Bead embroidery techniques – updated
March 11, 2008 by Cyndi Lavin
Filed under Basics - Getting Started, Bead Embroidery, Beading, Technique Tuesday, Tutorials & Techniques, Wearable Art
Technique Tuesday!
Today is going to be one of those “my own opinion” posts! Please feel free to leave comments that share your favorite materials and methods for today’s topic.
Orinoco Flow
I am frequently asked for the specifics of how I make my bead-embroidered pieces. You can see examples of my bead-embroidered necklaces here. I’m totally sold on using buckram for my beading layer, rather than some of the more expensive products marketed specifically for beading. Even when I’m embroidering directly onto something like a heavy felt hat, I sometimes still use buckram or another lighter weight interfacing behind the felt. Buckram is a heavily starched woven cotton interfacing, used in millinery and belts. It’s very thin, but holds its shape well and practically never unravels. It can be painted or dyed and heat-set before beading, which is what I do in some of my work. The piece shown above uses a painted background with some rows of clear beads…it’s hard to see in the photo, but I beaded a bit more loosely than usual so that the color could show through.
Here’s another example, a non-wearable piece, where the painting on the fabric is more obvious.
Each according to their kinds
And here’s a piece where the commercial fabric that I used was backed with buckram first to keep it from drooping and puckering.
Through the Looking Glass
I buy buckram at Joann’s, in the interfacing section, and is very inexpensive! Once it is thorougly beaded, it becomes softer under the weight of the beads so that it will drape around a neckline, but it still doesn’t tend to lose shape.
When I’m beading a piece that I know is going to end up being particularly heavy, I sometimes use an ultra-suede type of material. This is what I always use for the backing too. I am very fussy about the looks of the entire piece, so the backing is glued lightly to the buckram, and all the raw edges are beaded together to cover them completely.
Nymo thread is my choice for almost all bead embroidery. Occasionally with very heavy beads, a heavier carpet thread may be called for, but I’ve found Nymo comes in enough sizes to suit my projects. I buy large spools of black and of white Nymo in size 0, which is one of the thinner sizes. I don’t bother with colors…if I want a colored thread, I use a permanent marker and run the white nymo over it. My needles of choice are English beading needles, and I usually buy those packets that have 6 or so needles ranging from #10 through #12 or #13. The higher the number of the needle, the smaller it is, so #12s are great for beading with 11/0 seed beads. You’ll need finer needles (with higher numbers) to work with smaller beads and fresh water pearls.
So, that’s my run-down! What do you like to use the best?
Thanks for the information, always nice to hear what others use. The tip for using a marker to color your thread is great.
I tend to buy only grey beading thread as it seems to blend with most beads. I do prefer to use Silamide to nymo. I think it is easier to thread the needle. Speaking of needles, I like to use a #10 applique needle rather than a beading needle. I find they stand up better when beading on a tough fabric and they are much easier to use. I sometimes do run into a size 15 seed bead not wanting to fit over the eye, but it works for most size 11 beads.
Just a few of my thoughts.
And thank you for those thoughts, Amy! I like applique needles for some tasks too, but I always seem to find myself going back to beading needles. It’s a pain trying to thread the tiny #13s in order to work with the smallest beads, but it’s worth it in the long run, not to be breaking beads constantly.
As for silamide, it certainly comes in a wonderful variety of colors, but I’ve just never liked the feel of it, kind of waxy. This is a personal preference, and I think folks should try both and see what they think!
Thanks again!
Thank you! This was very helpful as I have visually created the piece but got stuck on what to use as backing. Now I can get started.
Well, I’m going through your sites to look at pretty pictures (important element of a fantasy writer’s education. Honest) and just had to voice my appreciation of “Orinoco Flow”’s name.
The “each according to their kinds” piece captured my heart, though. Dragonflies! Better yet, that look like Dragons! With Biblical reference!
What’s up with the world sidetracking me here…oh, right. Blog surfing’s my fault.
Anyway. This is fun!
Well, I’m totally happy that you decided to surf my way, Bethany!
Oh wow! I would have never thought to use buckram, now I gotta try it out
Your pieces are amazing! Thank you so much for sharing. This is something I’ve always wanted to try, especially after seeing the beautiful things you make. Maybe you could do a post for us absolute beginners with some tips and tricks for super easy easy projects?
You bet, Amanda! That’s a great idea. I’ll work up a basic design that uses a number of different stitches and post it with all the details. Thanks for the suggestion!
Gorgeous work! Thank you so much for the tips…especially the buckram. I have to try it now.
Thank you, Lolly! I love the stuff, mostly because it is so inexpensive
Help! I am starting a project where I want to embroider a logo (9′x4″aprox) with bugle beads and seed beads. Believe it or not, I used to do this a long time a go quite often.
I can’t remember how to actually sew and thread in order to follow the lines and fill out the spaces! Please help me!!!
Well, to follow lines, I’d probably mostly stick with backstitching. Thread about 5 beads on your thread and take the needle down through the fabric just next to the last bead. Come back up between bead #2 and #3 and restitch through the last 3 beads. Add 5 more beads and repeat. Add fewer beads when going around tight curves. To straighten your lines, if needed, run the thread back and forth through the entire line multiple times to fill up the space and hold the beads still.