Beaded Button by Margaret Rehnstrom On display at the PNNAG Fiber Show

Due to such a popular response from our summer survey, Heidi Lund led us in "Beaded Embellishments" at our September Meeting. These embellishments included: beaded buttons, beaded tassel, a beaded starburst, couching techniques, beaded button cover, even a beaded donut.

We used the following supplies:

• Some Beads…. (seeds, delica, larger seeds etc, one of a kinds)
• A few Buttons that have 2 to 4 holes: (1/2", 5/8" & 7/8" best sizes)
• A couple of Charms if you like
• Bead Wax, either beeswax or Thread Heaven
• A Button cover 7/8 or 1" (preferably a curved one, not a flat surface)
• Beading Thread (Heidi likes to use Nymo B, Silamide or Conso)
• Beading Needle size 12 or 13 (long or short – your preference)
• (2 or 3) 5" square pieces of fabric backed with thin batting or flannel or even interleaving beading paper on which to sew your demonstrations.
• If you prefer instead of the 5" squares, you can use a wearables project that you are working on and would like to add beaded embellishments to. If this is the case, be sure to coordinate your beads, threads and buttons with your project.
• A small piece of Felt, a dish towel or piece of Velux to catch your beads if they drop on the table.

Closeups of "Marilyn's Collar" on display at the PNNAG Fiber Show Beads & Buttons by Amy Gerson Copper Lamé "Hazelnuts" by Larkin Van Horn Embroidered Ultrasuede Leaves, Couching, & Machine Embroidery by Heidi Lund Crocheted Web by Cindy Fagundes
Couched antennae for Silver moths from Tibet found at Folklife	Beaded Starbust on a Mother-of-Pearl Button Abalone teardrop	Beaded tassel coming out of a button

Accent beads on machine embroidery by Heidi Lund Preview:  At a future meeting, Heidi will teach us how to make shapes like the sheer green leaves from tulle & Solvy®

Collar closure by Amy Gerson

Beaded Tassels by Heidi Lund

Pins & Covered Buttons by Heidi Lund Covered Buttons Using pattern that came with the kit, draw the cutting line on foundation fabric.   To mark the area for beading, center the button form inside the circle you just drew, and draw around it. Bead to just outside the inner circle.  Use tweezers to stretch the fabric around the button form and hook it onto the metal teeth. "Stackers" - For that anemone look! Bring needle up from back of fabric and string four beads plus a smaller one.  Bring the needle back through the first four beads and through to the back of the fabric.  Bring the needle up again for the next "stacker" right next to the first "stacker" -- jam the base beads together.

Starburst from a charm by Heidi Lund

More examples by Heidi Lund
Beaded Buttons Go through holes twice with beading thread, then add beads each pass, repeating until you get the desired coverage.  Use enough beads to form a slight arch.  Allow strings of beads to lie side by side.  Use diverse beads for texture - square, round, different sizes and finishes.	Couching Bring needle up from back.  String beads, ending with a small bead. Run thread back through all but the last bead and back through the fabric.  Knot.  Couch along the whole strand, every three beads or so.  Optional:  leave the last few beads free.	Starbursts Sew a #8 bead in the center, then add arms in the shape of a cross.  Fill in diagonal rows in between the arms of the cross.

Larkin	Marilyn

Giselle	Jody	Who?

• Don't place an embellishment where it might interfere with your purse strap.
• Keep a shank button from flopping by supporting the underside with #6 beads.
• Bugle beads have sharp edges - use a seed bead on each end to protect the thread from being cut.
• Try stacking a smaller button on top of a larger one, then adding beads.
• Nylon thread has a tendency to unravel & untie.  Secure the starting point with a square knot.  Secure work as you go with an occasional backstitch.  Secure the ending point with a backstitch, then tie around an existing stitch.

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