Beads and embellishments

Different types of Beads and Embellishments for Hand Embroidery

Hand Embroidery stitches can be used beautifully to apply embellishments to the fabric. Beads are some of the most common decorations used to add glitz and texture to your work. When you use hand embroidery stitches to secure beads, the embellishments become a part of the stitch itself. Apart from beads, there are other decorative items like mirrors and shells that can be fixed to the fabric using hand embroidery stitches. Here are some of the popular embellishment items used in hand embroidery. Do you have any interesting kinds of beads you have worked with? Add them in the comments section!

Seed Beads 4mm: These are the common glass beads with solid colors. The size is apt for a comfortable hold and the holes are big enough for a medium-sized embroidery needle to pass through. I personally find it a wee bit big to use for certain projects but can be fun to work with otherwise. For starters, this is a great bead to use. Though not so apparent here, it is bigger than the beads on the right side!	Glass Seed Bead 3mm: I love these beads. They come in a variety of colors and tones. The size is apt for an embroidery project. The holes are just right for a medium-sized embroidery needle to pass through. The holes can vary slightly in their sizes, and at times, some of them might find it difficult to accommodate at the eye of the needle. So, to be safe, use a Milliner’s needle- it has worked perfectly for me every time.
Bugle Beads: These are elongated cylindrical beads. The Bugle Beads are great to be used with linear stitches. They come in various colors and sizes too.	Sugar Beads (smaller than 2mm): These beads are so small that you can press them to your index finger and pick them up! You need a really thin needle to go through these beads. Might be a little cumbersome to deal with.
Acrylic Beads: These are beads made of synthetic plastic-like material. Usually, they are used for jewelry making, but can also be used to add some glamor to your hand embroidery projects. These beads can be found in different kinds of shapes and sizes.	Pony Beads: These are barrel-shaped beads with a big hole. Pony beads are great for jewelry making but can be used creatively in hand embroidery too. They are big and so great to use over edgings.
Rice Shaped Beads: These beads are somewhere in between the Seed Beads and the Bugle Beads. The rice shape makes it attractive to use for hand embroidery. They can be used along with linear stitches.	Sequins: These are small disk-shaped beads made of plastic. They are usually flat but also come in a slightly cup-shaped structure as in the image. Sequins are great to add a little sparkle without adding weight to the fabric. It can be combined along with beads for a visual treat.
Mirrors: These are hand-cut mirrors. They are attached to the fabric using various hand embroidery stitches that cover the edges. Mirrors can add weight to the fabric. They add sparkle to the fabric by reflecting light. To avoid weight, mirrors can be replaced with big silver sequins.	Shells: This is not a common embellishment, but is an interesting one. Small natural shells can be added to the fabric to add weight and an earthy and matted decoration on the fabric.