I may not do Black Friday or Cyber Monday but I do like to try to offer a discount on my Tutorials in December as a seasonal gift to my lovely customers around the world.
Please note that this only applies to Tutorials, but hopefully that will still keep most of you happy. So, 10% off all Tutorials in my Etsy & PayHip shops throughout December, links below, discount automatically applied at checkout.
Thank you!
OK, I did another one – I skipped a day or so earlier in the week so catching up now! This is nearly the last (I’ve finished one more this afternoon and then I have plans for a completely bonkers one as a final hurrah), and I’ve kept it quite simple whilst trying to include some new touches to keep the experimental spirit going. If you’re at the Bead Embroidery Zoom tomorrow (Saturday) morning you might get to see how that’s progressing when I walk you through some of my work.
As you may have noticed I bought some sheets of metallic pleather recently so I’ve gone back to those for the base and backing here. Nice and simple – here are the steps and the template and stitch guides are as ever in with the new for 2023 IBW patterns on the Guild website.
1) Black hard felt foundation, rainbow metallic heart (cut from the purple/blue area).
2) Ribbon is white ultrasuede with back stitched DMC stranded cotton letters. I did many of the banners in a batch earlier in the week working on a frame, this was an early one and I think the stem stitched ones I’ve used on other pieces were better.
3) 1.25mm black pearl purl around the ribbon and heart.
4) Seeded tiny flower sequins and size 11 and 8 seeds in diagonal bands for simplicity, all with the seeds as stop beads. The pleather makes enough of a statement so I just wanted to get the feeling of a scatter of flowers across it.
5) Backed in the metallic pleather, with an edging of black 11 seeds, then round again to add the 15 seeds as a mini picot edge for a bit of frilliness (and because I’d only used plain edging until this point).
Really nice and quick to make, and I think quite pretty. Looks even better in the flesh because of the shine from the metallic finish.
Yesterday’s Barbie version of my ‘I Heart Beads’ brooch may have been a big pink failure, but hopefully today you can see I took what I learnt, made some slightly different decisions and came up with something which is very me and actually works! Whilst the pre-Barbie versions were light on beads, this one brings me back to the heavily encrusted style I usually work with and I was relieved to be able to use it. So, here’s what I did:
1) Back to ultrasuede for the ribbon, and stem stitched letters with 2 strands of black DMC cotton.
2) Red hard felt heart on another piece of black hard felt. No padding. Both heart and ribbon outlined with couched 1.25mm black pearl purl.
3) Beads added with stacking (cup beads on varying height 11 seed stalks, sequins sandwiched with seeds for height and texture, size 8 seeds stacked singly). All with size 15 seed stop beads.
4) Other beads added with seeding – rizos, small czech drops, miyuki 2.8 & 3.4mm drops, and 11 seeds.
Those two combinations allowed me to vary the finished heights for interest and texture – work as if you’re contouring a landscape, with gradual transitions between the higher and lower patches using either the stacking on stalks of fringe or varying sizes of bead.
5) Finally backed on black ultrasuede and finished by couching black 1.25mm pearl purl onto the edge to hide the layers. I’d tried using seed beads but it looked too busy.
So the big lesson today was about getting some balance back – I pared back the black and white elements as far as they could go, and then went wild with the beads. A success!
The trouble with undertaking to publish every version of my ‘I Heart Beads’ IBW project here is that I have to show you the ones which didn’t work. Whilst that’s rather embarrassing for me I guess it’s an important principle to help us all remember that not everything we attempt comes out how we envisioned, but we still learn from trying. So, with a deep breath and some embarrassment (and amusement) I have to tell you that the promised Barbie version totally failed! I made a number of very bad decisions which I hope sharing here will stop you from repeating……….
1) I used a very stiff iridescent plastic fabric for the ribbon. Pretty, but hard to work with, and extra hard to write on with 1mm pearl purl. That might have worked on my usual ultrasuede but not on this stuff, particularly as all needle piercings left a visible hole. I need more practice with materials like this.
2) The ribbon somehow ended up about 1mm too far to the right and 3mm too far up, which has really significantly upset the balance. A silly mistake, and I should have realised as I was working.
3) I attempted to hide the mess with crystal lochrosen in a kind of ‘bubble’ effect which made it look even messier.
4) Something is wrong with the beading too – too many pink rizos, not enough sequins, the groupings are too small on the top section and I probably shouldn’t have bothered with the blue cup beads. What a mess.
5) The black cup chain, which worked really well on the previous versions now looks messy with the heavier beading. I should have gone with pearl purl to pull it back and give cleaner lines to balance it.
6) And finally the pink smooth purl I looped is the wrong shade – daft given the number of shades of pink I stock. Matching an iridescent fabric is tough and what worked in daylight doesn’t work in artificial light.
But all is not lost – I won’t be finishing this one, but I’ve learnt a lot, and I can frog it and re-use the beads and cup chain. And the even better news is that the one I made before I got sidetracked by #barbiecore actually worked, so I’ll show you that later!
Hello again, here’s my second version of my ‘I Heart Beads’ brooch. I’ve gifted the template and stitch instructions to IBW, but rather than just one final version I’m going to try lots of different combinations of stitches and materials over IBW to show you all how versatile bead embroidery can be and encourage you to experiment (and if that experiment looks like mine that’s fine).
