Charming Effects Obtainable by Embroidering Lace with Beads - The Kinds of Beads to Use - How to Secure Them to the Delicate Fabric of the Lace - A Floral Design - Trailing Ribbon and Basket

Patterns - Beads upon Black Lace

For some time lace has been creeping slowly back into favour, and once more it seems to have regained not only its old popularity, but to wear it is to obtain the hall-mark of fashion.

Lace drapes our shoulders in the guise of an artistic, filmy coat at the theatre. We certainly cannot seriously wear such a garment for warmth, and yet it is surprising how comforting such a possession becomes - and also what smartness and grace it gives to one's appearance.

Lace also trims our blouses, it swathes a velvet picture hat, or composes a smart wing for a smaller hat. Our scarves and vests and collars are also trimmed or made entirely of this beautiful and dainty fabric.

But have you ever thought how still more beautiful lace might become if its delicate tracery were enriched by scintillating beads? With beads upon its ethereal surface there can be nothing more enchanting in the way of feminine adornment.

Choice Of Beads

The lace may be embroidered in coloured Tuscan beads or in dull beads, tiny pearls, or in beads of crystal, gold, steel, or in oat-shaped beads. Any of these will give the most exquisite results.

The embroideress herself must choose her beads to suit the gown which is to be trimmed with bead-embroidered lace. A pink gown of taffetas or satin can have a soft drapery of piece lace across the bodice, and it may partly veil a portion of the skirt. The lace may be rather fine, after the style of Brussels lace, with a floral design. Nothing could be more exquisite than to embroider the flowers of the lace in minute Tuscan beads in a shade of pink to match the gown it will later adorn. The leaves and stems may be embroidered in scintillating green beads.

How to Secure the Beads to Lace

The embroideress must use her own discretion as to which method of embroidering the leaves and flowers will give her the most effective results. It is often a good plan to select first of all rather a large bead for the centre of the flower. The needle is placed in the lace from the wrong side; thread a bead, and fasten it down securely in the centre of the flower.

We will suppose that the flower has five petals. Commence to embroider the first petal by placing the needle through the lace from behind, and threading one of the little pink beads. Secure it by passing the needle and cotton down through the lace again. Draw the needle up, and fasten another little bead in the same manner, and the third bead should rest on the petal.

Fine net lace with a floral design lends itself most happily for embroidering with tiny beads. The use of longer, oat-shaped beads gives charming effects

By following this method for the other petals a delightful effect will be obtained.

The leaves can be worked by sewing beads at fairly regular intervals along the outside edges, and along the veining of the leaves.

The bright green beads on the lace are most delightful. If the flowers on the lace are large ones, it is better to sew the beads irregularly all over the petals, so that the effect of shimmering points of light over the petals of the flowers will be obtained. A large pearl bead in the centre of each flower is most effective when this method is employed.

A ribbon design in lace is wonderfully improved by the addition of oat-shaped beads. The flowers in the quaint basket show up to advantage when picked out in tiny beads

Tiny roses with trailing sprays of leaves and an artistic basket makes an ideal design on lace for bead embroidery. The roses are touched, as it were, with points of pink light. Again we call into use a delicate little Tuscan bead, choosing a rose pink shade. Sew these beads carelessly here and there on the roses. If they are large roses, follow the outline of the rose by sewing a bead at regular intervals around each petal. The edges of the rose leaves are treated in the same manner, using rather dull shades of green.

A conventional vine leaf design embellished with small pearls and turquoise blue Tuscan beads is a delightful trimming for a blouse

Sometimes in these trailing rose designs we find a ribbon design running through the little sprays of roses or through the handle of the quaint basket, the ribbon can be treated by pale blue oat-shaped beads. They must be sewn at regular intervals around the loops and along the strands of ribbon.

A beautiful blouse trimming may be made by embroidering lace with small pearls and turquoise blue Tuscan beads. It is wise to choose a plain net lace for this purpose, on which the design rests almost like a plain braid. As a rule, such lace has a bold conventional design. A conventional design of vine leaves is pleasing. Thread a needle with three or four pearl beads, and at irregular intervals follow the veining and stems of the leaves. Then thread the needle with the turquoise blue beads, and follow the rest of the pattern, occasionally introducing little strings of pearl beads. This combination of colouring gives the delight-lul idea of pearls and turquoises. Very often there are circles or little spiral shapes on the net of the lace which forms a border. A large pearl bead looks well sewn on these circles; such beads make a delightful finish to the lace.

Guipure lace collar on which oat-shaped beads are sewn as a border

Lace embroidered in this manner is an ideal trimming for a crossover blouse of tucked net. The lace, which has a somewhat classical appearance, edges the net where it crosses over in front. The embroidered net could also form the collar and the cuffs. This same lace would make an exquisite trimming for a smart hat.

Lace embroidered entirely in crystal beads is also most decorative and beautiful. When crystal beads are used for lace embroidery, it is best to choose a floral design. The flowers should be scattered all over with these delightful beads. They are immediately suggestive of dewdrops. Such lace makes a perfect trimming for the ethereal ball dress of a debutante, and, when embroidered at home, it is not an expensive trimming.

We must not forget black lace, which can be embroidered with charming results in gold, steel, or crystal beads. Pearl beads also look most attractive on fine black lace. Black lace embroidered in pearls is decidedly chic, and it would make a regal trimming for an ivory and black toilette.

Bead-embroidered lace is certainly a desirable possession, and women who love dainty and novel touches upon their clothes will find this scintillating adornment quite bewitching.