A Time to Stitch 7

It is time for another "A Time to Stitch" hosted by Therese Frank and Christine Altmiller, this round is number seven and I am so happy to be participating because it is my favorite form of beading…. Bead Embroidery.

I fell in love with Bead Embroidery a long time ago, and have always held a soft spot in my heart for it.  To me it is like painting on a blank canvas but with beads. The creative juices just flow and I find that once I start a piece it is almost impossible for me to put it down until it’s completed. 

I love working with seed beads and special stones, stones that have deep meaning to me and then adding different elements and pieces that make each piece a statement of their own and a work of art. 

As most of you know I was recently blessed with the most precious gift ever, a beautiful granddaughter.  

Zoe Amelia

I wanted to make something very special for her to come home from the hospital in and as I am a knitter as well as a beader, I wanted to incorporate both into something spectacular. I made her the most precious one of a kind pair of slippers; fit for a princess (for that’s what she is to me). I knitted a pair of tiny “Mary Jane” type slippers in the softest pink wool, felted them and then went crazy covering them in beautiful pearls, crystals, seed beads, and small tiny silver beads. I showed my good friend who had just become an auntie to an adorable little niece and she asked that I make her a pair as well. Both pairs are very unique and I am sure will become heirlooms. To go with each pair of slippers I made a tiny seed pearl bracelet for each precious child.

Princess Zoe Amelia Slippers

Princess Everly Slippers

I was having so much fun making these that I made the little mice slippers as well, and even though there are not as many beads on these one’s they are just as cute – let’s call them everyday slippers with beady little eyes.

Little Mice for tiny feet

I have made many bead embroidery pieces, large and small, bracelets and necklaces – they still intrigue me, see here and here. My tastes have shifted slightly and I now wear simpler designs, see here. That being said bead embroidery can be used to make some pretty awesome pendants.  The first pendant was made to showcase the beautiful mauve iridescent crystal I had in my stash. I may be wearing simpler designs but they are still sparkly. The crystal is such a pretty color and luckily I had some perfectly matching and complimentary drops, a glass cab and seed beads to go with it. I loved how the pendant turned out but was undecided on the rope. I tried many different rope designs and was actually getting quite frustrated. Then when visiting my LBS I saw the prettiest mauve wire and knew that a Viking knit rope was the answer - perfect combination in my mind.

Ishtar

 

The second piece I made features a large ruby drop pendant. I loved the stone as soon as I saw it and as my husband and I were on vacation I thought I would get it to celebrate our time away. The price seemed exceptionally reasonable for such a large ruby so I eagerly took it to the counter to purchase. I was a bit shocked to find out the price was per gram not for the whole pendant and it was substantially more than I originally thought. That is a little secret we just won’t mention to my husband. Considering the price of the stone I wanted to do something special with it but couldn’t think what, it sat for a long time. Then ATTS7 came along and it begged to be used.  I love East Indian clothing and jewelry and this being a ruby fit so well. I used pearls, seed bead, crystals, garnets and of course the ruby. Again I had trouble deciding on the rope but settled upon an embellished RAW rope. I love how this turned out – I just need to find some ruby drop earrings to go with it.

India

 

Thank you Therese and Christine for hosting this awesome event, here's to many more.

List of participants:

Therese (Host) 
Christine  (Host)
Amy
Lola
Lori F
Kim
Becky Pancake
Karin G.

LizE
Maryanne
Paula

Wendy
Janet
Jasvanti
Ginger
Alicia
Bobbie
Shirley
Sarah
Cynthia

Lizzie
Samantha
Sally
Niki