Japanese Beading:Purple Anastasia

Yes, I did continue my Japanese beading frenzy and finish the third project I had purchased - the purple Anastasia. As the pattern is the same as the original Anastasia, I will not post photos of every stage.







This time I decided to vary the order in which I worked. Instead of working the centre, then each of the corners in sequence I worked the centre, then one corner, then all the leaves, all the stamens etc. I have found this method works for me when doing tapestry or cross stitch and it seemed to work here too.  When working with thread, it enables me to use up the thread in my needle. Here it enabled me to place more beads on the 'shoe' and reduce the number of times I dipped into little plastic bags of beads.

One thing I enjoyed about this beading technique is the use of two needles (once I figured out I needed to store both to them above rather than below the hoop)-one with a double thread for threading the beads and one with a single thread for couching them. I eventually developed quite a good rhythm with this.









In this project it was the pink beads that the beading needle provided didn't go through. I managed to find a 'between' needle that was fine enough yet with an eye I could thread.










Once again, I made this up as a scissor fob.

This exercise in Japanese beading was prompted by this year's Embroiderer's Guild Ethnic Studies Group focus on beading. It's given me a feel for the process and tools of Japanese beading, and raised some questions I'll be able to raise when I do Margaret Lee's class at Beating Around the Bush next week. I'm particularly interested in any tips for threading a beading needle (or whether some brands or styles are easier than others), how to effectively use a koma and ways of laying out beads while working.