Bead Embroidery Stitches

Every Bead Has a Story ~ Mixed Media Bead Embroidery
Every Bead Has a Story ~

bead embroidery stitches
by Cyndi Lavin
Beading Arts
Copyright 2010 Cyndi Lavin ~ Beading Arts, http://www.beading-arts.com
Lavin
Lavin
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All information contained herein is copyright 2010 by Cyndi Lavin. All
rights are reserved.
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Disclaimer:
All information contained in this publication reflects the personal views of the
author, at the time of publication. The author has made reasonable efforts
to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein, and shall not be held
liable or responsible to any person or entity regarding loss or damage caused
by, or allegedly caused by, the information contained in this e-book either
directly or indirectly. The purchaser / reader acknowledges that the author has
compiled this e-book for general informational purposes only.
Lavin
About the Author
Cyndi Lavin is a mixed media artist, jewelry designer, and writer living in central
Massachusetts. She strongly believes that life and art are intertwined, that we
are all works of art, designed by God to be creative beings, and that part of our
purpose in life consists of discovering the things that we meant to create.
Cyndi's work appears in many art and jewelry books, as well as in popular
magazines like Belle Armoire, Lapidary Journal, Jewelry Crafts, Simply Beads,
Life Images, and Somerset Digital Images. She enjoys sharing her art
adventures and tutorials through her daily blogs, Beading-Arts.com and MixedMedia-Artist.com.
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................5
Materials and Tools..........................................6
Bead Embroidery Stitches...............................9
Project............................................................35
Gallery............................................................56
Resources......................................................59
Coming soon..................................................59
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Introduction
I decided early in my love affair with beads that bead embroidery was the art
form that was most likely to take me to places I'd never been before. Once I got
started embroidering with beads, it just seemed that there was no reason to ever
stop. What would happen if I made my own cabochons instead of using cut
stones? What would happen if I wanted to add more texture and dimension to
my pieces? What would happen if I added embroidery to my bead embroidery?
Basically, I have always wanted to know what will happen when any technique
that I learn in creating mixed media art is combined with bead embroidery. I
may have started out by keeping my mixed media art world and my beading
world separated, but that didn't last for very long. Soon, I began painting
background fabrics for my necklaces, figuring out how to utilize ephemera and
other found objects, adding interesting fibers and broken jewelry bits, and
exploring strange new materials that I happened across.
I'd love to share some of that journey with you. In 1997, after a lifetime of
making stuff, I began writing magazine articles and teaching local classes. That
was fun, but the real fun came when I was introduced to blogging in 2005. I
soon figured out that blogs would be the perfect platform to share my art
adventures with whomever wanted to come along for the ride (you can join me
on Beading-Arts.com and Mixed-Media-Artist.com anytime).
Five years later, I'm starting to gather up some of those myriad ideas into a
usable form...plus new ideas of course! What you have in front of you is the first
of a planned series of e-books. Although I want so badly to jump right into the
projects, it always makes sense to get the basics taken care of first, so that is
what you have here. I have covered the "beginner" stuff of bead embroidery
the materials and tools, stitches, a killer easy project, and my favorite resources.
The project includes the story of its genesis, because I seriously believe that
every bead has a story.
What's coming next? Oh, lots more stories of techniques and projects using
altered surfaces, re-purposed found objects and ephemera, unique handmade
beads lots more stories!
Lavin
Materials and Tools

