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Bead Embroidery

Embroidery involves sewing decorative stitches on fabric.  Beads can be incorporated into any embroidery stitch.  Backstitch (also known as return stitch and running stitch), buttonhole stitch, chain stitch, couching, cretan stitch, cross-stitch, feather stitch, herringbone stitch, lazy stitch, single stitch, tambour, and tent stitch are some popular options. 

For single stitch embroidery,begin by passing the needle through the fabric, from wrong side to right side, at the place where the first bead is to go. String a bead and pass the needle back through the fabric right next to the bead. Bring the needle back through the fabric where the next bead is to go, thread one bead and go back down through the fabric. Continue.

Use bugle beads between two seed beads to protect the thread from the sharp edges on bugle beads and single-stitch as one bead.

single stitch bead embroidery

For backstitch embroidery, begin by passing through the fabric, from wrong side to right side. String 4 beads. Lay the beads against the fabric and pass down through it just past the fourth bead. Pass up through the fabric between the second and third beads and pass through the last two beads just strung. String 4 beads and repeat.
backstitch bead embroidery

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