8" piece of solid color cotton fabric (match color with overall beads)
6" plastic embroidery hoop
Dritz Half Ball Buttons to Cover, #213-60, 1-1/2" (size 60)
fabric feather
short beading needle
craft glue
Nymo D or Silamide beaded thread to match fabric color
Seed beads in various colors and sizes (15, 11, 8)
1/8" bugle beads
Glass leaves and flowers, approximately 8x10mm.
small charms or other goodies
small scissors
1. Stretch the fabric over the hoop and secure it so that it is taut but not pulled.
2. Cut out the shape pattern from the back of the button pack and place it on the fabric.
3. Place the front of the button in the center of the circle and trace around it. This is the zone you will be in.
4. Draw some directional lines on the circle to indicate a loose pattern for the beads.
5. Thread the needle and tie a knot at one end. Pick up the needle from the back of the fabric, pick up a large bead, and come back down the front. This is a seed point..
6. Bring the needle up right next to the large bead and pick up five size 11 beads. Lay them flat around the edge of the largest bead, making sure they lie taut and flat, and lower through the fabric at the end of the bead. that row.
7. To backstitch, bring the needle back to the center of that row and thread two or three beads from the end through the beads. Don't go down the web again..
8. Pick up four or five more beads and continue around the bead to encircle it.
9. Continue circling the beads in this way, following the directional lines to fill the entire surface of the button.
10. When the circle is covered, release the fabric from the hoop and trim the edge to the outside circle.
11. Place a dot of glue on the surface of the button and center the fabric over the button shape. Let the glue dry..
12. Follow the instructions on the package to assemble the button, making sure the molded area lies flat on the form.
13. There will be raw edges around the sides that need to be covered with buttons. Thread a needle and knot one end. Bring the needle through an area where pearls are missing and continue to cover that area with matching pearls, using either the seed stitch or back stitch.
14. Additional embellishment can be added by stringing a short row of beads in a stack. Bring the needle through the entire row, holding the last bead strung as the anchor. Go back through the fabric and pull hard.
15. Raise the needle at another stitch and continue for the desired number of fringes.
Note: Any time you use a bugle string, attach a seed string to either end so that the sharp edges of the string don't cut into the strings.
Copyright © 2006 Myra Wood (www.myrawood.com)
