Nearly finished bodice...

Here is a preview of the bodice piece of the Christening Ensemble.


Last night, while hanging around my hotel room, I stitched three little satin covered buttons down the front (not pictured) and began re-beading the trim where it had bald spots. My favorite feature of this piece of the ensemble is the cummerbund. It was made from the trim at the hem of the wedding gown. It hides the snap tape where the bodice will attache to either the pants or skirt.

When my sister, Poly, began reattaching the beads on the pieces she was working on, she had trouble with the needle size. Some of the beads have very tiny holes. However, I bought needles especially for beading and it seems to have been a good move.

These needles are very long and narrow - so narrow that I had to coat my thread with Thread Heaven in order to get it through the eye of the needle. (Oh! If you are not currently using Thread Heaven when you hand sew, you need to check it out. Today. Seriously. I love the stuff.) The beading needles are also oddly flexible - springy, even. However, they made the job much easier. And, since this is the first time I am beading anything, that is very very good!