What beads will I need?

[gem]

I didn't want to hijack the Fire Mountain Gems thread, but it seemed like perfect timing to ask this.  I get totally overwhelmed when looking at beading sites, and I could really use an experienced eye to point me in the right direction ("Here, use this, this, and this." ).

Y'all know I'm in the process of recreating this gown (link to full view).  The neckline is beaded, but given that it's a tapestry, I'm going to have to guess/approximate the beadwork:



Since the tapestry is French/Flemish, circa 1500-1520, I've been looking at the jeweled necklines of Tudor gowns as inspiration:
http://www.suttonclonard.com/images/ElizabethPortrait.gif
http://www.illusionjewels.com/renportraits/CatherineAragon1530.jpg
http://www.geocities.com/boleynfamily2/anne/abloseley.jpg

I was thinking of something like pearl ouches for the neckline, but I'm not sure where to find what I'm looking for.

I was hoping some of the brilliant garbers here could make specific suggestions to exactly what sorts of beads/etc they'd look at (including size/type/etc, if possible!) for doing this sort of neckline treatment.

Thanks so much!!

[Syrilla]

med size round pearls, and it looks like small pearls around the base.  I don't have my size chart to give specifics.

In the center of the "flowers" it looks like a square cut diamond (which were given a dark backing during that time period, so they look black)

[operafantomet]

I have a radical idea: what if the style suggests a pearl necklace with a pendant; the pearl necklace being stitched down the neck opening, and the pendant with gems and pearls is hanging (more or less) freely in the front of the bodice?

That style is uncommon, but not unheard of. Botticelli sported that a lot in allegorical paintings, with (sometimes ornamented) braids making up the neckline of the bodice, ending in a pendant or similar in front:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/renaissanceportraits/firenze1/botticelli1480-90simona.jpg
http://www.accd.edu/sac/vat/arthistory/arts1304/17j.jpg
http://www.lectionarycentral.com/trinity07/Fortitude.jpg

If I think that's what the tapestry really shows? Not sure. Probably not, seeing how the similar Tudor style has pendants being pinned to the bodice, and the neckline decorated separately. But there the pearls and gems are very full and close. In the tapestry there's a distance between each pearl which made me a bit curious. Maybe it's the nature of a tapestry, that the specific parts needs to be easy to read, without too many details. But whatever you do, I think pearls on a string will make the job of attaching them to the neckline a lot easier, as you can stitch down the thread between each pearl before stitching down the actual pearls (if that makes sense).

As for WHICH pearls to use... I don't know. I once used semi-big fake pearls with a bit rough surface, and they look spectacularly lush "in action". They can be seen in this close-up: http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v31/operafantomet/stash/appendix5.jpg But I don't remember the brand name or anything, so that's really not a useful piece of info...

[PrincessSara]

The square neckline beading just looks like large pearls to me, probably 10mm - that's what I did on my Tudor gown.  Around the neckline of the partlet it looks like either embroidery or small beads, probably 4mm, in black and gold or cream. 

The hood edging looks like medium sized pearls, 6-8mm. 

The pendant on the bodice seems to be edged in 10mm pearls with one smaller, maybe 6mm pearl at the bottom between the two jewels - which look like amber or topaz to me - and there are three teardrop pearls hanging from the bottom, again probably 10mm.  The centre looks like a square cut gemstone, which could be a dark-backed diamond like Syrilla said, or you could use jet to simulate that.  It looks to be about 12mm.  There may also be four small beads at the corners of the square jewel, but its hard to make out, it may just be detailing in the gold setting.

The jewel on the top of the hood looks like 8mm pearls surrounding a square cut ruby in a gold setting.  The one on the side looks like enamel to me - the petals and the centre of the flower done in red and black enamel, with six pearls surrounding it. (you can get a decent enamel look with nail polish)

That's my interpretation of it, anyway. 

[Cilean]

I was thinking of something like pearl ouches for the neckline, but I'm not sure where to find what I'm looking for.

You are right they are ouches and not beads so let me give you a great site I think Sapphire and Sag, in the 'ala carte' section you will find pearled ouches.
Pretty inexpensive and they look very nice.   It is the size that is the issue, Sapphire and Sage has 3 different sizings. 
http://sapphireandsage.com/alacarte.html


Crystal Innovations has smaller jeweled ouches as well but I really think that Sapphire and Sage would be the better fit for your gown.

Cilean
[/color][/size]