Beads
Anything that has a natural opening or has a hole drilled through it can be used
as a bead. If you find yourself working with a lot of materials that don't come
with holes already available, consider investing in a drill press or a flex shaft
hand-held drill. Drill bits are available that will handle just about any kind of
material, including diamond bits that will cut through stone and glass. For
safety's sake, wear good eye protection, and stabilize your object in some clay if
it's likely to roll.
Think outside the bead box when it comes to beading. A walk around your
building supply store will turn up a lot of different items that can be used as
beads. Nuts, washers, and springs come with ready-made holes. Electrical
wire can be wound into bead shapes. Your craft supply store is also a great
resource: beads can be formed by rolling up many different materials, including
polymer clay, paper and fabric.
Some of my favorite things to use in beading which don't actually start out life as
beads are the following: broken costume jewelry, computer circuit boards,
buttons, stones, small souvenirs from my travels, old skeleton keys, coins,
electronics do-dads, computer keyboard keys, small metal or plastic toys, bottle
caps, watch faces and parts, small mirrors (shisha), anything inexpensive at the
hardware or junk shop, or anything fun that I find on the ground or in someone's
dumpster. Not all of these items need to have holes; sometimes you'll want to
glue them down as cabochons or wire them up to use as charms. But all of
them can be used in mixed media bead embroidery.
Like most beaders, I do have a list of my favorite "real" beads too. I love both
Delicas and Czech seed beads in all their sizes, and I mostly use sizes 11/0,
8/0, and 15/0 (the smaller the number, the larger the size). I also love glass
druks, Bali silver, semi-precious gemstone beads and chips, African trade
beads, Swarovski crystals, Czech pressed glass, Venetian glass (especially the
foils), my own lampwork glass beads, and beads which I scavenge from old
costume jewelry. I have links to some of my favorite suppliers in the Resources
section of this e-book.
Lavin
Support Fabrics
I love fabric and fibers of all types. Although I used to do all my bead
embroidery on either buckram or a non-woven fabric like ultra-suede, over time I
got to be more and more adventurous in my choice of support fabric. I really like
to paint a background fabric (usually plain muslin) and then back it with a
lightweight fusible interfacing. Thick interfacing works well for some pieces that
need extra strength. The important thing is to pick your fabric based upon the
function: will this be a wearable piece that needs a bit of give to sit properly? Or
is it a beaded postcard that can be stiff as a board when finished?
If you are just starting out, I would recommend a fabric that can support some
weight, but one that is soft enough to sew through easily: ultra-suede, buckram,
or medium thick interfacing (you can paint the last two any color you want) are
good choices for a first piece.
Needles and Thread
I like the English-style long beading needles the best, but occasionally I also use
milliner's or applique needles, which are shorter. The important thing is to look
for needles that have a longer thinner eye so that they don't get stuck in small
seed beads. Just like with seed beads, the bigger the number of the needle, the
smaller the size. Beading needles range from size 10 through about size 16.
Sizes 10 through 13 will work well with the larger beads and with size 11/0 seed
beads. For the smaller size 15/0 seed beads, sometimes a size 13 needle will
work, other times you may need a smaller size 15 needle. It really depends
upon the size of the hole, not the exterior size of the bead!
For thread, there are many choices available, and each has its adherents.
Silimide is a popular choice and comes in many colors. Personally, I have
always been happy with Nymo twisted nylon thread, unglamorous as it is. I
have one really large spool of black and one of white, both in size O. The white
can be colored with permanent markers if desired, but I usually simply use black
or white. It's personal choice, and you should try several brands before you
decide.
Lavin
Other Tools
In real hard-core mixed media bead embroidery, the tools that you might want to
have are too numerous to list. In future e-books, I plan to discuss tools in more
detail as the projects call for it. For getting started in bead embroidery right now,
only a few additional tools are needed. Good scissors (large and small) for
cutting fabric and threads, and a pair of pliers for easing stuck needles through a
hole (or for breaking the bead when you can budge the needle). A white towel
for your lap...you'll thank me the first time you spill your beads. Small ceramic
dishes to hold the little darlings. A strong glue like E6000 for adhering
cabochons to the fabric. Really good light (can't live without my Ott Lights, one
floor model and one table-top task light)...that's about it!
Oh, and a comfortable work chair!
Lavin
Bead Embroidery Stitches

