Beadwork. General information and rules

Embroidery with beads existed in the era of Ancient Rus'. Many archaeological finds that date back to the ninth - twelfth centuries just speak of this. Among all types of embroidery, the most elegant and amazing

it is considered, of course, embroidery with silver and gold threads, into which elements of freshwater pearls, mother-of-pearl and precious stones are skillfully woven.Embroidery was considered an art that was valued in aristocratic circles and was included in the educational sciences.

It was a compulsory occupation for women and was common mainly in noble families and among nuns. They embroidered clothes of boyars and kings, church robes with such threads. The main fabrics for embroidery were silk and velvet. Needlework was considered a special virtue in religion.

From about the beginning of the eighteenth century, the art of embroidery permeates the entire population and becomes one of the leading crafts of peasant women. For a rural girl, the glory of a craftswoman-needlewoman was considered a second dowry. It was believed that with such a wife, goodness, comfort, warmth and wealth would come to the house.

By the middle of the eighteenth century, pearl embroidery and embroidery with gold threads are becoming a thing of the past, and the “Golden Age” of Russian beads comes to replace it. At that time, beads were not produced in Russia itself, but the scale of this hobby was so great and reached such a peak of perfection that beads became the basis not only for embroidery, but also for interior design. It was used as the basis for decorating palace halls, houses of landowners and noble people, even the walls of the premises were covered with beads. Pictures, chasubles of icons, purses, book bindings, caskets - everything was decorated with beads.

In terms of external qualities, beads are a very beautiful, durable and resistant material, they do not deteriorate over time, they are insensitive to light, and their fragility is below average.

The history of the use of beads

As soon as people learned how to make glass, craftswomen began to use beads in sewing, decorating clothes. Over time, new technologies in the manufacture of beads appeared - large beads gave way to smaller ones. Beads of the smallest diameter reached fineness when the row of beads sewn onto the canvas was equal to the thickness of the threads of the canvas itself!

Ancient collections of beaded masterpieces are located in the museums of Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Each nation gets the experience of the previous generation, which is customary to store and multiply. Unfortunately, many of the secrets of the masters of that time were erased by time and were not preserved, but those that have survived to this day reveal the world of marvelous ancient art. beadwork. Along with the revival of Russian folk crafts in our time, the beaded needlework. Recently, beadwork has not gone out of fashion. It is flattering to receive as a gift a product that keeps the warmth of skillful hands and is unique. There is no other like it! Learn to embroider with beads not difficult. Especially if there is a desire and accuracy and patience. You need to set your soul to joy - and just create! And then everything will work out!

Why do many needlewomen prefer beadwork to any other type of needlework? Most likely because the beads give a magnificent texture to any product, decorating it and giving shine and volume to the finished work. Not surprisingly, more and more craftswomen want to learn beadwork. In addition, if you have already mastered embroidery with threads and know many different techniques of this type of needlework, then learning to decorate clothes and fabrics with bead embroidery will not be so difficult. But still, you should not embark on a new business without knowing the basics and not having the necessary materials and tools for this. In this article, we have collected the most useful tips for beginner craftswomen that will make it easier for you to prepare and learn this needlework. Let's find out what is needed in order to be able to own a thread, a needle and beads.

1. Materials and tools

First of all, you should stock up on everything you need for embroidery with beads. Follow the tips in this section and check out this complete list of what every DIYer should have in her closet.

Scheme or pattern according to which to embroider with beads

If you have never held a needle and thread in your hand, then you definitely need to purchase a pattern for beadwork. Usually, ready-made kits already have diagrams, but if you are not satisfied with their drawing or something else, you can always buy a diagram separately or even find something suitable online. The scheme allows you to better navigate while working and also has a color designation. That is, each cross or square in the diagram means a certain color. Such drawings also contain useful information about what shades of beads to purchase. To do this, each shade or color has its own number, which greatly simplifies the process of finding the right materials.

Beads of different colors

The very first difficulty during the selection of material may be the search for the right, high-quality beads of a certain size and color. The quality of the beads must be excellent. It is better to save on something else, otherwise your product will quickly lose its beauty and respectable appearance.

