Beaded Ball Gown

Some of you know that I've been working on a beaded ball gown for Bead Obsessions' Ball Gown Challenge. From the Bead Obsessions newsletter:

Beginning in March of this year, Bead Obsessions and Cindy Sayers of Creative Design Solutions hosted a ball gown challenge and charity benefit. The ornaments and most of the beads were donated by Cindy Sayers and Bead Obsessions. Participants donated their time, stitching skills, and more beads. The completed covered ornaments are being donated to the silent auction at the 2008 Georgetown Jingle.

I didn't make it in time for the shop contest due to my hand. However, I still managed to complete the ball gown for submission for the auction.





The colors were part of an overall color scheme chosen by Cindy and Patricia. I took the idea of "ball gown" literally since that's what I always think of when I see "Ball Gown" listed as a class at Bead Obsessions. When I was in Taiwan in 2006, I also happened to stumble across miniature beaded evening gowns and the idea has always fascinated me. The bodice of the gown is made in peyote stitch. I increased for the bust. I finished it off with peyote stitched straps. Then, I increased a few rows and went right into the skirt which sits, oh so nicely, over the actual glass ornament. The skirt is really just sections of fringe. It is two layers of fringe. There's a silverish lining under the blue outer layer. If I had found bowtie beads that could be strung horizontally and fit the proportions, I would've strung them on the back section of the skirt. The finishing touch came at the last needleweaving study group when I was finishing this up. The gown itself was only hung by the loop on the ball ornament. One of the women there that night pointed out that it would look better if we could emphasize the sleeves/straps and came up with the idea of a miniature clothes hanger, et voila. We have the piece you see in front of you.

Is there any interest out there in a pattern write up?