Beading on Quilts

[Beth A.]

Anyone use beads on their quilts/wall hangings?

I love beads. Many years ago I was into jewelry making and taught classes as well as selling beads and beading supplies. I kept the beads that were leftover when I closed the business and have been using them in quilts ever since.

I started out with the obivious -- flower centers and the like. Then slowly progressed from there. Now I just work the beads in where ever they seem to fit. I like to use beads on my landscape quilts -- I have these glass beads that look like stones -- I use those a lot. I also sometimes do a beaded edge on my smaller works instead of binding.

One of my favorite things to do with beads is to make my own beaded appliques. I love to use those in my quilts, but unfortunately don't very often because the appliques take a lot of time.

Anyone else out there using beads? Let's hear what you're doing with them.

[Beth A.]

Hi,
I use them to give my wall quilts a little sparkle. But then, I don't hesitate to use whatever I think might make the quilt "mine". ritzy

[Robin G.]

I have just completed a quilt for a show and for the first time, I used some judicious beading just to give it slightly more pizzazz and to emphasize a couple of motifs. I love the look it has given the quilt! I can't wait to expand my thinking of what beads could add to my next quilts. Since I mainly quilt by machine, I tried hand sewing all my beads in place and found that I like the relaxation of the hand-sewing part. There are so many beautiful beads avalable right now with the resurgence in jewelry making. I urge any one to try adding a few beads to even a very traditional quilt to see all the possibilities.

[Robin G.]

I recently used matte-finish seed beads on my MicroCosmos Challenge quilts (my only work currently posted in the Quilt Gallery section). They represent pills spilled out and swirling around. I also used a red glass bead as a tiny drop of blood. I thought it was much more effective than French Knots or a machine stitch. I will definitely use beads for more projects.

Before that, I'd used buttons to cover flowers that didn't meet together well in the center!

[Robin G.]

I've just completed a beading class at Quilt University. Now I"m anxious to use more beads on my quilts. I had been stitching embroidery stitches on some already, but now I can fill the thread with beads and have beaded stiches for accents.

So many wonderful beads out there; it's hard to choose what to use. Then add in sequins stitched down with beads, and you'll never stop. *S*

[Evelyne C.]

How was that class at QU? I considered it but ended up taking something else and put it on hold.

[Evelyne C.]

The class was To Bead or Not to Bead. I've taken a number of classes at QU and found this one to be one of the best.

It gave me all the beading techniques that I didn't have and has made me feel very comfortable using beads and sequins on quilt tops.

Beading around batik patterns is something I would not have attempted before, but now I will have no trouble at all.

As you can see, I highly recommend it for the next time they offer it.

[Annette R.]

I do a lot of beading using both the more expensive glass beads and plastic beads depending on the project. If I am making a garmernt for my g dau or doing one with her that will be used (and abused a lot ) I use plastic beads or the more inexpensive ones. For my own clothes and for wall hangings. I use the glass beads or other beads that I buy at a couple of bead shops. They are not cheap but depending on the project I want good beads; Nancy Eha is a member here and has some absolutely drop dead gorgeous beaded projects. I have gotten a lot of inspiration looking at her websitse but you should be able to search here or on the web, and find her.
I have developed something I call beaded applique nog
very fancy and I am sure others have done it. basically I draw the design on good quality cloth - trigger cloth if I can get it . Then I bead the design and then applique it to the shirt purse etc. I found that beading on T shirts is very difficult and time consuming because they stretch.
Right now I have twhibiscus wall hangings that a reverses of each other I cut them chantelle stlye. I intend to use cotton piping beaded for the stamen and put a three dimensional butterfly on each and will put beads on the butterfly if it needs to jazzed up abit.

[Annette R.]

The beaded appliques are fun aren't they? I wish I could make more of them but they take me a lot of time -- so they are in my something special for a very special project category.

[Annette R.]

I've submitted a quilt to the Keepsake Challenge that evolved into mass beading - the first time I've really tried beading a quilt. When I started, the beads were just going to be here and there, but the more I beaded, the more the quilt wanted. I ened up with over 11K beads on it. And it's only 30" square! I absolutely *love* it and am waiting to hear from Keepsake. I've posted it to my profile - called The Big Bang. Unfortunately, it was difficult to photograph, so the beads are very difficult to see. I enjoyed it so much, I'm working on the plans for another beaded quilt.

[Annette R.]

kwiltinmama--that quilt is amazing! My kids got me some beads for Christmas and I'm just waiting for the right project to use them on.

[Annette R.]

I am trying to machine quilt beads onto my quilted handbags. What am I doing wrong when one or two beads come off my quilted piece? Are the stitching threads too close to the bead, so they break? Does anyone have any suggestions for keeping the beads put? I am using Monofilament thread from Superior in the needle thread and bobbin.

[Annette R.]

Is it possible that the inside of the bead is rough (or maybe the top/bottom edges are sharp) and causing abrasion on the threads? You might want to test some of your beads by using a soft fiber or even one of those fuzzy dental flosses and "floss "the inside of the beads and see if they are rough. I have had some buttons come off clothing because of that problem...and some shoelaces fray and break because of rough eyelets.

Louisa
SE OK

[Judith T.]

Ann, I have signed up to take a beading class with Nancy Eha in January '08 when she comes to Quilting in the Desert in Phoenix.
About 3 years ago, I started a wall hanging that I had seen on a calendar of a mermaid and I began to put beads to outline her tail. Of course, it still is in the basket but I might just take it out and bead the whole tail.

Judy in AZ where the nights have finally cooled off.

[Judith T.]

Beading can be both time and labor intensive. I love beading but too often deadlines determine if or how much beading is on a quilt. It also largely depends on the condition of my wrist at any given moment.