There are three types of beads on the market - made of plastic, glass, ceramics. All three types have a bright and rich color, are durable, practical and retain their beautiful appearance for a long period of time. When choosing beads, consider the diameter of the beads. It should be related to the density of the fabric and the thickness of the threads. The denser the fabric and the thicker the thread, the more massive the beads should be. A similar principle in the choice of beads applies when looking for material for a thin canvas.

plastic beads

ceramic beads

glass beads

Best to buy Czech beads (made of colored glass), it is of very high quality and there are fewer defective beads.

Threads in color suitable for beads or warp

For this type of needlework, cotton or silk threads are suitable. They do not stretch, do not fray, they are not afraid of the influence of moisture and ultraviolet radiation. Another option that is suitable for creating paintings and icons is polyester threads, as well as products with wax impregnation. Their advantage is that they do not twist and provide a snug fit of the beads to the canvas. It is best to select threads to match the color of the beads.

If you rub the thread with wax, it will be less tangled during the embroidery process.

Canvas or piece of fabric

Canvas is a special embroidery canvas made from linen fabric. When choosing it, pay attention to the size of the "squares" into which it is divided.

Such a fabric greatly simplifies the process of transferring the pattern to the canvas. But if you want to simplify your task, get a canvas with a pattern you like already applied. Most often, it is a dense linen or cotton fabric that is taken as the basis for embroidery with beads, although you can also embroider on other materials, such as velvet, synthetics, etc. But this is already a little more difficult, since you will have to apply the pattern-drawing on the wrong side of the material in order to avoid uneven patterns.

Beading on Aida canvas

Beadwork on canvas with a pattern

After you decide on the choice of canvas, it is worth starching the fabric so that it stretches better. Thus, your embroidery will turn out even and flawless.

hoop

Thanks to this product, you will significantly speed up the embroidery process. This is due to the fact that the area of ​​​​the fabric with embroidery will be perfectly even and slightly stretched. You do not have to constantly align the fabric and make sure that the thread does not break or tangle.

Experienced craftswomen advise choosing a hoop made of wood or plastic, since these materials are resistant to moisture, sudden changes in temperature and other factors that have a negative impact on the integrity of the product.

Needle for beads

In stores, such needles are called "beaded". Beaded needles differ from ordinary ones in that they have the same thickness along the entire length. Usually needles from #10 to #16 are used, depending on the size of the beads themselves. For small beads - 15-16, but in general everything also depends on the method of embroidery, so it's easier to purchase a set of needles right away. If the needle freely penetrates the beads, then it fits.

Scissors

In this kind of needlework, like embroidery, you need good sharp scissors. And in beadwork, such scissors will be simply irreplaceable. You may not need to buy scissors at all - ordinary nail scissors will also fit for this type of needlework, which will be much more convenient than ordinary scissors with rounded tips.

Frame for the finished work

If you are embroidering a picture or drawing that you are going to hang on the wall, then you need to take into account such an item as preparing a frame for an already embroidered picture. Of course, you can make it yourself, but we strongly recommend that you go to a frame shop and order the frame you need. In such workshops, as a rule, there is everything you need to make a beautiful and spectacular frame for your product.

First of all, you need to take care of the material and color of the frame. So, for example, you should not choose a frame that will not match the color of your product. It is also better to give preference to wooden frames - they look much more colorful than their plastic counterparts. In addition, the wooden color will be most welcome to any image. When ordering a specific frame, make sure that the artist does not use glue or staples when he stretches the canvas onto the frame. This may damage the product.

1. Step by step guide to beadwork

Now you are ready to get to work. Follow our recommendations and a great result will not keep you waiting. Here is what you need for this:

Preparation

Before starting work, you need to choose a pattern or ornament that you will embroider, as well as prepare everything you need for this (the necessary beads and all materials for work). Once you have found the desired pattern and pattern, cut out as much canvas as you need and sort the beads according to the required colors.

For a beginner, as in the case of cross-stitch, ready-made kits with patterns and all the necessary materials are best suited.

We process the edges of the canvas

In order for the edges of the canvas not to crumble and look neat, it must be processed. There are several ways to process canvas. Some needlewomen prefer to finish the edges of the fabric manually with an overlock stitch. But there is a simpler and faster method - processing the edge of the canvas with PVA glue, glue stick or transparent nail polish.

