Adding sequins is a great way to add some extra flair to a dress that's too flat. Sequins are fundamental elements of many costumes, from those for dance to those of the circus: so if your children need original costumes, it is always useful to know how to sew sequins on the fabric.
All sequins (both machine-sewn and hand-sewn, flat or concave) are applied with plain or transparent thread. This article tells you how to apply sequins correctly.
Steps
Step 1. Start with a suitable thread, long enough and knotted at the bottom
The thread must be thin and strong; those of cotton or silk are excellent because they are natural, while polyester tends to last longer. Put the needle and thread on the back of the fabric where you want to apply the sequin.
Match the yarn color to sequin rather than fabric
Step 2. Place the sequin on the right side of the fabric, carefully placing it exactly where you want it to stay at the end
Step 3. Bring the needle up through the fabric
Pull it through the center of the sequin leaving plenty of thread on the back of the fabric.
Step 4. Go back to the wrong side of the fabric
Pull the thread over the sequin.
Step 5. Tie the ends of the yarn together at the back so they are secure
Step 6. Go to the next sequin
The more you apply, the quicker you will become in repeating the movements.
When sewing sequins in a row, make sure they don't overlap - unless that's the end result you want
Advice
- You can make multiple passes with the yarn through and over the sequin to stop it better. Two passes firmly hold the sequin in place, three passes (forming a “Y” with the thread on the sequin) should make the sequin resistant even to washing in the washing machine.
- Look at the decorations on clothes you find in stores to understand how they are applied. Sequins are often applied in a row, but without the knot on the back. This makes the implementation faster, but also less secure.
- To hide the thread, apply each sequin with a bead in the center. In this way the thread is not visible and the sequin has an extra touch.
- You can find sequins of various shapes, for example circles, flowers and stars.
- Use matching or contrasting colors to achieve different effects.
- When choosing sequins, be guided by the price. The more expensive they are, the more resistant they are and the longer their color will last, while cheap ones will tend to fade quickly.
Warnings
- The beads and threads can break: do not leave objects decorated with sequins in the hands of children under 3 years, because if the pieces break they can hurt themselves.
- Do not cut sequins with scissors as they can damage the blades. If you need to remove the sequins from the fabric, cut the thread, not the sequin.
