A couple of weeks ago I attended a class at the Mille Lacs Indian Museum in Onamia Minnesota. The class was titled “Applique Beading.” Applique beading is similar to needle point except rather than using colored threads one uses beads of various colors and the stitching is done on leather instead of fabric. The method I learned is the single needle technique. There is also a two needle technique.
I chose to make a small leather bag. I only had a few choices for the beaded design. I chose the round medallion as it seemed to be the simplest of the choices. My finished product is shown in the photo. It is not perfect. There are some flaws but I am OK with the results. In some ways the task was easier than I thought it would be and in some ways it was more difficult. It was easier to push the needle through the thick leather than I thought it would be. I used a #10 Glover’s needle and modified leather thimbles on my thumb and middle finger. But laying the beads right where they need to be was somewhat more challenging than I was expecting. Clearly I will need a lot more practice.
This bag is not for sale but I have added a couple of new items to my Artfire store, Sirocco’s Trading Post. I invite you to stop in and take a look around.
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