In order not to pull the fabric, we use the hoop

They are plastic and wooden. If you want to buy a wooden hoop, then make sure that the wood is processed properly. Any small roughness and deformation of the surface can lead to the fact that you will ruin the fabric and possibly the embroidery itself. For large works, it is better to buy a rectangular tapestry hoop.

Video: preparing a workplace and accessories for embroidery with beads:

Choosing the technique of embroidery with beads:

Embroidery with horizontal stitches, also called "monastic seam". It is used for embroidery of pictures, icons, small images on handkerchiefs and clothes. It will not be difficult even for beginners to implement it: you should start from the upper left corner, where you thread the needle, then string the bead and fasten it, “sending” the needle to the lower left corner. Follow the next stitch in the same way. With the correct implementation of this technique, you will have all the stitches diagonally. The monastic seam in principle resembles the “half-cross” embroidery technique, with the only difference - here you also use beads.

In case you need to skip a row or go to the next one, pass the thread through the upper right corner of the front side, and then go to the opposite corner at the bottom of this cage.

With a monastic stitch, it is best to start learning to embroider with beads.

Video: how to embroider with beads (monastic stitch):

Line seam: fix the bead horizontally. The needle and thread must be threaded in the middle of the "cage" on the right, then fasten the bead and "send" it to the left. This technique is an exact copy of the “back to the needle” variation, which we know from labor lessons. With this seam, you can determine the distance between the beads yourself.

Embroidery with a line stitch (back needle)

If the beads are not fixed well on the fabric, just create another line with the back stitch.

Stem seam: it is used to securely fix the beads on the canvas. This type of technique is implemented according to the same principle as the line seam, but with minimal differences. The needle is threaded to the left, a bead is strung, then the needle is threaded through the opposite corner. After that, return the needle to its original position and thread the thread through the eye of the bead again.

Stem stitch embroidery

With the help of such a seam, you will achieve a denser pattern, since the punctures are made as close as possible to the previous bead.

3. We frame the finished work

Congratulations! You have already completed all the steps except the last one. Designing your finished product is also an important task. You need to be extremely careful not to spoil all the work done. In no case should the canvas be glued to the cardboard. Just attach it to her and tuck the excess fabric. Make sure that the fabric tension is tight enough, but not too tight so as not to break the threads. Now you can frame the product with a frame.

Using the filter, in the Tsvetnoye store you can pick up a baguette frame for almost any size of embroidery:

If you are afraid to make a mistake at this final stage, then you can always give the work to the framing workshop, where it will be quickly and beautifully decorated.

It's so easy and quick to decorate your home with beautiful pictures embroidered with beads. Over time, you will be able to embroider more and more complex patterns and patterns, independently and accurately selecting the right material. With ready-made kits, you will definitely learn this type of needlework faster, which is what we recommend.

Beads material is ancient and eternally young. Unlike painting, embroidery, woven products, it does not lose its purity and sonority of color over time. It conveys an echo of the life of our distant ancestors, their tastes and color preferences.

When talking about beads, they primarily mean glass. And this is justified, because glass is most often used for making beads and beads.

Museum exhibits of the State Hermitage show that the first beaded jewelry appeared more than 4,000 years ago. Initially, beadwork served as a talisman for people, they replaced amulets made of bones, animal teeth, mollusk shells, stones and protected the ancients from evil spirits.

The origin of glass beads has long been shrouded in mystery. Imagination gave rise to amazing legends. What, if not teardrops, do transparent shining beads look like? In Turkmenistan, a beautiful and initial legend about precious beads appeared: somewhere in the mountains there is a cave - the dwelling of a Deva (evil spirit). Dev kidnaps the most beautiful girls and imprisoned them in her. Chained to the rock, the beauties always cry, and their tears turn into precious beads. So says the legend.

Another ancient Greek legend tells about the origin of glassmaking: “Once, in very distant times, Phoenician merchants carried a load of natural soda mined in Africa across the Mediterranean Sea. For the night they landed on the sandy shore and began to cook their own food. For lack of stones at hand, they surrounded the fire with large lumps of soda. In the morning, raking the ashes, the merchants found a wonderful ingot, which was hard as a stone, burned with fire in the sun and was pure and transparent like water. It was glass." This legend was first cited by the ancient historian Pliny the Elder in the 1st century, that is, it refers to the heyday of glassmaking, which Rome experienced at that time.

