Bead EmbroideryHow is bead embroidery jewelry made?
Many fabulous bracelets and necklaces are made using bead embroidery. Just as it sounds this is a way of beading onto a backing. The beads are on thread and may be individually attached to a backing or they may be laid down on the fabric or leather backing then "couched" or the strand sewn down to the backing. This way certain types of embroidery stitches can be used and a lot of designs can be incorporated into the work, making for a very intricate piece. Sometimes entire garments have been covered with bead embroidery. Bead embroidery is often used on bridal gowns. This type of beading is delicate and it makes cleaning of the fabric or backing it is done on difficult to do.
Bead embroidery is time consuming and involves talent to come up with the actual designs. Many of the designs are free flowing and involve flowers or paisley while some are geometric and involve circles, squares or spoke designs. This is a technique I would like to master. I started a bracelet quite some time ago but I found myself bogged down in the design details and found it difficult to apply myself as it is a very slow process. Perhaps it was slow because I was a beginner. I need to take some time and practice patience and get back to the piece I was working on as it had great potential.
The piece I was working on involved attached a suede-like fabric to a stiffened backing. Then I started beading on this piece, which was sized so that it could eventually be applied to a metal bracelet form. The edges of the fabric would be tucked under once attached to the form and then it would be stitched all around. The inside of the bracelet form had also had fabric applied to it. Unfortunately it remains unfinished!
Although we plan to have some bead embellished bracelets and necklaces eventually the only bead embellishment we currently feature is in the Brooches and Pins category. |
