Beading with mingles -- a sample

When I wrote about my new embroidery floss some time ago, I mentioned having an idea about beading with them. Unfortunately I didn't have the beads I wanted -- and still haven't -- but I have now ended up making a small sample using "the wrong beads". They're wrong beacause it isn't easy to see the colour effect made by the pre-blended floss due to the colour, but most of all due to the shape of the beads. My ideal bead here would be a clear or slightly tinted larger size Delica. I used 8/0 smoky amethyst seeds. The only light and transparent bead in the rights size.

While it might be a tad difficult to see the different colour effects in these photos, I still hope you can see some of what I was after. Didn't realise that the aida would be reflected in the shiny, shiny beads, which makes it harder to see any differences between the rows.

Scaling the photo down to a more natural scale might help a bit, as may a good close-up.

The two rows at the top, which you can see in a really close close-up here, are stitched with the pre-blended floss (in purple and white, see photo below). Below are two rows stitched with the white (or rather pale lilac) threads from the skein and below that is one row stitched with the deep purple threads. The thread colour makes a big difference when beading with transparent, light-coloured beads, as you can hopefully see -- and if you can't, pull out some different threads and beads and test it yourself.

Using ombré, space-dyed or blended threads give the beads a very different, colour-shifting look. It's more common to use ombré and space-dyed thread or cord in bead crochet, but it can also be used e. g. in bead embroidery as I am showing here. Don't think it'd work as well in off-loom beadweaving, though, as the threads don't fill the bead holes as much as crochet cord and embroidery floss do. Yes, thread colour will be important, as I've mentioned e. g. here, but to get a really good effect with pre-blended and space- or ombré-dyed threads, they need to fill up as much space as possible in my opinion.

Usually, one uses clear beads when crocheting or embroidering with this type of mixed-colour thread, but it is possible to use coloured beads as long as they aren't too dark or opaque. It's also a good idea not to use beads with shiny surface effect such as luster and AB as they can obscure the thread.

~*~

So that's it. The idea I mentioned ages ago. Now I'm just hoping for a good excuse to go bead shopping and picking up some "better" beads so I can do something more with it than just this tiny sample (that's going to be ripped soon).