The history of science traditionally associates the emergence of glassmaking with Egypt, which is based on numerous evidence obtained in archaeological excavations and studies of found objects using the thermoluminescent dating method. For a long time, glass-glazed faience tiles of the inner facings of the Jesser pyramid (mid-3rd millennium BC) were considered undoubted evidence of the primacy of Egypt in the emergence of glassmaking; to an even earlier period (the first dynasty of the pharaohs) are the finds of faience decorations, that is, glass existed in Egypt already 5 thousand years ago.

The archeology of Ancient Mesopotamia, especially Sumer and Akkad, has shown that a monument found in Mesopotamia in the Ashnunak region - a transparent glass cylinder seal, dates from the period of the Akkadian dynasty, that is, its age is about four and a half thousand years. However, a greenish bead with a diameter of about 9 mm, kept in the Berlin Museum, is considered one of the oldest examples. It was found by the Egyptologist Flinders Petrie near Thebes, according to some ideas, she is five and a half thousand years old. N. N. Kachalov notes that on the territory of the Old Babylonian kingdom, archaeologists regularly find vessels for incense of local origin, made in the same technique as the Egyptian ones. The scientist claims that there is every reason to believe that in Egypt and in the countries of Western Asia the origins of glassmaking are separated from our days by an interval of approximately six thousand years.

So, almost 6 thousand years ago, glassmaking arose and glass beads of various shapes and sizes appeared. Thanks to the improvement of technology, over time, the beads became smaller and smaller. This is how beads appeared - small round or multifaceted, slightly flattened beads with holes for threading. Its name comes from “false pearls”, made in Egypt from opaque (deaf, or paste) glass, which in Arabic was called busra or buser.

The first attempt to create a bead production in Russia dates back to the end of the 16th century. In the years 1670-1680, in the palace village of Izmailovo, with the assistance of Venetian craftsmen, a workshop was organized to make it. But then it was not possible to establish mass production of domestic beads. Beads and glass beads continued to be imported from abroad. His purchases were constantly growing: if in 1748 only 472 poods of beads were imported into the country through the port of St. Petersburg, then four years later it was already 2126 poods. However, the shortage of beads still remained significant. Therefore, M.V. Lomonosov, who was fluent in the technique of making smalt - colored opaque glass used for mosaic panels, decided to expand another area of ​​glassmaking in Russia - the manufacture of beads.

By decree of the Senate, he was granted a gratuitous loan in the amount of 4 thousand rubles and land on which it was planned to place a glass production. The factory was organized in 1754 in Ust-Ruditsy. Its first production appeared a year later. Lomonosov constantly improved the technology of making beads, developed new equipment, and by 1670 the number of glass beads and beads produced had increased significantly. The glass factory in Ust-Ruditsy existed until 1765, but after the death of M.V. Lomonosov, production was curtailed and the factory was closed. The need for beads continued to be met by supplies from Bohemia and Venice.

In the second half of the 19th century, mainly in the Moscow region, many small glass-making workshops arose, in which beads were made. But the products of handicraftsmen were of very low quality, they could not satisfy the demand for this material. Only in 1883, the glass-bead factory of Ya. B. Roniger was opened in Odessa, where the production of high-quality, competitive products was established. However, it was not possible to oust foreign bead manufacturers from the Russian market this time either.

Beads and glass beads are usually perceived as a material for women's jewelry, small household and decorative items. But glass grains were also used for interior decoration. So, according to the testimony of the famous Russian historian I. E. Zabelin, in some chambers of the Moscow Kremlin, the walls were pasteurized with flour or glue, and glass beads were poured over this soil. In 1689, in the room of Tsaritsa Natalya Kirillovna, the walls were upholstered with linen and primed with chalk and poured with glass beads on the green earth.

For many peoples of the Russian Empire, elements of clothing trimmed with beads have become an integral part of the national costume. Women's clothing in the north and south of Russia differed significantly from each other. In the northern and central provinces, the basis of the costume was a shirt, sarafan and kokoshnik - a sarafan clothing complex, and in the southern provinces a more archaic one was common - poneva, consisting of a shirt, poneva and magpie. However, in all types of folk costume, women's and girl's headdresses stood out with their variety and richness of decoration. Women's dresses differed from girls' ones in that they completely hid their hair, since. according to ancient Slavic custom, a woman should not appear in public with a simple hair.

