Beads

About a month ago, I did two days of workshops with Lisa Binkley on bead embroidery.  I've been making embroidered hamsot for a few years (see post here).  Here are a couple of them:

I've been thinking for a while that they would look nice with the some beaded embellishment, so when I saw Lisa's workshops being offered close by, I signed up. The top photo is one of the samplers I started at the workshop, all done according to specific instructions, with beads provided. I enjoyed doing the beading, and am eager to try it out on a new hamsa. One of the attractions for me is that it gave me the opportunity to open up my mother's wicker box of beading paraphernalia, to see if there was anything I could use.

My mother did many crafts, including knitting (always a mainstay), crochet, macrame, needlepoint, embroidery, rug hooking, and beading. She used beads to make jewelry (mostly necklaces and bracelets), and she loved making beaded flowers. The jewelry was lovely, but I never saw the appeal of the large floral arrangements, of which she made many. I was glad when one of my cousins wanted one of these when we were closing up my parents' house, and I took some packed in a box, just because I couldn't bear to throw out her painstaking work. I do have a couple of small pieces in my home, including this beaded Christmas tree (about 10" high):

I love the candy canes and the draped "tinsel."

I also took her beading box, not thinking I would ever make use of it, but again, not being able to discard it. But now I had a reason to rummage around in it to see what I might be able to use--a great pleasure.

There were many beads that are possibilities for hamsa embellishment. I packaged them up and set them in the tray that went in the box. About 8 of the little bags below are beads left over from the workshop I took, but the rest are all from my mother's supply.

So, I've spent a couple of weeks doing a sampler of embroidery stitches with beaded embellishment. The work is slow, but very satisfying. I've left in this sampler less successful efforts as well as ones I like very much--they will help me remember what not to do as well as what stitches to use.

And a close-up that has a few of my favorites, including the starburst in the upper right and the staggered green thread with purple beads in the upper left. (As always, click on a photo to see it enlarged.)