Thread: Anybody here do tambour-work embellishments for costumes?

A friend of mine is offering to teach me beaded tambour work... I'd love to take her up on it but I don't quite comprehend how I would use it. If you do beading via tambour methods, can you tell me how you incorporate this into garments?

Thanks.

I own a tambour and have spent many hours trying to use it. They are kinda hard to come by. It seems like a fabulous technique! I wish I could figure it out.

OK, had to Google it, and found a video:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctalL88NMqM]YouTube - tambour beading[/ame]

Ok I am pretty sure this technique isn't used in eyptian costuming except maybe doing the sequins on hemlines. I believe this actually comes from india and you can see it on all the embroidered kurtas and sari edges and such.

so.... you are beading behind the fabric? I can't imgagin how it works with lycra.

Originally Posted by Georgine

so.... you are beading behind the fabric? I can't imgagin how it works with lycra.

Yeah, I can see how this would be better w/ appliques to be attached later, but impractical for a whole cossie.

If she's offering I say take her up on it! It never hurts to learn something new, and you never know what you'll be doing in the future. Wouldn't it suck to say, "Gee, I sure wish I would have learned tambour beading when I had the chance."

My friend went to Paris for a workshop at Lesage, the couture house that does beadwork embellishment for firms like Chanel. I talked to her a little more and she explained that the beading is done on a sheer fabric like organza and then appliqued to the garment:
beaded blouse

The advantage to this method is the extreme speed you can develop to fill a big area. She showed me an example of stippling done with sequins, and it would be a lot faster than having to plunge a needle in and out of a belt (plus, less hard on the fingers).

If I give it a shot I'll post some results... she's going to study with Robert Havens (in the video above) for an advanced master class next year.

I am savouring this thread... And will have a chat with the sist in law. (She does Japanese embroiderie and other techniques.)

Thanks!

Qamar

Does anyone know where to buy the needles for this? The technique is very similar to crochet (which I already do), so I'd love to give it a try to make appliques.

Originally Posted by mahsati

Does anyone know where to buy the needles for this? The technique is very similar to crochet (which I already do), so I'd love to give it a try to make appliques.

Ha, ha, me toooo! I found they are called "crochet de Luneville". I found some links from France, I'm still searching (also send an email to the sist in law!)

Please if you find something, post here!

Qamar

Clover Kantan Couture Bead Embroidery Tool 4 3/4" Product Detail -- CreateForLess

Thank you! ,r:; I found one on eBay, but the one on your link is even cheaper.

eBay: Tambour Bead Embroidery Tool Set - eBay (item 380273871551 end time Oct-05-10 17:15:04 PDT)

But I'll wait for the sist in law feedback, I'm sure she'll have some local resources.

Have a nice day!

Qamar

I'll ask my friend whether she knows of any good online sources for supplies.

My friend recommends http://lacis.com/catalog/ for supplies and says they have some books, too!

Forgot to say, she says to watch out: there is a type of tatting that is also called "tambour" crochet. This uses a small hook as well, so it's easy to think you see one thing and you are getting something else. (For example, I think my link above is an example of the "other" tambour hook type.)

AWESOME thread (no pun intended) and information! Thanks everyone, esp. bintbeled for posting the video!

Bhuz rocks!

I have one and like I said I have never figured it out. I would be so willing to sell it if anyone wanted it. I don't even know how much they go for. It's exactly like the one in the video.

Originally Posted by tigerb

My friend recommends http://lacis.com/catalog/ for supplies and says they have some books, too!

Ok - I ordered a set of the needle/hooks. Thanks!!

Ohh, that looks interesting! I wouldn't mind giving it a try, let us know how you get on Mahsati.

Originally Posted by firefly5

Ohh, that looks interesting! I wouldn't mind giving it a try, let us know how you get on Mahsati.

will do! I am sure it will take a while to get it right, but I will definitely give it a go. I enjoy beading, embroidery, and crocheting, so this will hopefully be fun too. :)

I found the "crochet de Luneville" at a fabricstore downtown.

And these two links are interesting (though the background music is a bit anoying ..c::), but explanations are more clear to me now:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBNzPgK0N30&feature=related]YouTube - Kantan Couture Instructional DVD (Part 1 of 2)[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTW5jB8X0wk&feature=related]YouTube - Kantan Couture Instructional DVD (Part 2 of 2)[/ame]

I'll give it a try this weekend (if I can find time, *sigh* .w.:)

Qamar

Very interesting, those videos look like a really similar, but not identical technique! The tambour hooks my friend has don't have that latch on it. I can't wait to hear some reports!

Ok - update!

I bought 4 different needles (3 sizes of the one without the latch in one package and 1 with the latch separately). I am using a freestanding embroidery frame which makes it easier to manipulate both sides of the fabric and embroidery at once.

I have successfully done a little embroidery both with and without beads. It is going to take some practice and some experimentation with fabrics/beads/threads to make it go more smoothly, but it definitely works and is faster than regular beading techniques.

Once I make something that looks less like pre-school doodles, I will post a pic.

I ordered a couple of books on the subject, but none of them have arrived yet. If you know basic crochet stitches, the main running chain stitch is easy.

Excellent! Thanks for being our intrepid explorer, Mahsati!

If you are looking to make your own tambour lace needles, you can look up "Clones Irish Lace Needles". It tells the history of taking a sewing needle, popping out the bottom end of one side of the hole where you thread the needle, creating a loop, like a crochet hook. You might stick the sharp end of the needle in a piece of wooden dowel or cork first or after you make one to make a handle for it.

They sculpture crochet to look like a lot of things like flowers, tassels, butterflies, then they add their pieces together in a lace ground chain stitch or what ever ground they choose their piece to have a background in.

Clones crocheted lace can be used in itself for embellishment, but if you are looking for smaller needles like for tambour lace, the needles made for Clones lace can also be used.

Originally Posted by sicilianwillow

If you are looking to make your own tambour lace needles, you can look up "Clones Irish Lace Needles". .

This?
Irish Lace - Types and styles

This stuff is gorgeous!! I'm not sure which I like better -- the beading or the lace. Great thread!! But does it take about 7 years to make one item? ;)

You can get free downloads of old fashioned books on the crochet lace, Irish lace. Some of the Irish laces are made by different methods, but the Irish crochet used the needles for tiny crochet hooks and might be good for tambour.

Here's a link one of the free instruction books:


Priscilla Irish Crochet Book | Free Craft Patterns

You don't need years of experience, but you have to have patience. I made doilies and lacy crochet things for tables, but I have not yet made an Irish Lace project.

Oooh, those videos are great! I need to get me some supplies!

Wow, I just discovered this method and wanted to see if other Bhuzzers used it. I have not tried it, but found it when reading about sewing "birds" and found this page that sold tambour hooks: Silent Stitches

In , she works "upside-down" to the traditional French method, but I can see it being easier especially for a fabric that is opaque. I'm kind of freaking out about how fast she is. Has anyone tried this for, say, a skirt? Did you use sheer fabric or opaque?

I need to step up my game...