Pronounced regional features of the women's costume were manifested not only in the cut, but also in the way it was finished. The kokoshnik and other elements of women's peasant clothing in the northern provinces were richly decorated with small river pearls, gold embroidery, and glass in metal frames. The relative availability of the material contributed to the widespread use of pearl embroidery. Freshwater pearl mollusks were found in abundance in the northern rivers and Lake Ilmen, and larger pearls were brought from Kafa (Feodosia). Pearl embroidery has been known in Rus' since the 10th century. For several centuries, church vestments, shoes and clothes, hats and jewelry were trimmed with pearls.

From the middle of the 18th century, beads began to be used in folk costume along with pearls. Techniques for working with beads, used in the folk art of the Russian North and the Volga region, practically did not differ from the traditional methods of pearl sewing. When decorating a product, pearls, as a rule, were laid either over a previously wound cotton cord (sewing on a cord), or on top of a hemp or white cotton thread (sewing on linen), thereby rising above the plane of the fabric. The combination of large and small pearl grains in one composition emphasized the relief of the image.

In secular art, sewing, in attachment, spread. The technique originates in gold embroidery, when the thread was fixed on the fabric with small stitches of silk or linen thread. Most often, canvas served as the basis for embroidery, which could be additionally covered with silk fabric to enhance the play of light on the beads.

They were strung on a thread in a certain order and sewn with another thread with transverse stitches at intervals of several beads. When sewing, in an attachment, it was possible to place low (strung beaded threads), repeating the shape of the depicted, in a circle, in a spiral, emphasizing the bends and corners of the pattern. You could use cross-stitch as a basis. In this case, the lows were laid in close parallel rows, fastened with stitches through one or two beads, and strictly in the crosshairs of the weft and warp threads.

Similar embroidery could be done by sewing each bead separately. The surface of the embroidery could be completely covered with beads so that the illusion of a completely glass thing was created. In plot compositions with figures of people, sometimes the face and hands were painted with oil paints, and clothes were embroidered. When making very small items on velvet, silk, only the outline of the image was embroidered.

In addition to fabrics, other materials were sometimes used as the basis for embroidery. Since the 1830s, paper canvas was also used - thin cardboard with rows of small holes, unembroidered areas (background) were highlighted with watercolors.

The technique of lowering was used to make covers for caskets and trays. Weaving was used to create belts, stained glass windows for candlesticks. There was also a technique for pressing beads into wax. Its small varieties were pasted on paper, on fans and various wooden crafts. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, ladies' toilets were decorated with beads and glass beads.

Unfortunately, not so many old beaded items have been preserved. Beads are an imperishable material, but the basis of embroidery wears out, threads break, curious granddaughters cut grandmother's needlework for the sake of bright beads. In addition, until the beginning of the 20th century, beads were willingly bought for processing into enamel paints.

With the abolition of serfdom, the decline of beaded art in secular needlework began. In the folk, beads continued to be used, but already at the end of the 19th century, the ancient art had to be revived. In 1891, M. F. Yakunchikova set up a needlework embroidery and weaving workshop in the village of Solominka, Tambov province. The students of the workshop were engaged in landowner-type embroidery and lowering of the simplest products. Nowadays, interest in beadwork remains among many craftsmen who make paintings, icons, and decorate clothes.

In the 30s-50s of the 20th century, the art of beading and embroidery was revived. Handbags and purses, dresses embroidered with beads were in fashion. In the 60s, baubles became popular (in the hippie movement).

Unfortunately, currently lost many old secrets of the masters. But interest in beading has not completely faded.

Nowadays, interest in the forgotten art has awakened again. Currently, unique courses and circles on beadwork and beadwork are being created, and you can also often find beaded jewelry on store shelves and exhibitions.

Pictures embroidered with beads enjoy great attention. They display different themes, such as: spiritual direction (icons, churches); copies of paintings by famous artists (Leonardo da Vinci, Aivazovsky); the world of animals and birds, nature (landscapes, still lifes).

