Three Dimensional Texture - Beading

Beads add a touch of elegance to cloth.  They shimmer as they catch the light and their subtle shadows add depth. I tend toward minimalism, so I use beads sparingly.  If I don't rein myself in, I can easily end up with so much beading that it detracts from the piece. Too much of a good thing can be ... well, too much!

The three pieces below are from a series I created a few years ago.  I chose to use hand stitching and beading on all the pieces.

I Am . . . Peace, detail

A cluster of blue and blue/violet beads adds dimension to the center focal point.

I Am . . . Peace, detail

Individual seed beads highlight the edges of the "flower" shape.

I Am . . . Peace, 42" x 42", Silk noil

I Am . . . Joy, detail

The seed beads form a spiral path that leads the eye through the cloth.  This cloth also has hand couched threads and yarns.

I Am . . . Joy, 42" x 42", Silk noil

I Am . . . Spirit, detail

Rather than a cluster of beads at the center, small gold beads  delicately surround the central focal point.

I Am . . . Spirit, detail

Individual seed beads highlight the edges of some of the swirls that are printed throughout the cloth.

I Am . . . Spirit, 42" x 42", Silk noil

One of the things I love about using beads this way is their subtlety.  From afar, you can't see them.  They are a "reward" for taking a closer look.


How do you use beading in your work?

Read the next entry in this series on needle felting.