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| About Nancy |
Free Beading Tutorials
Also see my Free Beading Lesson Videos
| Large Beaded Imagery | |
| Supplies: Lacy's Stiff Stuff, pencil, colored pencils or permanent markers, size 11 or smaller seed beads, Silamide beading thread, size 12 Sharps needle, light box or window. | |
| 1. Find a copyright free image. I found the Monarch on
my state's DNR web site and discovered it is Minnesota's state insect. Any section or line on your line drawing pattern must be at least the width of a size 11 seed bead. The image may need to be enlarged on a copy machine. Trace the pattern on to Lacy's Stiff Stuff. Color all sections of pattern with either colored pencils or permanent markers in a color corresponding the the bead color you will use for that section. Markers will take overnight to dry. |
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| 2. When dry, cut out the pattern on the outer pencil
line. The pattern remains one piece. Baste pattern using a running stitch to
right side of fabric or project. Put pattern in hoop. If possible find a
colored photo of the imagery to help you decide on bead colors to use. Using the beaded back stitch, bead the fine lines first so that they hold their position. If you bead the large areas first, they will over run the fine lines on the pattern. Follow the above link to two on-line beading lessons to learn the beaded back stitch. |
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| 3. I also filled in the black edges of the wings in this step. Notice how I used bugles and faux pearls to cover the white areas on the top wing tips. |  |
| 4. The body is the next small area that I wanted to
preserve, so I beaded it next. I used a long stitch and stitched
from side to side only for this part of the pattern. This enhances the illusion of a real
monarch. Follow the above link to the on-line beading lesson to learn the long stitch. |
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| 5. Return to using the beaded back stitch. Referring to my color photo for color placement on the pattern, I used several colors of orange beads. |  |
| 6. Here is the completed Monarch butterfly.
More detailed instructions on making beaded imagery can be found on pages
53-55, in my book Bead Creative
Art Quilts.
Have Fun Beading! |
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