Stone work

Stone work is the heaviest, slowest and most expensive thing that goes on a blouse, and it is where the largest difference between one worker and another hides.

Set or glued

Set means every stone is stitched in individually with thread. Glued means it is stuck on. They look almost identical for about a month. After that the glued ones start leaving, from the sleeve first, because a sleeve moves all evening.

This is the single most useful question you can ask anybody quoting you for stone work, and a straight answer is a good sign. Nothing here is glued.

Why it costs what it costs

Two things are being paid for at the same time: the hours, and the stones. Both scale with how much of the blouse is covered, which is why a fully worked piece costs what it does and why an unusually cheap quote has had one of the two quietly reduced.

Where it works and where it does not

Stone reads beautifully in daylight and temple light. Under a hall flash it flares and photographs as white blobs, which is why reception blouses usually move towards thread and pearl. On georgette and tissue it cannot go on at all until the fabric has been backed, because the weight will pull the blouse crooked before the night is over.