Chiatanya Designs

Bead-Embellished Brooches with Display Quilt

This workshop is suitable for all skill levels

Workshop description:

Discover how to make your own bead-embellished brooch. You will create one brooch during the workshop. Several bead-embellishment techniques, and construction techniques for the brooches, are taught during the workshop. Fiona will also explain how these techniques can be used in other jewellery (e.g. necklaces and earrings) and on your quilts or other textile art pieces. Templates will be provided in the class notes, but you may also create your own shapes and designs if you prefer. You will also create your own display quilt for your brooch. This is a small quilt-as-you-go skewiff log cabin, made in fabrics to complement your brooch.

                        

 

Topics covered in the workshop:

• Several bead-embellishment techniques: beaded backstitch, bead couching, bead stacks, and picot edging
• Beading techniques for fringes and branched fringes
• General construction techniques for the brooches
• Ideas on how to incorporate similar bead-embellished shapes or techniques into jewellery and textile pieces/quilts
• Construction techniques for mini display quilt: quilt-as-you-go onto batting; skewiff log cabin technique; colour layout ideas for display quilt

 

Bead-Embellishment Explorations I: Brilliant Basics

This workshop is suitable for all skill levels

Workshop description:

Discover the joys of stitching beads onto fabric! Whether you have had some beading experience or have never even picked up a bead, this workshop is for you. All you need is the desire to learn bead embellishment, and the ability to use a needle and thread.

This is a techniques-based workshop. Participants will create several sample swatches using the various bead-embellishment techniques. These techniques are suitable for use in textile art, quilts and jewellery. Some participants may choose to utilise these swatches in finished items following the workshop.

                              

Topics covered in this workshop:

• Bead couching
• Beaded backstitch
• Regular fringing
• Branched fringing
• Bead stacks
• Beaded picot edging
• Regular beaded edging
• Peyote beaded bezel around a cabochon
• Information on suitable fabrics, interfacings, beading threads, beads, etc.

 

 

Bead-Embellishment Explorations II: Encrustations (3D and textural Effects)

This workshop follows on from Brilliant Basics.

 Workshop description:

Develop more skills with bead embellishment. In this workshop you will learn to create 3D effects and texture in your beadwork by combining bead embellishment techniques with off-loom beadweaving techniques to bring the beadwork off the surface of the fabric. The result is sculptural beadwork that can be applied to textile art, jewellery or anything else you can dream of!

This is a techniques-based workshop. Participants will create several sample swatches using the various bead-embellishment techniques.

                  

 

Topics covered in this workshop: 

• Ladder stitch
• Brick stitch
• Herringbone stitch
• How to use these stitches to create “encrustations” and 3D effects on fabric
• How to incorporate focal beads into the beadwork to enhance your beaded textile artworks
• Information on suitable fabrics, interfacings, beading threads, beads, thread conditioner, etc.

 

Bead-Embellishment Explorations III: Beading the Void

This workshop follows on from Encrustations

Workshop description:

Step out into “space” with this workshop—first you will create suitable “holes” in textiles, then “fill” them with beadwork. Fiona has experimented with various beading techniques to create her Beading the Void techniques. They are suitable for use in textile art, quilts, and some garments.

This is a techniques-based workshop. Participants will create several sample swatches using the various bead-embellishment techniques.

            

Topics covered in this workshop:

• Preparing a suitable “void” in textiles for beading
• Regular beaded edging
• Freeform netting
• Regular netting
• Freeform right angle weave
• Information on suitable fabrics, interfacings, beading threads, beads, thread conditioner, etc.

 

 

Bead the Surface

This workshop is suitable for all skill levels

Workshop description:

Discover the joys of stitching beads onto fabric! Whether you have had some beading experience or have never even picked up a bead, this workshop is for you. All you need is the desire to learn bead embellishment, and the ability to use a needle and thread.

This workshop covers a variety of bead embellishment techniques, from beginner to intermediate level. These techniques are suitable for use in textile art, quilts and jewellery.

During the workshop you will create your own small beaded artwork—dimensional beadwork stitched to a fabric background, which will be displayed in a small frame. You might also create a sample swatch, to try out some of the beading techniques.

             

Topics covered in this workshop:

• Beaded backstitch
• Bead couching
• Regular fringing
• Branched fringing
• Bead stacks
• Ladder stitch—and how it can be used with textiles to create dimensional effects
• Brick stitch—and how it can be used with textiles to create dimensional effects
• Using bugle beads
• Bugle bead buttresses
• Information on suitable fabrics, interfacings, beading threads, beads, thread conditioner, etc. for creating the beadwork

 

 

Cabochon + Creative Beadwork = Art Pendant

This workshop is suitable for all skill levels

Workshop description:

Select a beautiful cabochon (stone, glass or other material), and create a beaded backdrop to frame and showcase the cabochon in style.

Use several bead-embellishment techniques to attach the cabochon to backing fabric (silk or cotton), and add other beads as desired to create a one-of-a-kind art pendant.

 

Topics covered in this workshop:

• Peyote stitch beaded bezel around a cabochon
• Regular beaded edging (brick stitch variation)
• Fringing techniques
• General construction techniques using textiles and interfacing

 

 

Luscious Layers (Bead-Embellished Textile Artwork)

This workshop is suitable for all skill levels

Workshop description:

Discover how to create a dimensional textile artwork that features some simple yet effective fabric manipulation, plus wonderful beaded embellishment. The finished piece will be placed in a picture frame to complete the look.

                  

Topics covered in this workshop:

• Choosing suitable fabric combinations to create the Luscious Layers look
• Manipulating and stitching the fabrics to create a dimensional artwork (by machine or by hand)
• Bead couching technique to create the bead embellishment directly onto the textile piece
• Finishing the artwork prior to placing it in the frame