Today’s return to box beads is completely unintentional, but they are perfect. They make a huge (no pun intended) difference in today’s beautiful composite stitch
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Today's stitch comes from the same Melissa Shirley fruit purse from a couple weeks ago. (Note: the stitched purse in the link is not mine.) It’s all metallic and beads. The stitched sample uses Crystal Braid (black lines), Kreinik Metallic (turquoise lines), and Sundance Box Beads (yellow circles).
Yes, the diagram uses a circle to denote the box bead. Really, any oversized bead will do. As size 6 and 8 beads are more common, I chose to use a circle.
Clearly, this is a standout stitch. Use it on an area you want to draw attention to, such as a dramatic dress, coat, or Santa bag. You can replace the single large bead with a 2X2 square of single seed beads. All of the threads in the stitched sample are metallics; consider using a rich Very Velvet or an elegant silk floss for the black lines to give it more contrast.
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I hope you have the perfect spot for this stitch! Please enjoy!
A Note about Diagrams
I use color in diagrams to make them as clear as possible. The primary function of different colored lines is to illustrate a stitch sequence. For example, layering of colors demonstrates you add them in that order. They can also provide ideas on how to integrate additional threads (one line for each color). Or, you can use the same thread for all color lines. That's where I encourage you to use your imagination for the space you are stitching!