Back Stitch
1. Attach thread to the back of the fabric by taking a few tiny shallow stitches.
Pass the needle through to front and pick up 2 to 5 beads. I have used 4 beads
for this example. Make sure the beads are snug against the exiting end of the
thread and bring the needle straight down through the fabric right at the end of
the row of beads.
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2. Bring the needle up between two of the center beads in your group, in this
case between bead 2 and bead 3.
3. Insert the needle through the last half of the beads in your group, in this case
through beads 3 and 4. Pull the thread through snugly.
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4. Pick up more beads, from 2 to 5, and repeat from Step 1.
Tube Stitch
Bring the needle and thread up from the back of the fabric and pass it through
an 11/0 seed bead, a tube bead, and another 11/0 seed bead.
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2. Insert the needle right next to the second seed bead and pull through to the
back. Add as many more tube bead clusters as you wish.
3. The seed beads on the ends of the tube beads prevent the thread from being
cut. The edges of tube beads are almost always rough cut and sharp. Match
the color of the 11/0 beads to the tube beads if you wish.
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Flat Brick Stitch
Pass the needle through to the front. Insert your needle down through the
center of a bead, keeping the bead hole vertical.
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2. Pass the needle back up through the first hole, coming up close to where you
went down. Make sure to catch enough threads to keep the bead anchored to
the fabric. Pass your needle down through the next vertical bead.
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3. Continue adding beads in this way, taking a small stitch on the back to anchor
each one in a line.
4. This is what your row will look like from the side.
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Single Loop Stitch
Bring the needle and thread up from the back of the fabric, pick up a 6/0 seed
bead and an odd number of 11/0 seed beads. I found that thirteen worked well
for me.
2. Pass the needle back down through the 6/0 bead.
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3. Pull snug in the back and knot, or prepare to form the next stitch. You can
also use the beads in a line of flat brick stitch to anchor your single loops.
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Multiple Loop Stitch or Boucl Stitch
1. This stitch goes by two different names and can be anchored either on the
fabric itself or through a line of back stitches as shown here. Create a line of
back stitches. Run your needle through several stitches and bring the thread up
between two beads in the back stitch row. Pick up enough
beads to create a loop. In this case I used 11. Take your needle through the
right side of the back stitch bead and continue through 3 more beads.
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2. Pull your loop snug around the back stitch bead.
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3. Pick up more beads for the next loop. Insert your needle into the right side of
the back stitch bead and pass through 3 more beads.
4. Pull each loop snug as you continue along the line of back stitching.
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Simple Stacked Stitch
1. This stitch can be anchored either on the fabric itself as shown here, through
a line of back stitches, or through brick stitches.
For the simple stacked stitch, attach your thread to the back of the fabric and
pass the needle through to the front. Pick up as many beads as you would like
to have in your stack. The last bead does not need to be a different color; I have
used this to make it easier to see the stitch.
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2. Skip the first bead (called the stopper bead) and pass your needle down
through all of the rest. Pull the stack snug against the fabric so that no loose
thread is left at the top or the bottom.
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3. Pass your needle down through the fabric very close to where it came out.
Repeat the steps as many times as you want to add more stacks. Anchor the
thread with a knot on the back of the fabric after every couple of stitches for
stability.
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Stacked Stitch with a Large Bead Top
1. Follow the directions for a Simple Stacked Stitch, except that you will pick up
a much larger bead and then your stopper bead.
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2. Skipping the stopper bead, run the needle down through the rest of the stack
of beads and pull it snug.
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3. Run the needle through to the back of the fabric and anchor it with a small
knot for stability.
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Stacked Stitch on a Back Stitched Row
1. Run your needle through several beads and bring the thread up between two
beads in the back stitch row. Follow the instructions for creating a Simple
Stacked Stitch, except that you will anchor your stack by running the needle
through several more back stitches instead of down through the fabric. Insert
your needle into the next bead in the row so that the stitch sits between 2 beads.
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2. Create as many stacked stitches as you desire along the row of back stitches.
Edging Brick Stitch
1. This stitch is used to cover the raw edges of two pieces of fabric being joined,
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usually the foundation fabric and the backing. Attach the thread to the inside of
one piece of fabric, up near the top where you will start stitching by taking
several tiny and shallow stitches. Pick up two beads and let the first slide down
to the fabric edges.
2. Stitch from back to front through both pieces of fabric directly underneath the
second bead. Catch about 1/8 inch of fabric. Do not pull too snugly; you want
both beads to sit with their holes facing away from the edge.
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3. Run your needle up through the second bead and gently snug it into place.
4. From now on you will add just one bead at a time, stitching from back to front
after each addition.
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5. After each stitch, needle up through the bead you just added to get into
position to add the next bead.
6. This is what the stitches look like from the side. When you get back around to
the beginning, you will take your needle down through the first bead you added
and take a small 1/8 inch stitch back to front to straighten up the first bead.
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Picot Stitch
1. Picot stitch is a good way to hide the threads that show at the top of the
edging brick stitch. Working in either direction that is comfortable for you, bring
your needle up through one edging bead. Add 1, 3, or 5 beads and stitch down
through the next edging bead without catching the fabric.
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2. Still without catching the fabric, pass the needle up through the next edging
bead and repeat the first step. You can add a picot between every bead pair
this way, or you can make a second pass to place another picot between the
pairs so that there is a picot between every edging bead.
Fringe Stitch, aka Stacked Stitch on Edging Brick Stitch
This stitch is the same as a stacked stitch, except that you will be anchoring it
through edging beads instead of fabric. Bring your needle up through the first
edging brick stitch and add the beads for a stacked stitch. Skipping the stopper
bead, run your needle back down the stack and through the edging bead.
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2. Pull snug and take your needle up through the next edging bead to repeat the
first step. After every couple of fringe stitches, stitch into the fabric, following the
thread path that already exists to help create stability and security.
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Project
SunShower Necklace
Take the warm colors of a sunny day with you all year round! This project shows
you step-by-step how to combine many of the basic bead embroidery stitches
that I've shared with you in this e-book into a necklace medallion that will
brighten up any day. I have included a pattern that you can use if you'd like to
make a necklace just like this one, but feel free to experiment with the design,
and the colors too! Would you prefer a blue background for the sun? Go for it!
Would you like to mix red and orange into your sun? Please do :-)
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In the future you can easily continue to apply the basic flow of these directions
to designs of your own. This project also covers how to finish off the medallion
with strung neck straps, adjustable so that you can get maximum use from your
new necklace. I love to see what people have made, so I hope you'll consider
contacting me through Beading Arts and sharing your work!
Materials and Tools
Scissors
Beading needles, size 12
Fine tip marker pen
Measuring tape
Round nose pliers
Wire cutters
Flat nose pliers
File
2 pieces of ultra-suede, each 4 square
Cabochon face, approximately 7/8 across (mine came from Earthenwood
Studio)
E6000 adhesive
White Nymo beading thread, size O
Mixture of yellow 11/0 seed beads (my mix included transparent light and
medium yellow, and opaque yellow)
Mixture of brown and gold 11/0 seed beads (my mix included gold hex
cuts, light bronze, copper, transparent rootbeer, and iris bronze)
Size 8/0 seed beads in opaque yellow, iris bronze, and gold
Amber chips (with holes)
2 soldered gold rings or figure eights
24 of beading wire, 0.019 diameter
2 of gold French wire (aka bullion wire)
4 gold crimp beads
Assorted beads, 4mm to 10mm, approximately 17 to 18 strung
3 of gold chain
Gold hook clasp with loop
Gold head pin
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Instructions
1. Glue the cabochon to one of the pieces of ultra-suede using E6000. Let it dry
thoroughly.
2. Back stitch two rows of mixed yellow 11/0 seed beads around the cabochon.
Make the inner row a multiple of 4 if possible. As each circular row is
completed, run your thread through all the beads and pull snugly.
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3. Create loop stitches all along the inner circular row of back stitches with the
same mixture of yellow 11/0 seed beads. The outer row will cause the loops to
stand up well.
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4. Still working on the inner row, add stacked stitches between each pair of loop
stitches. Pass your needle through 3 beads in the inner row after each stitch.
Use the same mixture of yellow 11/0 seed beads, with an opaque yellow bead at
the top of each stack.
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5. Draw on lines for the rays of the sun. You can use this pattern if you'd like,
or you can just draw them freehand until they look the way you want. All of the
foundation fabric will be covered by beads, so don't worry about neatness...any
mistakes with the pen will be covered!
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6. Back stitch the rays with opaque yellow 8/0 seed beads.
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7. Back stitch in circular rows between each ray with a mixture of gold and
brown 11/0 seed beads. Pass the thread on the back side of the fabric beneath
each ray; do not simply slide the needle and thread through the line of 8/0
beads.
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8. Once you have filled between the rays, back stitch a row of bronze iris 8/0
seed beads all around the outside. Back stitch a second row around
approximately three-quarters of the outside, leaving the bottom center quarter
with only one row of back stitching.
9. Using flat brick stitch, fill in the bottom center quarter where the second row of
back stitching leaves off, using the bronze iris 8/0 seed beads. Add a second
row of flat brick stitch just outside of the first row. My rows were approximately
28-30 beads each.
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10. Stitch up through each flat brick stitch in the outer row and add a stacked
stitch with an amber chip at the top. I like to make mine graduated longer in the
center. To do this, count the number of brick stitches you've got in the outer row
and divide in half. Decide how many beads for the longest and shortest stacks,
and graduate up and down from there. I chose to use 4 seed beads at each
end and 12 in the middle. That gave me enough foundation beads for 2 of each
number. That is, two stacks with 4 seed beads, two stacks with 5, etc, until I
reached 12 at the center.
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11. Add a second row of stacked stitches with amber chips at the top, using the
flat brick stitches of the inner row as the foundation. This time I graduated my
stacks from 2 to 8 seed beads.
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12. Holding your scissors perpendicular to the bead work, carefully cut out your
circle, being sure not to snip any threads. Try to leave a very thin strip of fabric
that extends past the edge, approximately 1/8 inch.
13. Stitch either soldered rings or handmade wire figure 8s like these to the back
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of the bead work, near the top where you'd like the neck straps to attach.
14. Optional - Cut a lightweight cardboard or plastic circle approximately inch

