Beading techniques for textile design

Hi Daisy,

The most washable way is to use waste canvas for a counted design, or a tranfer for a line design.

Some homework is necessary--use only real glass beads, with the slightly larger holes. You might have a problem finding such beads in colours that work (and I can't recommend a source, sorry). The type of fabric also needs some thought--beads should not get pressed at high temperatures, so you would not think of pure linen first. This is one place where a synthetic blend or wash-and-wear makes a lot of sense.

Then you use fine polyester thread doubled into a #3 crewel needle (or whatever goes with both the thread and beads) and sew half cross stitches, stringing the bead on before the needle goes down. You can go into each bead 2X if you really are worried about breaks. Tie a knot after each fourth bead, and then another knot before the next, but don't cut the thread between knots, they are to ensure that no more than 4 beads ever fall out.

You will see that the beads sit pretty well after the waste canvas comes out. Large areas cover pretty fast. My mother laundered such pieces on the gentle cycle of the washer, and then let them dry by rolling in a towel. You would use a towel on the ironing board, and a press cloth from the back, for any touching up.

Good lcuk--Irene

Daisy wrote: