It’s Friday, April 12, Artistic Artifacts’ day to celebrate the publication Beaded Embroidery Stitching: 125 Stitches to Embellish with Beads, Buttons, Charms, Bead Weaving & More by Christen Brown!
Please comment on our posting of this blog tour — use the field at the bottom of the page and be sure to include your email address — to be eligible for our random drawing to win an e-book copy of this beautiful book from us!
I have long been a fan of beading and have often incorporated it into my art quilts (you can visit past blog posts here and here for some examples). When Artistic Artifacts was selected as a 2018 Top Shop by Quilt Sampler magazine, our magazine exclusive project was a batik panel quilt with beading! Our Artistic Artifacts Quilt Sampler kit is available in several colors and includes a Hari Agung batik panel, coordinating Australian Aborigine Designed fabrics and our own Batik Tambal Exclusive Batiks, plus beads, Silamide thread (my favorite) and a needle to embellish!
Colorful Batik Panel Quilts: 28 Quilting and Embellishing Inspirations from Around the World, is my first book and was published at the beginning of this year — here’s a link to my blog post about it (which also features beading). Colorful Batik Panel Quilts features a section on embellishing: “Beading on panels is one of my favorite embellishing techniques. Beads and crystals can add sparkle and texture to enhance the design of the panel and make it your own,” I wrote. “Single stitch and back stitch are two techniques I use most.”
Beaded Embroidery Stitching from C&T Publishing features 125 bead embroidery and bead woven stitches, and readers can search both stitches organized by type with a complete visual guide or the A-to-Z stitch index. There is a wonderful assortment of beautiful dimensional stitches that I thought would be perfect for my project.
Above, my quilted batik panel quilt before I started beading. The center floral panel is another from Hari Agung. I gathered my other supplies, beads, beading needles (Tulip brand, which are in my opinion the best quality), a beading awl (useful to reposition beads or clear the hole of coatings so your needle can go through) and Silamide.
An obvious choice when working on a batik panel featuring flowers was exploring Christen’s Beaded Pistil Stitch. I enjoyed learning this technique and am thrilled with the dimension it adds!
I wanted to try out her Feather and Fly Stitches to accent one of the leaves in my panel.
Despite Christen’s very clear instructions, my attempt went a bit awry with this one — I told you I was used to freeform stitching! But even so, I love the way the bead embroidery enhances the leaf in my panel. Christen begins her book with explaining, and illustrating, how beads come in many different shapes and sizes, with seed beads are numbered from low to high: the higher the number, the smaller the bead. My preference is for mixing colors and sizes of beads together (that’s what you find in the Artistic Artifacts bead mixes I’m using here), but a uniform line of beads would also be perfect on my leaves.
Above, I added tiny striped beads to accent the edge of the petals.
Christen’s chapter Where Do Designs Come From? (page 30) points out that a fabric with a strong print can be “used as the focal or base of an embroidered design. The embroidery and embellishments can follow the lines and shapes of the print and enhance any open spaces.” I offer the same advice about free-motion quilting — follow the lines of your fabric design — and one of the pleasures of beading a batik panel is that there is so much ‘guidance’ in the fabric. The above project from my book illustrates that point — as well as Christen’s belief that “Adding larger beads, charms, and buttons gives interest and definition to your project.”
Anyone who knows me knows I am a huge lover of vintage beaded textiles and accessories, so I enjoyed learning more about how these influenced Christen’s work. I used to create pins and brooches by the handful (see more here) so her Beaded Brooches project (page 94, one example above left) was of interest. Beaded Embroidery Stitching includes instructions on creating beaded edges, which as you see are beautiful on dimensional shapes!
I’m thankful to Diane Herbort, who often teaches at Artistic Artifacts — she and Christen are long-time friends and Diane recommended us to her for this blog tour. Beaded Embroidery Stitching is a resource all embroiderers, crazy quilters, craft sewists, jewelry makers and more will want to add to their library. I was interested to learn more about how Christen achieves her beautiful work, and this book didn’t disappoint. The plentiful photographs are truly eye candy, and each project includes clear instructions, plus a photo ‘map’ so you can see exactly what stitch is used where (example here).
Below is the complete Beaded Embroidery Stitching Blog Tour lineup — please visit each blog each day to see their reviews, how they have been inspired, and more. Follow each blog’s directions for how to be eligible to win — if you aren’t our winner, you have several chances to be someone else’s!
