CACTUS PIECE COMPLETED

A bit more beading to frame the design which also aids in securing the outside edges together and ta-da.....

 Arizona Memories  8" x 13"

Since beads play such a big role in my work, I want to make mention of one  kind of decision I make when creating a piece.  For instance, most of my felted wool wall quilts are fairly small and since felt doesn't ravel, it's really unnecessary to add a binding to finish the edges.  


So, I like to add beadwork in this area to 'frame' the design.  In this case I wanted to use my favorite style of bugle bead (top).  It's a twisted bugle, about 1/4" long and provide lots of sparkle to a piece.  They appear faceted but in fact are smooth, inside and out.  Sometimes though, too much sparkle can detract and I use to a regular bugle bead instead. (bottom)  


One must be careful when using bugles, especially if the work will be moved a lot.  The ends of this style of bead can be aggressive, causing the thread to wear, weaken, and yes....even break.  So when working with bugles, discard any beads that have sharp or broken ends to prevent damage to the thread.