smaller than the bead work. It is more important to do this step with larger
pieces because it gives stability to the shape of your bead work and prevents it
from bending when worn. Lightly glue it in place with E6000.
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15. Keeping your glue away from the fabric edges, lightly glue your second
piece of fabric to the cardboard lining as a backing. Let the glue dry well before
proceeding any further. Cut the extra backing even with the top piece.
16. Start just to the right of the stacked stitch fringe and add a row of edging
brick stitch with gold 8/0 seed beads all the way around the circle (including
underneath the fringe). Make sure that you catch both pieces of fabric as you
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add each stitch.
17. Starting at the same point as in step 16, just to the right of the fringe, stitch a
picot between each pair of gold 8/0 seed beads in the edging brick stitch row,
using 3 gold 11/0 seed beads for each picot stitch. Stop when you reach the
fringe on the other side.
18. Flip the piece over and add one more row of stacked stitch fringe by coming
up through each edging brick stitch at the bottom. I graduated this row from 4 to
12 seed beads, just like the row above it.
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19. Stringing the necklace straps: Cut 2 pieces of beading wire, 12 inches long
each. Cut 4 pieces of gold French wire (aka bullion wire), inch long each and
slide one onto the end of one wire.
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20. Using a crimp bead, attach the wire to one of the exposed loops near the top
of the bead work.
21. Choose beads of various sizes to use for the straps. I used beads from
4mm to 10mm, and included some bronze iris 8/0 seed beads and amber chips.
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22. String them in a pattern that is pleasing to you. I alternated each bead or
amber chip with seed beads and included approximately 8 inches of beads.
Slide another crimp bead and another piece of French wire onto the end of the
beading wire.
23. Crimp around one end of a 3 inch length of gold chain.
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24. Repeat steps 20 and 22, and crimp the wire around the loop of your hook
clasp.
25. Place a few beads on a head pin and turn a loop, using your flat nose and
round nose pliers.
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26. Attach the dangle to the end of the chain, and wrap the loop. Cut flush and
file if needed.
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27. This is what your finished piece will look like. The chain gives you 3 inches
of adjustment in the length so that your necklace will suit many necklines!
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Gallery of Designs
Ocean Depths, 2009
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Orinoco Flow, 2007
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Midnight at the Oasis, 2010
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Resources
Since companies come and go, especially online, I will maintain a Suppliers
page on the Beading Arts blog which I will be able to update as things change.
Please feel free to leave me a message there with the link to any source you've
found to be particularly helpful.
Beading Arts also covers many other basics of jewelry making, including
tutorials to get you started, a series on design, jewelry education, and business
tips. I invite you to subscribe to Beading Arts today! Just visit the blog and
scroll down until you see the Subscribe area in the sidebar. There are many
different ways to subscribe by various blog readers or by email.
Coming soon...I hope!

