Features of embroidery of icons and images with stones

Embroidery with stones always looks like a work of art. That is why since ancient times craftswomen created paintings, most often icons, with stones and beads. The highest nobility decorated their clothes with such embroidery. The most famous product decorated with stones is the Monomakh's Cap. Modern craftswomen can buy a set and master this technique.

Features of the technique

This technique is several centuries old, but its secrets were available to few. Later, this art became more and more popular. And every needlewoman had to master the technique of embroidery with stones. In modern needlework, beads or rhinestones are mainly used for work.

A brief excursion into history

This technique is based on stringing stones on a thread and creating a pattern. Initially, this art was available to the monastery servants. After Vladimir baptized Rus, the church gained great influence in society. But stone embroidery was not only a sign of importance, but also one of the main activities of the nuns. The main subject of the canvases was the life story of the Savior and the saints.

Seeing how rich the icons looked, the upper classes wanted to decorate their clothes. Previously, this handicraft was not available to everyone, because precious and semi-precious stones were used.

With the advent of beads, this technique became accessible. The subject matter of the canvases became broader - not only icons and religion, but also nature, portraits of people. Embroidery with stones and beads is a labor-intensive process, but the result is magnificent.

In modern handicrafts, this technique is now used not only to create canvases. Thus, they continue to decorate elements of clothing, such as mittens, collars, cuffs. Or create cute souvenirs, such as a brooch. Currently, needlewomen organize master classes where they can clearly demonstrate this technique.

The main nuances

You can decorate not only large parts of the canvas with beads and stones, but also small areas. The beauty of the work depends on the skill of the needlewoman. This technique is distinguished from others by the following features:

• for work they use ready-made prints, which are transferred onto fabric;
• all rows should fit tightly against each other;
• beads should be selected of the same size without defects - then the picture will look neat. The exception is embroidery of jewelry, but this technique requires experience and skill;
• The thread must be pulled tightly - the tightness of the beads depends on this.

If earlier needlewomen had to independently search for materials for work, now manufacturers have simplified this task. In stores you can find ready-made kits for embroidery with stones and beads.

How to work with sets

There are kits for both beginner embroiderers and experienced craftswomen. But most often, the patterns serve as a guide. They create the pattern themselves, based on their experience and artistic taste.

What's included

Each kit includes everything you need to create beaded paintings:

• the base is a fabric made of natural dense material to make it easier to work with. The base already has a ready-made print applied to it;
• beads;
• beads of different shapes and sizes;
• imitation pearls and crystal beads;
• glass beads;
• twisted chain of different colors - gold, silver and dark gold;
• natural stones;
• needle;
• detailed instructions.

Some kits come with a wooden stretcher or a hoop to make embroidery easier. But sometimes they are too big, so they can be purchased separately. The needlewoman can independently purchase everything necessary for the work. Cross stitch patterns are suitable for embroidery with stones. Only stones or beads are used instead of crosses.

Of course, you can assemble the set yourself. But the materials must be of high quality, without defects, because the final result of the work depends on this. The advantage of natural stones is that they do not lose their original appearance.

Monastery stitch embroidery

There are two ways to embroider a picture with stones or beads. Each chooses the option that suits her. One of the simple techniques, similar to cross stitching, is based on the monastery stitch. On the front side, the stitches are made diagonally, and on the back side - straight.

1. You need to bring the needle out in the lower left or upper right corner of the small square.
2. A bead is placed on the needle.
3. Then you need to bring the needle out through the upper right or lower left corner (depending on the position of the needle).
4. All these actions are repeated the required number of times.

You can start embroidering a picture this way from any of its edges. During the work, the craftswoman moves in rows. Having finished one, she moves on to creating another. All the rows should fit tightly to each other so that the picture looks neat. As a result, the canvas turns out voluminous.

You can embroider both large sections of the picture and individual elements with stones and beads. The beauty of the canvas depends on the experience and diligence of the needlewoman. After all, it is necessary for the rows to fit tightly to each other. Therefore, it is better to start with small patterns.

On small areas of the design, small errors in the work will not be so noticeable. Stones and beads must be laid on one side. The same pattern should be used when decorating large canvases, otherwise the design will be divided into squares.

The advantage of embroidery with the monastery stitch is that it can be used to create any subject. With the help of computer programs, you can even transfer a photograph onto fabric and make an original gift.

Circular embroidery

The print is also immediately applied to the fabric and divided into squares. But they are arranged in a spiral, in the direction from the center to the edges. The embroidery process begins from the center of the ornament, moving to the edges of the picture.

This technique is more complicated than the first method, especially for beginners. To make the result beautiful, it is important to determine the angle at which the stones and beads will be sewn on. In the circular technique, two types of stitches are used - "stem" and "line".

How to make a "line" stitch? One bead per stitch.

1. The needle is brought out from the back side to the front side between the first and second bead symbols.
2. The bead is placed on the thread and the needle is inserted before the first square.
3. Then the needle is brought out between the second and third squares.

All these manipulations must be performed the required number of times.

The peculiarity of the “stem” stitch is that the needle passes through the bead twice.

1. The needle is brought out from the back side to the front side.
2. A bead is put on a thread.
3. The needle is passed from the front side to the back side.

All manipulations are repeated the required number of times. With a "stem" seam, the stones fit tighter to each other, which is best suited for the circular technique. The pattern looks neater.

It is necessary to take into account that the monastery stitch requires more threads. And to make the "stem" stitch, you need twice as much. Therefore, needlewomen buy extra threads.

It is impossible to make the entire canvas in a circular technique. The arcs will become intermittent towards the corners. In this case, an arched stitch will do. The technique for doing it is similar to the "stem" stitch. The main difference is that several beads are put on a thread, but only one is fixed. With this technique, the beads do not fit tightly, unlike the previous methods.

Sets of images with stones and beads

Ready-made kits save time on searching for the necessary materials. There are kits that only contain beads, while others contain a combination of beads and beads that imitate precious and semi-precious stones. Stones that have jewelry value are practically never found in ready-made kits.

The embroidery kits "Images in Stones" are one of the most famous sets. Here needlewomen will be able to find pearls, crystal beads. The fabric for creating the work is gabardine, satin. The set also includes a wooden stretcher. The cost of such kits is high, and the patterns offered are complex. Therefore, it is suitable only for experienced craftswomen. There are also simple patterns:

• "Rain";
• "Bullfinches";
• "Sails of Hope";
• "A bouquet of lilacs".

Simplified patterns can be found in all craft stores and are much cheaper. Beginners can master the technique of embroidery with stones and beads on cross stitch patterns. There are even kits for children - "The Tenth Kingdom". Experienced needlewomen develop patterns themselves and skillfully combine the sizes and types of beads.

Icon patterns for embroidery

Most often, icons are embroidered with stones and beads. But such patterns can be a bit complicated for beginners. To make the result beautiful, they try to use beads of different sizes, not beads.

A large selection of icon patterns for embroidery is presented in “Images with Stones”:

• "Our Lady of Tenderness";
• "Madonna Dolorosa";
• "Lord Almighty."

The full range can be found on the company's official website.

Icons embroidered with stones look very beautiful and will decorate any home. Therefore, they will be a wonderful gift. Although this technique has now become available to everyone, nuns continue to embroider canvases with beads.

When embroidering with stones, you need to take care of good lighting so as not to spoil your eyesight. Therefore, do not save and buy a wooden stretcher that can be adjusted to the desired size of the canvas.