Rhinestone cowboy? Should definitely work then. 

I had two latin partner skirts to make (circle skirts) but the first one was a nightmare, getting 3/4 around before the thread started falling off the end of the chiffon. The only thing that worked was to use spray starch which a dip in water didn't entirely dislodge so it looks like I'll have to hand wash it to get it out.

And then the tip! Someone else was bemoaning the same problem on a FB group and there were all the tips and tricks I'd heard before and used without complete success (apart from the starch but that has its disadvantages). This time a few people said not to use the knife and take a bigger bite of fabric so I tried it and got great results (without the starch), including a better join with the start too. 

I'm delirious and although the stuff is still horrible to cut out (you know me and rotary cutters  ) and not fun to sew, I'm definitely not going to avoid it at all costs from now on. I'll finally have a go at floats for my DGD once I've got her new latin dress off my list.

Perhaps I should have another go with the rotary cutter while I'm having a lucky week... I've got one slot left 1. the chiffon hem resolved, 2. found my DGD's favourite leotard that I mysteriously lost 3 weeks ago. 3... Quick, what's your best rotary cutting tip?

Really helpful replies, thank you. Lots of useful supplier info for the acetone and the hairdresser suggestion is a good one.

Just one more question, probably obvious but I'm just checking - I assume you dampen the fabric and apply the acetone from the back of the fabric initially to loosen the stone to pick off and then scrape/apply more acetone directly to the remaining glue once it's off.

The reason I'm asking is I may have to remove quite a few to take a dress in although it's red mesh & lycra so from what you say (and well known issues with red in particular) there may well be a problem with the dye fastness. 

I think some time ago I mentioned that I was getting some Gingher micro-serrated 8" shears. They arrived in time for my birthday celebrated at my daughter's and I was thrilled to have them until 2 days later when I realised they were actually the Knife Edge and not the Micro-serrated type that we'd ordered and which I really wanted. DH sent off an email and received a refund with an apology and instruction not to bother returning them together with an invitation to re-order. They were coming from the US so it took another 2 weeks when another pair of Knife Edge scissors arrived!

Another complaint was met with the response that they had definitely sent 8" Gingher shears and hubby was wanting to leave it at that - he figured 2 for the price of 1 was a good deal (he hates complaining) so he ordered me a pair of Kai micro-serrated shears (5000 range).  I have found the Kai very good so far (although the Ginghers slide through lycra like butter).  Then when he got a request for a review he responded and explained in great detail why not all 8" shears are the same resulting in another apology, another refund with instructions not to return the second pair together with a long explanation that they've now discovered that the delivery box they were sent by Gingher has the correct micro-serrated scissor reference on it but contains only Knife Edge shears!

I'd happily tell you where to order free Gingher scissors yourself but they've removed them from their listing - not sure if they'll tell us when they get the right ones in. I rather hope so after all the free scissors I've got in the process.

Oh Catllar, you may have the fabric now you've sat down and thought it through but it's just another example of the 'can you just...?' assumption, isn't it? I recall that sinking feeling every time the dance teacher said, "Could you just have a look at this?" or "Can you just squeeze another little job in?" Every time I hear your tales of making the best of someone else's omissions, I'm so glad that I managed to detach myself from my granddaughter's dance school.

I do still sew for a few other dancers who we know personally (or know their families well) and it means that I have more sense of control rather than being overwhelmed by the demand, timescales and unreasonable expectations. What's more my dresses have improved no end, I get to challenge myself almost every time with new styles and techniques knowing that if it doesn't work for my DGD we just trash it and try something else without any sense of guilt or recriminations. In all I've 'only' made 7 competition costumes and 3 practice skirts in the last 5 months and I've got time to be planning the Halloween fancy dress over the summer as well as some new big challenges for DGD over the next 9 months (including more beading  which is far too time consuming to do for anyone else but her).

There certainly is a huge price difference @Efemera but there's a huge quality difference too. I only buy from them when I can get sale prices or buy from the Last Chance to Buy (Clearance) which is what I was ordering on this occasion. There's no mistaking the qualities when you compare the two but you can often get away with the cheaper ones, especially when viewed from a distance.

It's often the only way to get dye matches in different fabrics as required by juvenile dress regulations and if you want to make something that will survive lots of wear and have good resale values then the balance tends to change.

Lily is the taller one. Her partner is very petite but still growing while Lil stopped growing a few years ago. They look good dancing as an all girl couple and most importantly they have a really happy partnership.

BSK?!!! I go there regularly (it's not too far from a friend who I visit most weeks) but for some weird reason I didn't connect them, perhaps because I think of them as embroidery specialists although that doesn't really explain why they wouldn't do servicing either.    My mind has become a place of random connections and disconnections it seems.