Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

re: Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

gemstonebeads — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 09:32:47 GMT

very nice cabochons beads and different shape.

re: Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

Cydne — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 12:53:49 GMT

For a bead embroidery or an open back bezel, I like to start with a row of RAW. Embroidery: Leave a 10" tail and work RAW with #11 cylinders for about an inch. Glue/tape the cabochon to the foundation. Put a needle on the tail and sew down the 1st "floor" bead of the first RAW stitch to the foundation. Tie off tail at back of foundation. Continue working RAW until it is long enough to form a snug circle around the cabochon when linked to the 1st RAW stitch. Now sew down all the "floor" beads in each stitch to the foundation. This gives you the height of 3 peyote rows on your bezel and you end up with an even number of beads in your top row automatically. I work peyote for 2 or 3 more rows, ending with #15 beads for my last row to tighten it.

Open back bezel: Work RAW to form the 1st outside circumference row on the cabochon. work 2-3 rows of peyote, ending with #15s. Fit to the back of the cab to get proper tension and pass thru all beads again and knot. Move thread to other side of RAW and work 1 row of peyote. Put cab in place, snug up the row by passing through all beads again. Continue to work front of bezel with as many rows as you wish.

Of course you can work either bezel with all RAW, which really speeds up the process!

re: Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

susan@tomanekfamily.com — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 21:31:00 GMT

I am a complete newbie to bead embroidery although I have embellished my quilts with a lot of beading. So, first question - what backing should I use?

re: Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

katymom75 — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 17:16:35 GMT

I love your comment about being a cabochon addict and that admitting it didn't necessarily help. I'm addicted to beads of all kinds, and just took a course in metalwork. Maybe we could start some 12-step program for bead addicts.....

re: Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

twoll5 — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 22:08:47 GMT

Ooooops! I forgot to specify in the above comment that I used Brick Stitch in decreasing bead sizes for the front and back of my Ladder Stitched cube method.

Happy Beading

Allison C aka Twoll5

re: Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

twoll5 — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:36:20 GMT

I'm not sure if you do the same in the US, but here in the UK if we are making a comment about an expletive that we don't want to say, we refer to it as the "X word." X being the expletive's initial letter. In our Beadworkers Guild UK (www.beadworkersguild.org.uk) we have a "G word" ie glue!! We do use extra tacky double sided tape though until the cabochon is secured.

As one who has made various fused glass cabochons, I prefer open backed bezelling methods. Most stitches can be used for open backed bezelling. You could also adapt the techniques used for bezelling Rivolis.

Try a round of Right Angle Weave (in 11s/ Delicas/ 15s to fit your cab. If needed work another round of RAW to the depth of you cab. Join the ends to form a ring. Then work a row of Peyote between the RAW "turret" beads. Work one or two more Peyote rounds decreasing either by stitches or by bead size to fit the top of your cab. Then work your thread to the back of your RAW strip to repeat the Peyote rows on the back.

A method I developed for my fused glass, before gaining confidence in Peyote was published in issue 38 of the BWG Journal (only available to members but International members welcome see above URL). Ladder stitch a strip of cube beads - only 4mm cubes were available to me at that time, Join the ends to form a ring. Then work rounds of decreasing bead sizes, if using 4mm cubes then 6s, 8s, 11s, 15s as required to fit round the cab. If using smaller cubes, then you will need to use smaller sized seed beads.

Jennifer Airs has just finished series of articles on open backed bezelling in the UK's "Bead Magazine," available in both digital and print formats (www.beadmagazine.co.uk/page2_imag.asp)

I hope this is helpful

Allison C aka Twoll5 :-))

re: Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

Anna Winter — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 16:21:01 GMT

Thank you for simple, clear instructions. That is appreciated.

re: Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

BarbaraG@91 — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 13:39:12 GMT

I teach beading around cabochons at William Holland School of Lapidary Arts. I would make one caution about using cylinder in the red family. Some of my students were using pinks & reds and using Fireline. The next day we found some of beads cut. Later in querying bead store owners as to why this would happen, I found out that Fireline when pulled tightly can cut the red family because their walls are thinner. I recommend to my students to use Nymo or related threads for cabs.

re: Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

Patriciakoko — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 03:50:10 GMT

I saw the topic and immediately clicked on it...I am one of a group of Lapidary Ladies. For us the Cab is the star but Silver is expensive so we are interested in beading our cabs HOWEVER we want to the back of our carefully worked stones to show as well as the front. Any ideas to help us?

re: Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

Patricia Law — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 02:21:57 GMT

Hello,

I was excited to hear about beading a bezel for cabochons. I have made all of my own cabochons with semi-precious stone (lapidary). I found it strange to call something made of polymer clay or ceramic a cabochon. Some of my stones are transparent - why would I want to put a backing on those? Imagine aventurine, moss agate, rose quartz, rutilated and tourmalinated quartz, and several of the jades with a backing. Inner light brings out beauty in many stones. Also, my cabochon would not feel right with a backing. Apart from the classic oval cabochons, I have made lots of freeforms. I would love to know how to sew a narrow bezel - without a backing - for any shape of stone cabochon. I usually use Sterling Silver or Gold Filled wire to frame my work. It could be a very pretty change to use seed beads - definitely less expensive. Thanks.

Trish Law

re: Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

shiga — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 00:43:49 GMT

To bead a bezel on a cabochon, I found putting an appropriate size strip of double back tape is the way to go. Put a string of beads, even or odd depending on you pattern. When it is secure and strait begin you second row of peyote stitch etc. hope this helps.

re: Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

absynith — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 18:38:27 GMT

Instead of double sided tape I use Glue Dots. They are super awesome and are found in the scrapbook section of your local craft store. Check them out.

re: Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

lisapetersART — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:34:42 GMT

what a great idea with the double sided tape!

that is some pile of cabs Jennifer! love to see them in the hands of such a talented designer!

re: Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

whimbeads — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:30:43 GMT

I agree with the shorter thread length, not only for speed in beading, but also for strength in the final piece of beadwork. The more you need to drag a beading thread through beads or fabric, the higher the risk of the thread breaking down and the fibers beginning to separate. Once your thread begins to fray not only are you at a greater risk for knots and tangles, but the thread is no longer as strong.

Another option for making sure your rows are even, not just your first bezel rows but all subsequent rows in bead embroidery, is to pass your needle and thread through all of the beads again a second time. Many times this will just help them all line up neatly. For the first bezel row this can be very helpful, specially to newbies, so that the beadwork is firm, holds its place, and then the rows of Peyote you place on top of it come out neat and tidy.

re: Five Secrets for Better Bead Embroidered Cabochons

oliviarosestone — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 10:57:06 GMT

Thank you! I've lots of cabs and would love to learn how to bead around them.