- April 8: C&T Publishing, https://www.ctpub.com/blog
- April 9: Allie Aller, https://alliesinstitches.blogspot.com/
- April 10: Kathy Seaman Shaw, http://www.shawkl.com/
- April 11: Laura Wasilowski, http://artfabrik.com/
- April 12: Judy Gula, Artistic Artifacts, https://www.artisticartifacts.com/blog/
- April 13: Brian Haggard, http://www.brianhaggard.com/
- April 14: Christen Brown, https://1creativeone.wordpress.com/
You can learn more about this beautiful book and order your copy on our website. Also by Christen Brown:
- Embroidered and Embellished: 85 Stitches Using Thread, Floss, Ribbon, Beads & More. The complete visual guide to hand embroidery and embellishing and an essential embroidery reference for everyone from beginners to experts. This richly illustrated reference guide from embroidery expert Christen Brown covers everything you need to make beautiful magic with needle and thread.
- The Embroidery Book: Visual Resource of Color & Design. A step-by-step visual guide to 149 embroidery stitches, motifs, and extras with robust color charts that take the guesswork out of choosing thread, buttons, and trims. Stitch classic seam treatments and stunning stand-alone designs as you go beyond the basics to learn what embroidery can do for you.
- Embroidery Stencils, Essential Collection help you create unique designs to embroider: hearts, flowers, baskets, butterflies, spiderwebs, vines, feather stitches, and more using the 4 in. x 8 in. stencils that combine to create 90+ embroidery designs.
Remember, leave a comment and your email address to be eligible to win an ebook copy of Beaded Embroidery Stitching!
Above, my supplies and tools are ready for my next beading session!
This looks like a fabulous book! Thanks for the chance to win a copy!
cross your fingers and toes!
This looks like a must-have reference book for anyone who loves to add beads to quilts…or anything! Fun!!!!
Very Fun!
I love Christen’s books. I already own two of them. Here’s hoping I win a third!
Yes, I have every book as well. – have you seen the embroidery stencils? we have them on our website also.
The cover alone of Christen Brown’s book draws you in… what gorgeous color & beading texture! Judy’s beaded accents are beautiful additions to her quilts.
Love the beading!
Judy, thank you so much for participating in the blog tour, this was an amazing post!
Our Pleasure!
How wonderful it would be to win this fab-fabulous book on beading! Thanks for the chance to win!
I love to bead and to add beading to my Crazy Quilting and embroidery, so Christen’s book would certainly be a wonderful addition to my library. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
Great post about a fabulous book.
Looks like a beautiful book. I would love to win a copy!
This book is on my must buy list!
That would be a fun book to have.
Great ideas for beading! I want to win this one!
Fascinated by these techniques
Just the book I’ve been looking for. Beautiful!
Great ideas for beading on many projects.
This looks like such a fabulous book. Would love to win!
This looks like a wonderful treasure of information. I love the idea of upgrading a fabric panel!
I already own one of Christen’s books and would love to own another. It is so inspiring.
Thank you for this beautiful and inspiring post! I loved the ideas and photos.
Hey Judy! I’m currently beading on one of your batik panels. The one with the chickens. I know this book would be a great add to my project so please keep me in mind. Thanks for doing the review! Miss y’all! Carmen
This is a lovely book and I would love to have it!
It’s a beautiful book.
I already love the beaded strand examples that are shown on the cover which really complement the shapes and hues of the fabrics! It would be lovely to win this book so I can make a dent in my vast bead collection which has been a bit dormant recently. Thank you Christen for sharing your expertise and creativity with us!
Merne, you are our lucky winner! Please email us at sales@artisticartifacts.com so we may arrange delivery of your ebook!
Hi…what a fabulous surprise! I have a large bead stash and love to embellish my handmade felted pieces and make beaded, embroidered statement jewelry. I can’t wait to look through Christen’s book and try out her designs! Thank you so much!
I love the 3D effect, it makes the flowers come alive.
Would love a copy of the book. (April is my birthday month, and it’s one of the big ones this year!
Would love to own this book. Thank you for opportunity to possibly win one.
I’m looking forward to trying Christen’s beaded embroidery techniques!
Quite Spectacular!
Oooh, looks like quite the beading book. Must have!!!!
Looks like a great book. I have started bead embroidery, but need more help. Winning this book would be great!
Your panel looks absolutely wonderful and love the dimension. The beading added.
Just finished a small wool applique project that I embellished with beadwork. Would love to receive this book and learn more about beading.