Budding Beads
Create a beautiful picture using your cross-stitch skills and some brilliant beads. It has a shine and lustre that will brighten any room!
Counted beadwork is very similar to cross-stitch. Stitched on 14-count aida, one bead will cover one square of the fabric. Why not re-use old cross-stitch charts that you have tucked away, adding beads of your choice? The addition of beads will make your work shimmer and shine. Our chart uses symbols to denote colour in exactly the same way as a cross-stitch chart.
You will need
Create a beautiful picture using your cross-stitch skills and some brilliant beads. It has a shine and lustre that will brighten any room!
Counted beadwork is very similar to cross-stitch. Stitched on 14-count aida, one bead will cover one square of the fabric. Why not re-use old cross-stitch charts that you have tucked away, adding beads of your choice? The addition of beads will make your work shimmer and shine. Our chart uses symbols to denote colour in exactly the same way as a cross-stitch chart.
You will need
 |
| Budding Beads |
- 18 x 13cm (7" x 5") 14-count Rustico or Fiddler's Cloth
- Polyester sewing thread to match fabric Size 10 needle
- Anchor stranded cotton: Stone Green 842, Pale Sage Green 215, Sage Green 876, Deep Green 683
- Beadesign beads: Pale Lavender BD17, Purple/Blue BD19, Yellow BD48
Step by step
Step 1
Before starting, mark the centre of your fabric with a contrasting thread. For a piece of work of this size, it's best to mount your fabric in a frame.
Step 2
Attach your thread to the back of your work with a few small back¬stitches.
Step 3
The beads are attached with a W diagonal stitch (half cross-stitch). Follow our diagram: bring the needle out at A, thread a bead onto the needle and go back down at B. To continue, come out at C and go back down through D and so on.
Step 4
Keep working in the same direction,, ' from left to right. Do not jump more a than four holes along the fabric without ^ a stitch as you will lose the tension.
Secure the thread on the wrong side to keep taught.
Step 5
Once finished, fasten off your thread securely with a few back¬stitches on the wrong side. Remove from the frame and mount.
Step 6
Your work may be washed if you like. Lay it flat, right side up, to dry. The beads will not be affected by careful ironing but take care not to -Ife distort them.
Your work may be washed if you like. Lay it flat, right side up, to dry. The beads will not be affected by careful ironing but take care not to -Ife distort them.
