Beading with Karen

 I enjoy using beads to highlight fabrics or other kinds of embellishments.  Used ColorCatchers that I painted and cut out in leaf shapes were tacked to this little bag with beads.

I was going for a fall/grape kind of feel with this, although the beads are way too small to look like grapes.

This was a piece of fabric from my very first foray into marbling.  I call this little piece "Heart Like a Wheel" and it's a work in progress.  I get it out and add more beads every so often.

I particularly like the look of beads "marching" across the fabric.



"Winkin', Blinkin', and Nod Set Sail" was created for a nursery rhyme challenge.  I beaded the entire sky inside the first border with tiny sparkly seed beads.

And I hunted for weeks for tiny silver fish for the net, but couldn't find any.  I wound up using wee silver bugle beads to fasten the net (painted cheesecloth) -- I think it's probably fortuitous that I couldn't find any fish because I think the beads look better anyway.

Adding a Stack of Beads

I just LOVE stacked beads; they make me smile. They look like little spiky animals to me. They are really easy to add to a quilt, and they make a big impact--people will notice them.

I added stacks to the little "puffs" on this quilt.

Maybe you can find the stacks a little easier in this next picture; I have them circled. (I'm not sure why, but my drawing program made the picture smaller and rotated it. I could not, for the life of me, figure out how to change that.)

To make a bead stack, bring the needle up where you'd like the stack to be. Add the beads comprising the stack making sure the top bead is large enough it can't be pulled through the hole in the bead beneath it. (There is no set number of beads you should use in a stack. It all depends on the size of the beads you are using and what you'd like your stack to look like.) Now, take the needle back down through all but the top bead and back into the fabric. Give the thread a little tug to tighten the tension and make the stack stand up.

Think about the different combination of beads you could use to make a stack. You don't just have to use seed beads; you can use bugle beads too. If you do decide to use bugle beads, remember to add one or more seed beads on either side of each bugle bead.

Now try making your own stacks. I really think you'll like them. Be sure to check back tomorrow when I'll be showing you how I couch threads to a quilt.

Now, for the giveaway...I contacted Lyric Kinard and asked her if she would like to donate a copy of her great beading DVD Bead It Like You Mean It (The Basics).

She said, "I'd be happy to give a copy away. I'll mail it straight to the winner (US only)." I say, "THANK YOU LYRIC!" You will LOVE this DVD. If you'd like a chance to win this DVD, leave a comment on this post. I'd also LOVE for you to become an "official" blog follower (if you're not already). All you have to do is click on "Join this site" under "Followers" on the right-hand side of this page. I'll be choosing a winner on January 26. Good luck and stay tuned for the next giveaway.

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