What is bead embroidery?

Bead embroidery is the process of embroidering or embellishing a surface with beads. In this case we will focus on dimensional bead embroidery- that is embroidering on uneven surfaces (AKA embroidering on dolls).

There are three basic stitches in dimensional bead embroidery: Backstitch, Bocche, and Couching. The stitch I use the most is backstitch (also called bead embroidery), but couching comes in handy for very small beads, and bocche (also known as boucle stitch) stitch is good for creating depth and texture.

For detailed instruction on bead embroidery and doll embroidery the following sources may be helpful:

• One Bead at a Time by Robin Atkins
• Beautiful Beading by Ruth Wilson
• The Stori of Bead Embellishment by Mary Stori
• Bead Embroidery by Valerie Cambell-Harding & Pamela Watts
• Off the Beadin' Path by Nancy Eha
• Designing the Doll and Anatomy of a Doll by Susan Oroyan
• Bead Embroidery by Joan Edwards