Nowadays, it is rare to find a fashionable woman who does not have at least one item decorated with shiny circles. This fashion originated more than a thousand years ago and continues to hold on to the top of the fashion art. This article discusses what sequins are, how and with what it is advisable to combine them.
Sequins - what are they?
Sequins are shiny thin or figured circles of various shapes. The name comes from the French word Paillette (crystal, gold plate). Types of sequins can be embossed or smooth, multifaceted or round in structure.
Basically, there is a small hole in the sequin for threading, so that it is easier to sew it on yourself. It is attached to the product or equivalent fabric. Colors can be different, as well as the type of coating - from matte to ribbed. There are even monochrome types. Below is a description of what sequins are on clothes and how to sew them on.
How to spell it correctly
Many people are interested in how to spell it correctly - "paetki" or "paletki"? If you follow the Russian spelling dictionary of 2006 edition, it is correct to write this word as "paetki".
But for the sake of simplicity, Russian-speaking people call the decoration “sequins” - it’s convenient and easier.
Important! The 2019 spelling dictionary lists both of these options - paillettes and sequins, so it's up to everyone to decide which is more convenient to spell.
History of appearance
About several thousand years ago, Indian girls decorated their saris with sequins made from steel or even specially treated wings of various insects. There is also an opinion that even in ancient times people were crazy about such decorations and used fish scales as them. Arab dancers understood well how actively a large number of small sparkling circles enlivened their dance.
In Europe, they were very popular with fashionistas and began to be used as decoration on sarafans, bags, fans, sweaters, scarves and capes. In European museums there are well-preserved forms of clothing with decorations, from about the 16th-17th century and even later.
During the Art Nouveau era, there was a new wave of love for shiny scales, and they were even used on tights. Then the baton was passed on to cabaret dancers and Broadway actresses, and in the 1980s, the decorations again appeared on the outfits of popular singers.
What are classic sequins made of? The main material used for production is PVC.
Embroidery tools
To make the work comfortable, you need to choose a lavsan thread, because most of the patterns involve continuous sewing, the main thing is to avoid tearing and unnecessary tightening.
It is advisable to choose a long needle, and its thickness depends on the type of material. For large patterns, they are sewn on top of each other with an overlap. It is more convenient to sew individual parts of the patterns by placing a small bead or beads in the middle of the sequin. It is not so difficult to master the work schemes.
How to sew sequins by hand
The traditional method of hand sewing is done with a stitch called an open stitch because the stitches are visible on the garment.
Step-by-step work plan:
- A needle with a thread with a knot at the end is threaded through the back of the garment in the place where the decoration will be sewn on.
- Next, you need to put it on the needle, pulling the thread so that it is not between the sequin and the fabric.
- The needle is pierced through the fabric only behind the outer edge of the sequin and brought out to the center again, the first stitch is done.
- To secure, the needle must be moved to the edge opposite the finished stitch.
- If necessary, a few more stitches are made.
- After securing the last stitch, the thread needs to be threaded from the back side and a knot made. To make the sequin hold more firmly, you can make several of them.
Tambour stitch in sequin embroidery
To embroider with a tambour stitch, it is necessary to use the following:
- Hook.
- Hoops. If the fabric is small, you can take classic ones. But when a large pattern is chosen for work, you need to buy a picture frame. This will help save money.
- Hoop holder. This is an important part of this embroidery method. In the process of work itself, you will need to use two hands. Therefore, you cannot do without a holder. It is better to take a universal one. It is the most practical and convenient.
- Fabric. It is advisable to embroider with the tambour technique on organza. But as experience shows, you can use anything that the hook will pierce.
The method of sewing on with a crochet hook is similar to the method of sewing on with a needle by hand. Only the thread will need to be pulled out not with a needle, but with a hook. But the products turn out much more beautiful. For many professionals, embroidering with a crochet hook is much easier than with a needle. There are many master classes on embroidery with sequins and beads on the Internet.
Attention! Before you start working, you need to master as many styles as possible and settle on the one that will be the most practical.
The tambour stitch is a classic method of decorating a product.
How to embroider clothes with sequins and beads
Can be used for closed seam. With the help of beads it is easy to hide the thread with which the sequin is sewn. The bead must be put on the thread over the sequin, after which the thread must be brought to the wrong side of the fabric through the center of the sequin.
For vertical position. Alternating sequins and beads are used to embroider a row in which the sequins are attached vertically. It looks quite original.
To complement the pattern. You can use beads to embroider thinner lines on the drawing, for example, petals on a flower, flowers on branches, the eyes of insects, etc. You can also use beads to embroider the outline of the future product.
Combination of glitter with decorative stitching
Sequins alone will be enough for a beautiful pattern. But if combined with embroidery with decorative threads, the pattern will come to life and will look very elegant and original. For this combination, embroidered elements are first applied to the fabric. For example, for a marine pattern, they begin with embroidering waves, ships, birds, and the sun. After that, the work is supplemented with various trees made of sequins and beads.
What clothes suit sequins - what to combine them with
Bright pants or jeans with glitter look quite flashy. Therefore, the main thing is not to overdo it and choose a neutral top: a short light tunic or T-shirt, a sweater or blouse in combination with a modest gray jacket or blazer.
If, on the contrary, the decorations are on jackets and sweaters, then you need to choose more neutral trousers so that the image does not catch the eye as bad taste. Also, decorations look very good on evening dresses.
Sequins have been in fashion for centuries. Designers create amazing jewelry from regular blouses to purses and gloves decorated with sequins.