My plan is to write a series of e-books to follow up on this one. Here you have
the most basic stitches that I use and a beginner project to get you going, but
there is so much more! My favorite art form is mixed media bead embroidery,
and that involves techniques like dimensional beading, altering surfaces, using
ephemera, re-purposing found objects and old jewelry, incorporating other types
of fibers, and making your own unique beads.
Please let me know if you want me to write these! I'd love to hear from you. Tell
me if you've found this first e-book on basic bead embroidery stitches helpful,
and let me know what you'd like to see in the future. Blessings on you, your
needles, and all of your beautiful beads!
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Every Bead Has a Story ~ Mixed Media Bead Embroidery

Every Bead Has a Story ~

Copyright 2010 Cyndi Lavin ~ Beading Arts, http://www.beading-arts.com

Every Bead Has a Story ~ Mixed Media Bead Embroidery

Copyright / Terms of Use:

Copyright 2010 Cyndi Lavin ~ Beading Arts, http://www.beading-arts.com

Every Bead Has a Story ~ Mixed Media Bead Embroidery

About the Author

Every Bead Has a Story ~ Mixed Media Bead Embroidery

Copyright 2010 Cyndi Lavin ~ Beading Arts, http://www.beading-arts.com

Every Bead Has a Story ~ Mixed Media Bead Embroidery

Copyright 2010 Cyndi Lavin ~ Beading Arts, http://www.beading-arts.com

Every Bead Has a Story ~ Mixed Media Bead Embroidery

Materials and Tools

Every Bead Has a Story ~ Mixed Media Bead Embroidery

Every Bead Has a Story ~ Mixed Media Bead Embroidery

Copyright 2010 Cyndi Lavin ~ Beading Arts, http://www.beading-arts.com

Every Bead Has a Story ~ Mixed Media Bead Embroidery