This is an end of August update to the blog I posted in July and am happy to finally show that which started with a pile of fabric and beads is growing into a shape! I was delayed when my sewing/quilting needles would not go through the seed beads and I had to purchase beading needles. Beading needles are much thinner and longer than that used for sewing or quilting. Quilting needles are meant to stay rigid for example when you are trying to push four quilting stitches simultaneously through fabric, batting and backing on a quilt. For beading, you need the needle fit to through the small openings in seed beads and have very sharp points.
THEN my thread kept breaking and after some research I am now using a clear monofilament. Monofilament brought two little challenges: One: trying to get it threaded into the very thin beading needle. Luckily the beading needles I bought came with a needle threader which I am happily utilizing. Two: creating a knot on the end. Due to its makeup it is more rigid and doesn’t roll between my fingers to create a nice knot so I’m forming a circle and bringing the ends through manually.
I’ve utilized a number of You Tube video’s in the art of beading : Some sites show one bead at a time, while others slip three or four at a time and backstitch only on the last one. This second method certainly takes less time but it is harder to get a nice even row of beads in a curved shape. I am now doing single or double beads for curves until I master more.
Needless to say this did not make it to outdoor concerts…BUT I’m making progress and I’ve got a cool shape going. As you can see I went with blue beads instead of turquoise….I love the movement in the fabric as well as the beads – it has a rain cloud vibe. Here it is so far:
So, the project is growing from conception and my beading skills are too!
Related blog: Creative Incubation
Made with Stitches 