Elsie c1927

Beaded flapper evening dress

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elsie is a chartreuse and black cotton, crepe dress with a scalloped hemline. Typical of a 1920s dress, it has a round scoop neckline and is sleeveless. The colour changes on a zig zagged, dropped waistline. It is heavily beaded all over with silver-lined crystal rocaille beads. Pearl essence delica seed beads and silver pearl shaped beads form the stem and leaf design down the skirt. Many of these beads would have been sourced from the former Czechoslovakia. 

The tambour technique was commonly used for both embroidery and bead embellishment. Tambour work is performed with an eyeless needle fixed to a handle. The needle has a piercing point as well as a miniscule hook. The fabric is tightly and securely stretched within the supporting structure of a frame. The procedure relies on the chain stitch and applies the beads on the underside of the fabric on the frame.