DIY Network

Beaded Face Quilting takes on a new dimension with a beaded face taken from a photo. From "Uncommon Threads" episode DUCT-122

Carol Krueger, of Material Evolution, creates a beaded face. Her technique starts with a photo that is printed directly onto quick-fuse inkjet fabric sheets. She then uses that photo as a guide to beading, using a rainbow of colors in different sizes to create shadow and texture.

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Carol says, "It takes me about one hour to finish one square inch of beading. This method, however, creates a very stable finished product and could work well on a garment."

Materials:

Beaded Face

personal or stock photo of a face (see Resource List for websites with stock photos)
June Tailor Quick Fuse Inkjet fabric sheets
1/2 yd. lightweight cut-away stabilizer (any brand)
beading needles (I like Dritz brand)
Silamide beading floss, size A (or any good-quality beading floss)
assorted seed beads and delicas (any brand)
optional items:
eyeglasses
needle threader
appliqué scissors
assorted embroidered decorative patches (see Resource List)
one package Aida cross-stitch fabric #14
DMC embroidery thread
embroidery needles
scraps of assorted cotton prints
approx. 1 yd. 1/4" welt

1. Choose a photograph with interesting color and/or texture (a photo of a favorite pet would work as well).

Figure A

2. If the photo is in digital format, print it out onto the June Tailor inkjet fabric sheet using the directions for home printing (figure A). If you don't have a computer, take the photo and the inkjet fabric sheets to your local printer and have them print it for you using the directions included in the package.

3. Fuse the printed sheet to a piece of lightweight cut-away stabilizer.

4. Choose your beads. My particular technique uses a variety of bead sizes from 8 to 12 (you can even use up a lot of miscellaneous seed beads and delicas you have left over from other projects). For a smooth, more sophisticated look, use the same-sized beads. For a funkier, more textured look, alternate the beads in various sizes but keep to a similar color theme in order for the piece to "read" well from a distance (i.e. caramel, brown and amber). (This is the technique I used on the spiky hair in the finished piece.) I use Sliamide beading floss because it's very strong, doesn't ravel and doesn't have to be waxed. It also comes in a good variety of colors for many different skin tones.

Figure B

5. Begin the beading toward the middle of the piece. The center of the eye is a great place to start (figure B).

Tip: I always start with the center of the eye, placing one small white bead in the pupil even if it doesn't show in the photo. It gives the face more expression.

The technique is as follows:

• Bring the thread up through the photo transfer. Place three beads on the thread. Go down through the fabric at the end of the third bead.

• Bring the thread up between the second and third beads and cross over the strand that's going through the beads.

• Bring the needle down through the fabric and bring it up between the second and first beads. Cross over the internal thread again and go down, securing the internal thread to the fabric foundation.

• Bring the needle up where you started at the first bead and direct the needle through the first, second and third beads again. Now place three more beads on the thread and repeat this process until the entire piece is covered with beads.

  Tip: Try to work the beads in a direction that conforms to the contours of the face for more realistic effect.
  

  Figure C

• When the beading is complete, trim the beaded photo transfer to 1/2" to 1/4 "all around and either combine with other elements like embroidered patches (figure C) or hand embroidery, or simply turn the edges under and hand-sew it onto a simple linen background for framing. When machine-sewing, be very careful not to sew through the beads or they will break off the piece. Sew slowly and carefully!

Tip: If you need to cut out any mistakes in your beading, use a small appliqué scissors and cut through the thread underneath the beading.

RESOURCES :

June Tailor Quick Fuse Inkjet Fabric Sheets
Website: www.junetailor.com

Seed beads, delica beads and silamide beading floss Websites: www.landofodds.com
www.shipwreckbeads.com

DMC threads
Website: www.dmc-usa.com

GUESTS :

Carol Krueger
Websites: www.carolkrueger.com
www.materialevolution.com