Bead Loom Trading Card

A few years ago my sisters and I started up an art trading group that was fun but a bit disorganized. This year we revamped and simplified so it would be easier for anyone to participate whenever they want to or have the time. For the first trade this year I made this bead loomed piece on a fabric background.
I graphed this pattern years ago with the intention of turning it into a loomed necklace and it has been buried in my big binder of patterns since.

 When I came across it searching for ideas for my ATC, it occurred to me that the finished piece would be nearly the exact 2.5" x 3.5" size of a trading card if stitched with Czech seed beads. The challenge for me was that I wanted only to bead the pattern and not the background and I wanted to do it on a loom.

This is simple enough to work on the loom - it is a question of what to do with the warp threads once it is off the loom. That's a lotta thread to deal with. The solution was to use my new favorite material - sticky backed craft foam. It is super simple to cut to the correct size. I cut the fabric slightly larger and carefully (so that one of the diamond shapes in the print would land in the center) stuck it to the sticky side of the foam. Then I cut my work from the loom and pulled the warp threads that were exposed in the center of the design until they were long enough to cut in half and still be able to thread a needle onto. With the beadwork positioned exactly where I wanted it on the fabric covered foam I threaded and stitched each warp thread straight down through the foam (starting with the center to best control positioning) until all of the warp threads were on the back (front?) side of the foam and the beadwork was secure to the fabric side of the card.

I trimmed all of those crazy warp threads so they would be short enough to lay flat on the back. I then cut a piece of matching card stock  to the same size as the foam to create a backing that could further strengthen the card and cover the warp threads.  I spray glued the back of the foam and the card stock, pressed down the warp threads, folded the fabric edges over the back and covered it all with the card stock.

So now the pattern is yours to do with what you like and you can try your hand at stitching your loom work to fabric or foam or whatever makes you happy. We also invite you to participate in our Art Card Trades that welcome all mediums and skill levels. Enjoy!

Mr Meeseeks Graphed Pattern

Did you see the Rick and Morty couch gag on the last Simpsons intro? We did and we are so excited for season two to start! We have already watched through the first season twice and, like many, often wish for our own Mr. Meeseeks box. So in celebration of the awesomeness of the first season and the anticipation of the second, I have graphed a bead loom/ square stitch version for you to stitch your very own Mr. Meeseeks.


Keep in mind that this is graphed for elongated seed beads such as Toho or Czech seed beads so you may have to adjust the length if you want to use this for cross stitch or Delicas.

I square stitched this onto fabric using Toho seed beads and the finished piece measures 3"x7".


I used clear beads for the background so the cool fabric pattern would show through.

Brave Beaded Embellishments for Merida

In my last post of 2014 I gave a sneak peak of a gift I was working on for my niece and promised photos and a pattern, so here they are.

My niece collects and plays with dolls. I found this new condition Merida doll at a thrift shop one day and I could just see the beadwork on the dress.

I actually beaded the family crest first thinking that I would sew it onto the dress but there was no placement that looked right so I thought a sling bag for bow and arrows would be the perfect accessory.

I watched this video to get the idea for creating the bow and arrow accessories. I did not have floral tape on hand so I dipped the arrows in brown paint and my daughter had the brilliant idea to make the bow out of a paper clip that we uncurled, cut, and shaped then wrapped with mod podge soaked embroidery floss which gave it a nice woody feel. The bow string is dental floss.

I stitched the sling bag together using an embossed felt to give it a leathery feel after sewing on the crest.

I graphed the peyote pattern of the family crest.

I stitched the belt on a bead loom using embroidery floss as the outside warp threads that could be knotted and braided to secure it around her waist.

The beadwork on the skirt was square stitched on using the same method I use for canvas being careful to stretch the bead spacing a little on the bottom and crowd it a little on the top because of the flare of the skirt. The knot pattern is from a Celtic cross stitch book.

I used a simple picot stitch to embellish the sleeve cuffs.

I had a lot of fun designing and beading this doll. I hope my niece enjoys her as much as I did and that this post inspires your own doll embellishment adventure.