Those who today seek to join this type of needlework are sometimes confused by the complexity of embroidery and its apparent complexity. But, if you figure it out, then with sufficient diligence and perseverance, the necessary experience and skill quickly accumulate, and, therefore, the results will not be long in coming.
Modern craftswomen come up with new methods of working with this material. In our age of standard products, like centuries ago, a woman wants to be unique. Beaded jewelry, intricate embroidery - this is what can make her stand out from the crowd, give some sophistication to her outfit.

The second most popular type of beaded needlework after weaving. In this technique, you can make a picture, a handbag, jewelry or an icon.

Before you start embroidery, you need to decide what result is needed in the end - the choice of embroidery technique will depend on this.

The most popular technique is partial beadwork on a print. A print is a fabric with a pattern printed on it. Part of the pattern is specially marked in the form of squares of different colors, and it is here that the beads are sewn. This technique is very similar to counted cross-stitch, only a bead is sewn instead of crosses. The convenience of this technique lies in the fact that you do not need to follow the pattern according to the pattern (as in cross-stitching), since the pattern is applied directly to the fabric.

This technique is one of the easiest to perform. It is based on the monastery seam: all the stitches on the front side of the embroidery go diagonally, and on the wrong side - straight. In order to embroider, you need to bring the needle and thread to the front side in the lower left corner (or upper right) of a small square, put a bead of the required color on the needle and bring the needle from the front side to the wrong side through the upper right (or lower left) corner . This operation is repeated as many times as necessary.

They begin to embroider a picture in this way from any edge, moving along the rows: first, they completely embroider the first row, then move on to the next one, embroider it completely, etc.

The pattern embroidered with beads turns out as if raised above the printed one, depth, foreground and background appear.

The ratio of the printed pattern and the one intended for embroidery can be different: from a few beads to a dense stitching of most of the paintings.

The beauty of this embroidery largely depends on the experience of the needlewoman - it is unlikely that a large number of beads will be laid tightly and neatly to each other the first time. Therefore, you should start your acquaintance with this technique with prints where you need to embroider small areas.

On them, small errors in the placement of beads will not be very noticeable and the pattern will not warp. When embroidering in this way, it is very important to ensure that the beads are laid in one direction, otherwise the pattern will “float” (this is especially true for tight stitching).
In the same way, the full stitching of the picture is performed, in which case the entire print will be divided into squares.

This technique is also suitable for embroidery on a regular canvas, for beads of size 10 (it is most often used for embroidery), the size of Aida canvas is 14. In this case, cross-stitch patterns are suitable as a pattern, but instead of a cross, a bead will be sewn accordingly.

The advantage of this embroidery method is that you can embroider any desired pattern, including a photograph. There are special computer programs that convert a photograph into a diagram. Most often, elements for decoration are embroidered in this way, the canvas is quite dense and holds its shape well if it is cut off along the edges of the pattern.

The second way of embroidery with beads is embroidery in a circle. The pattern for this embroidery is also applied to the print and divided into squares, but it is located in a spiral, from the center to the edges. Such a print begins to be embroidered from a central point, gradually moving towards the edges of the pattern.

Such embroidery is a little more difficult than counting, and requires more time (especially for beginner craftswomen). When embroidering in this way, it is important to decide at what angle the beads will be sewn.

With circular embroidery, two types of stitches are mainly used - "stem" and "line".
Line stitch: there is one bead per stitch, then the needle returns back. To perform it, you need to bring the needle from the wrong side to the face between the first and second bead icons, put on the bead and insert the needle in front of the first square. Next, bring the needle out from the wrong side between the second and third squares, put on the bead again and insert the needle between the first and second squares, etc.

When making a stem stitch, the needle passes through one bead twice. To perform it, it is necessary to bring the needle from the wrong side to the front, put it on the needle and thread the needle from the front to the wrong side. Again bring the needle to the front side, re-thread it through the same bead and put on the next bead, again bring the needle to the wrong side. On the front side, we introduce a needle in front of the last sewn bead, thread the needle through it and put on a new bead of the corresponding color.

We repeat the necessary combination the required number of times.

When using a stalk stitch, the beads sit more tightly, which is better for circular embroidery, as the work is neater. It should be remembered that the monastic, line seam requires a large number of threads, and when performing a stalk seam, the thread consumption doubles. Keep this in mind when preparing materials.

