Craft/Sewing Related - Beaded Dress Help

6 years ago

I scored a serious bargain on a full length Adrianna Papell beaded gown. Got it for $15 and plan on using it for a 1920s themed costume. There are parts where the beading is coming undone. I'd like to make an attempt at controlling or stopping the loss as much as possible.

The beading is on a fine mesh overlay and the knots seem to be too small to stay contained in the mesh. My first thought was to (try) making larger knots with any exposed thread. My husband thought using clear nail polish underneath would help. In looking at the beading, I can see other areas where the thread has come loose so containment seems the best approach.

My struggle is I don't have the gene that allows me to "make things pretty", which means I'm completely inept with sewing or anything craft related. I looked on the craft and sewing forums but wasn't able to find anything to help me. I'm not going to try and go to the trouble of re-beading the dress. It's just not worth it.

Any ideas?

Featured Answer

Annie Deighnaugh

6 years ago

Look in craft stores for fray check -- will glue the threads together and is better than nail polish.

If there are thread ends long enough to tie them off to contain the damage, then do it and then hit the knot with fray check.

If you decide you want to try to repair areas where the threads are not long enough to tie off, it's pretty easy to do.

Or you might check with your local high school to see if there's a crafty student who would be willing to repair the loose areas for you for cash.

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Comments (18)

Adella Bedella
6 years ago
Can you post a picture? A visual would help.
dees_1 thanked Adella Bedella
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ravencajun Zone 8b TX
6 years ago
Agreed get fray check!
dees_1 thanked ravencajun Zone 8b TX
dees_1
Original Author
6 years ago
I will look for fray check and see how that works. Here’s a close picture of the front neck area. If you can enlarge it, you will see stray threads. There are larger areas through out the dress. Also a long shot of the dress....it’s pretty!
Adella Bedella
6 years ago
I would try the fry check also.

Beautiful dress!
pudgeder
6 years ago
Another vote for Fray Check! It works WONDERS.

And OOO la la! that dress is gorgeous & what a bargain!
Ali
6 years ago
Oohhh! What a gorgeous dress. Hope you are able to fix it.
blubird
6 years ago
The nature of these beaded dresses is that some of the threads you see connect one beaded area to another. If they are truly loose ends and beads are falling out, fray check will not help. You will need to use a thin sewing needle and either use the loose thread if it’s long enough or thread with black thread and pass the knotted thread from the back through several of the beads to fasten them back down. I know it’s not what you wanted to hear, but it just takes a little determination; it’s really not hard. The dress is beautiful and you got some bargain, so it would be worth the effort. P.S. I’ve sewn on lots of beads over the years.
dees_1 thanked blubird
stacey_mb
6 years ago
Gorgeous gorgeous dress!
dees_1 thanked stacey_mb
quasifish
6 years ago
Don't have much time right now, but in recent beading I've done (not fabric related) I've started using tiny amounts of Goop/E6000. E6000 also has a "fabri fuse" product that might be good for your application, if you can find it. I love fray check and use it constantly, but would worry that it isn't quite strong enough for the weight of beaded work.
Annie Deighnaugh
6 years ago
quasifish, you may be right. fray check is great for threads, but not strong enough for beads.

The dress is so lovely, it'd be worth it to have someone with some skill go over it to repair what need be. Otherwise you may find yourself "leaking beads" when wearing it.

I did bead work on a veil I made for a friend and it was a lot of fun, but I used invisible thread and special beading needles to attach it all.
Alisande
6 years ago
Dees, I'm no help but I just wanted to say if admire a dress I see on TV, often it turns out to be by Adrianna Papell. Love it!
dees_1 thanked Alisande
dees_1
Original Author
6 years ago
Here are some close up shots of some of the areas that need attention. I haven’t gone over the entire dress but there are spots with loss so “restore” is probably not possible. I would like to stop the “leaking” as much as possible. Sounds like the E6000 product might work. I have JoAnn and Hobby Lobby nearby and will check there.

I do see knotting in the back of the beadwork I think the knots are just slipping through the mesh, if you know what I mean I think one of those products should help with that
Annie Deighnaugh
6 years ago
What you're seeing are loops of thread where sequence used to be. You can pull that through to the backside of the fabric but do it very very carefully as by pulling too much, you may start to lose even more sequence. It looks like you should have plenty of thread to put on a needle and then take several stitches up and down through the last existing sequence or the last couple of beads before tying off in a knot and using fray check on the thread. That should prevent the leaking. It'd probably be hard to match the sequence to do a restoration on it, but you definitely want to search for all broken threads and then anchor them.
dees_1 thanked Annie Deighnaugh
Annie Deighnaugh
6 years ago
If you don't have enough thread but have loose beads, then pull what thread you have down to the back side of the fabric and take some new thread and sew on the last several beads and then knot it. Use fray check to catch the old thread as well as the new thread you added.

Here's a diagram to show you how to anchor beads.

You may find you need a big eye beading needle which is very fine and has a split in the middle...you open it up and stick the thread in and the thread will be anchored by the split.
dees_1 thanked Annie Deighnaugh
Annie Deighnaugh
6 years ago
Do use the tiniest dot of fray check on the fabric. It's supposed to dry clear, but I've had it leave a mark on some fabrics, so just use a tiny dot. I'd suggest testing it first where it won't show, just to get an idea of how careful you will need to be.

But given how lovely the dress is and what a bargain you got, it is definitely worth the effort to make it wearable.
dees_1 thanked Annie Deighnaugh
Georgysmom
6 years ago
Love the dress...........what a buy. I hope all these great suggestions work.
Jasdip
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
That's a great price! You must have more patience than me. If it were me, and I saw all those frayed threads and missing sequins, I'd pass it by. I don't have the knack, or the patience for repair jobs. Heck, I just got back from buying 2 bras, and I was ready to pull my hair out! I just wanted to get the heck out of there, and I forgot to look for 2 other things that I wanted.