Highly Tactile Bead Embroideries Create Beautiful Baubles on Fabric

Although thread is per­haps the most pop­u­lar of all embroi­dery sup­plies, floss is not a require­ment for some­thing to be clas­si­fied as the craft. Bead­ing is anoth­er mate­r­i­al that you can use, and if you’re look­ing for inspi­ra­tion of how daz­zling it can be, look no fur­ther than work by Celia Jayi. She cre­ates por­traits and abstract designs using only beads, and the results are awe-inspiring.

The high­ly tac­tile pieces fea­ture a vari­ety of col­ors and bead­ing sizes so that some areas stand out as baubles while oth­ers pro­vide more sol­id fields of col­or. Over­all, her work is stylized—even when it is figurative—and is a medi­a­tion on the mate­r­i­al and process of bead­ing on fabric.

“Bead­ing for me is not just a past time but some­thing I have grown to under­stand, learn, and exper­i­ment with,” she told DMC Embroi­dery. “It keeps me calm in this chaot­ic world.”

Want to try bead­ing for your­self? Celia sells all-inclu­sive kits in her online shop. To see what she’s up to next, fol­low her on Insta­gram.