Anyway, this one is quite similar to the first one, with a few tweaks of course. Here are the key steps/ingredients:
1 – Black foundation again (hard felt) with a single layer of felt padding (heart shape 3mm smaller than template), followed by a metallic/iridescent artificial leather.
2 – White ultrasuede with ‘beads’ couched on using metallic DMC embroidery thread. I worked this on a larger sheet on an embroidery frame (I did several at once) and switched to thread as I hadn’t got the accuracy I wanted in my 15 seed backstitch yesterday. It’s better but this thread is a pain to work with and I guess I miss it actually being beads, so I’ll try some other options. The ribbon is again surrounded and attached to the main piece with couched down 2mm cup chain from my Etsy shop.
3 – The heart was also surrounded with couched down 3mm fuchsia cup chain, and I then used stacking to add some clusters of jewel coloured flower beads, with a tiny blue 15 seed as the stop bead, putting the central one on a stalk of size 8 seeds to add height.
4 – Metallic leather again as a backing, plus the brooch back, then used a cross between couching and a brick stitch edge to join the layers and capture a 1.25mm Pearl Purl on the edge. I did try a sunshine (brick stitch) edge in size 11 black seeds but it was too much next to the cup chain, but unfortunately I don’t think the final edge has enough black to get the tattoo look.
Verdict – great quick technique for a fun and flashy piece but considering the theme, definitely not enough beads on it! Also I promised something ‘Barbie’ and this doesn’t take it far enough (needs more pink!). Tomorrow I will be sure to go all in on the beady and Barbie front……
PS if you’d like to try this or the other gifted patterns they’re here on the @beadworkers website https://beadworkersguild.com/free-patterns/
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/
This year’s International Beading Week runs from 23rd – 31st July. I’ll be doing my usual duty as Beadworker’s Guild social media helper as an admin on the IBW page and group, and also doing my bit for beaders everywhere by offering a massive 20% off all of the tutorials in my Etsy shop, including my brand new ‘Ice and a Slice’. No code needed, they’re all reduced and ready to go right here!
As an IBW Ambassador I’ve also donated a free fringe earring chart which you can download from my website here, or from the Beadworker’s Guild site where there are lots more free patterns from a whole range of lovely designers here.
I know it’s been a long while, but I’ve finally had time to finish writing up a new tutorial which is now available in my Etsy shop. Ice and a Slice celebrates our love of Gin and Tonic with a variety of fruit adornments, each altering the flavour. It’s a bead embroidered component in three sizes which can be used separately or together to make a Pendant, Necklace, Brooch, Earrings or Ornament.
It uses a variety of bead embroidery embroidery techniques with optional goldwork, and will suit intermediate bead weavers, bead embroiderers, or embroiderers looking to learn some bead embroidery techniques.
The twenty six page tutorial contains a full materials list, with suggestions for suppliers, and as usual every step is fully illustrated with a detailed diagram showing thread paths etc, photos to show you what you are aiming for and every step is also written out clearly (in English). A detailed variations section covers a range of colour and final formations for a range of pieces, and the motif can be beaded in three different sizes, all covered. All of the different techniques used are covered in full, with tips as well as stepped out instructions, and you should finish this piece ready to use the techniques in your own designs.
Full requirements are available here, and the tutorial itself is available for instant download from my Etsy shop here.
I’m busy at the moment helping fellow Beadworkers Guild Members to run all of our Social Media channels during International Beading Week, and struggling to find much time for actual beading. Hopefully you all have a bit more time to bead – if you do I’m having a 20% off sale on my tutorials in my Etsy shop – no need for a coupon code, they’re already reduced. Just click on the image to go to the tutorial section.
If you’re interested in finding out more about International Beading Week, please swing by the website http://www.internationalbeadingweek.co.uk and/or search for our page and group on Facebook, or follow #IBW2019 and #Internationalbeadingweek
So I finally had time to put together some materials packs for my Sunstar brooch tutorial. The tutorial uses basic bead embroidery to bezel a 30mm domed cabochon, and then add some amazing dagger beads to make a striking giant flower. The finished piece was designed as a brooch, but also makes a stunning pendant, and the cunning brooch pin in these packs already has a bezel on so you can wear your finished piece as either a brooch or a pendant without any adjustments.
Three of the packs are based around my own hand painted cabochons, and also include amazing Czech etched beads – both seeds and daggers. The etched daggers were the original inspiration for this design, so it’s been great picking the right colours for these packs, and it’s been even nicer getting to play with my Pebeo paints and custom make cabochons to compliment the daggers exactly.
Colourways are Vitrail dots (I mean how amazing are those dotty etched daggers, and though I say it myself the cabs are exquisite); Sliperit (etched Sliperit is my absolute favourite of these finishes, and I use it constantly so it seemed right to share), and Magic Apple (a partially transparent red and green finish, with metallics which was the first colourway I made this brooch in).
The fourth pack is based around some amazing matte canary yellow daggers, and my own hand made Liberty print cabochons, with this colourway guaranteed to bring sunshine into even the darkest day. So you don’t feel left out of the etched bead side though, some of the seed beads in this set are etched too.
As well as the beads and cabochon, each materials pack contains Nicole’s Bead Backing as the embroidery foundation, Ultrasuede for the brooch backing, and the dual purpose brooch pin and pendant bail. As with all of my packs, the tutorial needs to be purchased separately, and you will need to dig out your own beading needles, thread and some strong glue. The tutorial and packs are available in my Etsy shop here.
The Indecisive Beader 