How to Bead an Ice Skating Dress

Ice skating is made up of amazing athletic feats and stunning costumes. Dazzling beaded skating dresses are nearly as much a requirement for the sport as are the spins and jumps. Beads on the costumes command the eye to stay focused on the skater gliding across the ice. But all that hand beading is expensive. Tons of money can be saved by learning to do the beading yourself. It's a time-consuming craft but very easy to learn.

Things You'll Need

  • Ice skating dress
  • Ruler
  • Pencil
  • Chalk
  • Sewing needle (1 1/2 inch, #10-12)
  • Polyester thread (highest quality)
  • Clear nylon thread
  • Beads
  • Scissors
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Instructions

    • 1

      Draw out the bead pattern on paper before drawing it onto the skating dress with pencil or chalk. Test both marking tools on the back of the fabric to check them for durability and if you can see them clearly. Make a tissue pattern if the fabric is dark. Baste it onto the skating dress.

    • 2

      Bead along the border of the design first. Thread the polyester thread through the needle and knot the end of the single strand. Stick the needle through the fabric from the bottom and pull through. On the front side, make a safety stitch by taking an extra tiny stitch in the fabric. This will double anchor the end of the thread in the fabric.

    • 3

      Attach beads along the border of the design using the leap-frog technique. Load five beads on the needle and slide them all way down the end of the thread and rest them on the fabric along the border line of the design. Plunge the needle straight through the fabric and pull through. From the underside push the needle back up through the needle two beads back. Pull the needle straight until the thread is taut. Push the needle through the holes of the two beads. This acts as a safety anchor should the thread snap while the costume is being worn. Pick up another five beads and repeat the process. If you come to a sharp turn in the design's border, pick up fewer beads at a time.

    • 4

      Pull the tissue paper pattern away from the fabric, if working on very dark fabric, once you've beaded all the way around the border of the design once. Remove the basting thread.

    • 5

      Continue to use the leaf-frog technique to fill in the design. Change color and type of bead according to overall design concept.

    • 6

      Add single accent beads by positioning a single bead on the surface of the fabric. Push the needle through the fabric from the underside. Pull the needle through until the thread is taut. Push the needle through the hole of the bead from left to right before plunging the needle back through the fabric as close to the bead as possible. Position another bead next to the first. Push the needle up through the fabric close to the second bead on the left side. Push the needle through the hole of the bead and back down through the fabric. Pull the thread taut to lock the bead in place. Continue applying single beads in this fashion where the design requires.

    • 7

      Create beaded fringe along the hemline by marking off 1/8 to 1/4 inch increments along the finished hem using a ruler and chalk. Pull the needle and thread through the fabric from back to front. Take an extra safety stitch to anchor the thread. Thread the desired number of beads on to the needle for the desired length of fringe. When all beads are pushed along the thread, until the first one meets the hemline, take a smaller bead and add it to the end of the beads. Run the needle back up the string of beads. At the hemline make a safety stitch. Push the needle and thread through the hem so it can't be seen and take a safety stitch at the next mark on the hemline before stringing the beads for the next strand of beaded fringe. Repeat.