White and Green Ballroom Dance Gown

The idea started with wanting to play with hotfix rhinestones and designing them onto a bodice. I decided I wanted to do a design of dark green on white. Fabric shopping, I came across the green sparkly fabric and wanted to add that to the bottom of the skirt, having it creep up towards the bodice like vines. I also wanted to add a sheer white for some movement and an ethereal look.

Fabric selection

Started working on the dress, this is the top/bodice prior to adding the leotard under it (kind of looks like wedding lingerie)

Chiffon spirals to be inserted in between the skirt panels

testing the location and length of the spirals (after dancing in it, I wish I had made them wider)

The white dress with the spirals added (kind of looks wedding so I need to add the green)

testing out applique locations

I tried to use a water soluble pen to draw out where I wanted the rhinestones, but it ran out so I switched to chalk, which was messy and very difficult, but I tried anyway

Was super excited to start with the rhinestones that I did things out of the order that I should have. So I should have sewn the appliques on first but I didn’t, and I had them pinned, so while I was getting ahead of myself by putting the rhinestones on, the pins were falling out and the appliques were moving. Additionally, I had pinned some of the appliques through both the top layer and the leotard which led to the top having folds and wrinkles in it and the rhinestones went wherever they wanted.

The first half of the rhinestones

I was not happy with how the other half of the rhinestones turned out, plus you could see the chalk underneath so I washed it to get the chalk off and let many rhinestones fall off (the first one stayed because I was patient with them and let them adhere correctly the other half did not stay because I was impatient and didn’t hold them long enough). Here is what it looked like with the appliques finally attached though.

The final Rhinestone decor

Finally finished