It will not work to completely embroider the picture in a circle; closer to the corners, the arcs will be interrupted. In this case, the embroidery will go from one edge to the other. In this case, it is best to use an arched stitch for embroidery.
The technique of making an arched seam is similar to a stalk seam, only it is typed on the needle not one bead, but several, one bead is fixed on the fabric.

This method of embroidery does not give a tight fit of the beads to the fabric, the embroidery is not as rigid as when embroidering with the two previous methods.

The circular method is only suitable for embroidery on a print, it does not matter whether the picture is full or partial.

The arched stitch is suitable for embroidery when it does not fit tightly, in long rows, when you need to outline the outline, etc.

Since some of the beads with an arched seam do not fit tightly to the fabric, it is used when sheathing cabochons on fabric with mosaic weaving. Loose beads will be picked up in subsequent rows.

Stem and arch stitch are most often used for embroidery of jewelry. This or that method is chosen depending on whether it is necessary to tightly fit the beads to the fabric or not. Rows are embroidered with a uniform size of beads, or a mix of beads and is used.

In any case, with these embroidery methods, the rows will be clearly visible.

Sometimes the needlewoman needs the background of the product to be randomly filled with beads, and separate rows are not visible, or she just needs to sew individual beads at a distance from each other. In this case, use the seam "forward needle".

When it is performed, there is one bead per step of the needle. First, we bring the needle and thread to the face, put on the bead and stick the needle back - inside out. Again we bring the needle to the face, put on the bead, etc. The peculiarity of this seam is that you do not need to ensure that the beads look in one direction.

Jewelry embroidered in this way looks very interesting when using different sizes of beads and beads.
It is worth starting such embroidery with the largest elements (cabochon, rivoli, beads, glass beads) gradually adding smaller ones (beads from 10 to 15 sizes).

When embroidering jewelry, craftsmen do not focus on a clear pattern, where each bead has a specific place (this does not apply to jewelry using elements embroidered on canvas). Needlewomen are guided by their vision, sketch, materials.

Sometimes, when embroidering with beads, one more stitch is used - "attached".

This is one of the fastest ways to embroider. First, the required amount of beads is typed on a thread, then it is applied to the contour. Then we bring the needle from the wrong side to the face, and pass it to the wrong side between the beads, fixing the thread on which the beads are typed. However, needlewomen do not really like this method of embroidery, since the beads are not fixed on the fabric and the pattern can shift, it will turn out sloppy.

Icon embroidery

Embroidered icons have become one of the most popular handmade gifts today. The process of embroidering an icon with beads is no different from embroidering a picture. The scheme for embroidering the icon is printed on a print, which is intended either for partial embroidery with a monastery stitch, or for circular embroidery.

There are also schemes that combine both embroidery techniques.

But the icon is not fully embroidered with beads. Beadwork is most often subject to clothing, halos, the background, the faces of saints remain unembroidered.

However, it is worth remembering that an icon is not a picture, so before you start embroidering it, you should take a blessing from the priest.
In any case, no matter what embroidery method you choose, the main thing is that creativity brings pleasure.

Beadwork- This is a handmade art of decoration, which has gained its distribution since ancient times. Canvas, leather, linen, cambric, tulle, cotton and other materials were decorated with various patterns. Embroidery was created in different techniques using threads, beads, stones, using tools such as needles, hoops, scissors, thimbles. And this is not the whole list of tools and materials. In the modern world, we are faced with various types of embroidery, which, after so many years, have been preserved for us by our ancestors.

Passion precisely bead embroidery reached its zenith at the end of the 18th century. Glass beads were used to decorate clothes and shoes, accessories, embroidered panels and paintings. They depicted various landscapes, everyday scenes, military events and religious motifs, embroidered icons and churches. In the modern world, beads still do not go out of fashion, many leading fashion designers from different countries cannot do without beaded jewelry. Beads have an unlimited number of colors and are available to everyone at their price. For many women, both then and now, beadwork has become a favorite hobby. This needlework requires good patience, concentration, accuracy and skill. They embroider, as before, paintings, accessories and clothes.

