochet somehow attached to a sheer fabric base, because between the holes you can see a sheen. the sleeves haven't been lined though. The pattern is quite raised so if it is embroidered straight onto a sheer fabric it is a very specialist kind of embroidery.

It is very unusual good luck with finding some way of making it. If you do you have to post pics..g.:

Just saw these fabrics on ebay. They mesh with thread embroidery, maybe something like these could work


Black net, mesh, lace with pink/purple glitter 54" wide - eBay, Fabric, Sewing Fabric, Crafts. (end time 03-Dec-09 11:33:50 AEDST)



S23 White Net/Mesh Gold Embroidered Fabric by Meter - eBay, Net Mesh, Fabric, Crafts. (end time 24-Nov-09 02:16:56 AEDST)

I know this picture is pretty horrendous (camera phone, obviously), but this is part of the fin of my mermaid tail. The teal part is all underneath. The top fabric is sheer gold with gold sequins sewn on in very scaly sort of swirls (wow, I am a real master of description too). Anyway, it seems *similar* to what you'd be looking for. I found it at Fabricland here in Jersey, and totally fell in love with it for my mermaid costume. It was expensive, though, like $30 or $40 a yard.

thanks everyone, I guess I be on the hunt for the right fabric and I'll be talking to my favorite crochet master.

Spandex world. Because of the side seam I am assuming it is not crochet (I'm more of a knitter but I can crochet too. It does look like a patterned fabric or a fabric attached to a crochet over layer.
Come back to NY I'll take you again.
I made something similar with this.

Intent on that dress if/when it's time to sell Tanya!

Originally Posted by Sarahamh

Intent on that dress if/when it's time to sell Tanya!

You got it!