One of the great things about International Beading Week are the gifted patterns from a huge range of designers, beaders and of course the IBW Ambassadors. My gift this year is a little unusual in that it is more of a guide than a set of instructions – I’ve given a template and some detailed bead embroidery stitch guides, but not a ‘put this bead here’ step by step process. Instead I want beaders to embrace the freedom that bead embroidery can give you and strike out on your own – and I’m going to be doing the same, beading as many of the design as I can bear over the week, then posting right here to describe how I did it each time.
So here’s the first one and the steps to create it (refer to the tutorial for how to’s on stitches etc):
1) Black foundation, then three layers of red soft felt (3mm smaller than the template or previous layer each time) stitched in place. Silk velvet cut into the heart shape stab stitched around edge.
2) White Ultrasuede ribbon, held in place by couching on black 2mm cup chain. ‘Beads’ lettering added by backstitching 15 seeds.
3) Small selection of beads, bicones and lochrosen (crystal sequins) added using stacking and seeding (see tutorial).
4) Brooch back and black ultrasuede foundation added, then a simple ‘sunshine’ beaded edge (all included in the tutorial).
Learns – well if I’m honest the lettering is a bit messy, I’m not sure that I can face using beads for this step again! And the velvet is a bit messy round the edges – overall I don’t think this has the impact I was looking for yet – perhaps it’s too far from my usual style, although it was lovely and quick to work with a visible foundation fabric. Bearing those lessons in mind the next one will be OTT Sarah style I think – very encrusted and probably Barbie pink as that’s everywhere today! Stay tuned……..
PS if you’d like this or the other gifted patterns they’re here on the @beadworkers website https://beadworkersguild.com/free-patterns/
The Indecisive Beader 