These are very beautiful products, but painstaking work. A beginner in this business should have patience and perseverance. As in any needlework art, beadwork must comply with certain rules:

1. the number of beads in a row corresponds to the number of cells in the pattern line
2. beads must be the same size
3. beads must be sewn with the same slope and be strictly even
4. the main element of the pattern must be distinguished by the finish and be in the center of the embroidery
5. embroidery on the canvas is done in rows
6. many people use fishing line, either synthetic or chrome-plated threads
7. the color of the canvas and the thread must match
8. the length of the thread per row should be 4-5 times longer than the width of the embroidery itself
9. you need to use a hoop or tapestry frame so that the embroidery fabric is very tightly stretched

Beginners are advised to purchase embroidery in a set, which is sold in specialized stores. It contains everything you need: canvas, embroidery chart, beads, needle and instructions for embroidery. Also, the process of work is facilitated by a pattern that is deliberately applied to the fabric. Next to the diagram there is information on the correspondence of the colors of the beads with the designations on the diagram. Before starting work, the fabric must be stretched on the hoop.

These are certain guides to make it easier for a beginner to start working with beads, and already experienced needlewomen will be able to draw up individual schemes at their discretion.

To secure the bead, you can sew it with a stitch to the fabric, or use a smaller bead to form a small column. You can also insert sequins. Sewn beads of different colors, sizes, sewn close to each other or one by one will look beautiful. To add volume to the embroidery, you can make columns of two or more beads.

Main seams beadwork according to the scheme:

1. Seam "Forward needle". He is known to us since school, from labor lessons. Bring the needle to the front side, string a bead on it and pass the needle through the fabric close to the bead. Again bring the needle to the front side, making a small stitch from the wrong side and again, string the bead.
2. Line seam. It is similar in execution to the "Forward needle" seam and to sewing in attachment. You yourself choose and change the distance between the beads. To fix the beads on a straight or smooth curved line or a straight line, to stiffen the embroidery, then after completing the stitch, pass in the opposite direction with the needle again. In this case, the beads will stand up more evenly.
3. The seam is stalk. This method gives the embroidery rigidity, and quite strong. Dial 2 beads and pass the needle through the fabric to the wrong side near the second bead. Bring the needle to the front part between the first and second beads, go through the hole of the second bead. String the third bead and again pass the needle to the wrong side near the just strung bead. Continue until you reach the desired stitch length.
4. The seam is arched ("Back the needle"). It is similar to the previous seam, but here we string 2-4 beads on the needle. With this method of sewing, the beads are located more freely, the embroidery is less rigid. To make the arched seam more rigid, you can go back not one, but two or three beads.
5. Seam fastened. We first string the beads on a thread, which we then sew to the fabric with short stitches between the beads. Such sewing allows you to quickly make beadwork, it is no coincidence that the North American Indians dubbed this method the phrase "Lazy wife". We lay the thread with beads on the fabric. With another thread, we sew the bottom of the bead through each bead or through 2-3 beads. This stitch is used when you need to fill the area to be embroidered with rows of beads close to each other.
6. The seam "Forward the needle" is double-sided. It looks like a "Forward needle", with the only difference being that the purl stitch is made longer and a bead is also strung on it.
7. The seam is stalk-line double-sided. This seam is obtained from lowercase and stalk. With this method, the embroidery is hard.
8. The seam is double-sided. On the thread that sews the beads to the fabric, we string a bead from the wrong side, and then the needle goes to the front of the embroidery, a stitch is made that sews the beaded low to the fabric. The needle goes to the wrong side, where, before entering the front part, a bead is again strung on the thread.
9. Seam "Monastic". On the front side, one bead is strung on each stitch, then we make a diagonal stitch and the thread goes to the wrong side close to the bead. We make a vertical stitch on the wrong side, the thread comes out to the right side again and we make another diagonal stitch with a bead. As a result, diagonal stitches with beads strung on them are obtained from the front side, and vertical stitches from the wrong side. When embroidering with beads on a bead, you need to sew diagonally into the canvas cell. It is important that the length of the bead roughly matches the size of the canvas cell diagonally. In this case, the image is not deformed.
10. Overcast seam. It is carried out as a simple overcasting seam, only we insert a bead into each upper loop.

Beads can be directly involved in almost any seam. Do not be afraid to experiment, fantasize!