Choosing Fabrics
Bead Embroidery & Wearable Art

Choosing Fabrics for bead embroidery has the same considerations as for all creative needlework and wearable art: (1) Will the item be worn or mounted? (2) How to create the needed strength to support beads and other embellishment? and (3) If worn, How to plan ahead for either laundering or liners?

Most fabrics can be beaded and most bead more easily if stabilized with a (straight grain) underlining of some kind. Sweaters and knits can be beaded in hand quite beautifully, with some care. Wools and felts are extraordinary with beads, and a dense fleece such as Polartec® takes on beads easily. Ultrasuede® and animal suede can be beaded quite nicely (with a few tricks) as can garment leathers and many fabric blends. Of course, beads stitch very well on needlework fabrics, canvas and Aida Cloth; and over waste canvas. Choice of fabric, underlining (and hoop) are often key for a sense of control and stitch satisfaction in Bead Embroidery It takes only a little orientation to build confidence regarding your own fabric selection for beadwork, then on to Designing and Stitching with Beads!

For the purposes of these pages, the term Fashion Fabric defines all wearable yardage from Bark Cloth to Silk Fabrics. Needlework fabrics are the family of evenweaves that facilitate all kinds of counted stitch. Linings, underlinings, interlinings, stabilizers are woven or non-woven materials that protect, control, increase hand, add warmth, or strengthen an otherwise fragile material, which allows choosing fabrics of all kinds for beadwork.

Needlework Fabrics
Choosing Fabrics for Needlework, Canvas, Aida cloth and Waste Canvas. Resources for Needlework Fabrics, silk floss, silk pearl, silk ribbon, color charts and dye. How to Bead on Canvas. Guides for Learning Stitchery. How to set up a hoop or frame. Make your own scroll frame.

Working on a Grid
Choosing Fabrics for grid work. Beading needlepoint canvas, counted stitch and waste canvas with beads. Beading from a chart. Free Beadwork Charts. Charting your own beadwork design.

Silk Fabric and other Fashion Fabrics
Beadwork on Silk: examples, needles and threads; Free Patterns. How to set up a hoop or frame. Design Transfer for Silk Fabrics. Resources for Silk Fabrics, Discount Fabrics, Fashion Fabrics, and Fat Quarters. What is a Fabric Blank? Silk Painting and Beads.

Cotton Fabrics
Beading on Cotton. Resources for Cotton Fabrics & Fat Quarters. How to set up a hoop or frame. Transferring designs to Cotton fabrics. Piecing and curves; Crazy Quilt bead stitches. Choosing Fabrics for manipulation techniques. Quilting and Beads.

Fat Quarters, Remnants, and Scraps
What are they and where to find them. Smaller pieces of excellent fabrics can be both a convenience and discount savings when choosing fabrics. Useful for quilting, sewing, lining bead jewelry, and to add beads to costume.

Fabrics that Stretch
Beading on sweater knits. Lycra plus Fabrics: silk, cotton, velvet and twill! Beading Slinky Knits and Dance Fabrics. How to set Rhinestones.

Linings, Underlinings, Interfacings and Stabilizers
Choosing fabrics for stabilizing Beadwork. Defining Interfacings & Stabilizers. Stabilizing with fabrics, paper, plastic or metal. Resources for linings, underlinings, interfacings and stabilizers by the yard & bolt. Interlining for warmth: techniques and patterns.

Button in, Button out
Button in Linings, Detachable Collars, Beaded Slipcovers for Down Jackets.

Laundering Beadwork
Pre-wash, test-wash and (normal & simple) sturdy stitching. Testing Beads. Make a Net Bag; Drycleaner's Tricks. Archival Storage.

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