Description
About the Shibori Bead Embroidery Cuff
I have completely fallen in love with bead embroidery and I adore Shibori ribbon. So I have been itching to try out some Shibori Bead Embroidery. In my haste to create, I designed this project which really allows the Shibori ribbon to shine.
I paired the ribbon with a minimal number of beads to complement the colouring. I also wanted to use simple techniques. If you have ever done any bead embroidery in the past, you will know that it takes quite a long time to complete a project. Think about it – you are covering a substantial area of material entirely with beads.
The beautiful thing (aside from the material’s natural beauty) about Shibori Bead Embroidery, is that it doesn’t take that long to create a stunning piece. Much of the cuff in this design is just covered with the Shibori ribbon. So the areas of pure bead embroidery are smaller.
Tips
What will you learn from this Shibori Bead Embroidery Cuff Tutorial?
Well, you are going to be using a few basic bead embroidery techniques: stab stitch, backstitch and brick stitch are the main ones. You may want to reference this handy guide to bead embroidery alongside the pattern. The guide explains all the techniques in great detail, so that will help you work.
You are also going to learn how to work with Shibori ribbon. My top tip before you even start is to remember that this beautiful fabric is delicate. It can snag, so make sure you don’t have rough skin or nails (or a rough needle) as you will risk snagging the material. Beyond that, it is a joy to work with. Its natural flow and texture means you can let it do as it pleases.
I have used a Dome bead, a range of seed beads and wheel beads for this project. If you wish, you can substitute the wheel beads for O beads. They are similar – just a slightly different size. In theory, you can use a different cabochon, but I would recommend sticking with the Dome bead as I embellished it to complement the design. So, there is a risk that the embellishment will not work on another type of bead.
If you need any beading supplies, keep an eye on the beading supplies section on this website. I am not a full bead shop, but I do stock some of the beads that my projects use, so you may be able to find what you need here. If you need any advice about where to buy supplies for this project, just send me an email.
