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Bead-Beribboned Box by Michele Roberts

This box looks like a precious gift, wrapped with embroidered “paper”, tied with beaded “ribbons” woven of 24-carat gold plated Delica beads, and surmounted with a “bow” made of gold bullion in a classic rosette pattern.

Three very diverse techniques are employed to produce this box: crewel embroidery, loom weaving of beads, and traditional raised Goldwork.

The ground fabric is white wedding silk over muslin. Crewel work embroidery is done with Pearsall’s filament silk floss, accented with gold spangles, and gold Delica beads. The ribbons are woven on a bead loom with 24 carat gold plated Delica beads. There are 4 ribbons to weave, which are then attached to the crewel embroidery. The bow is worked in hand over a form and attached on top the beaded ribbons. Finally the embellished embroidery is cut out and wrapped and stitched around the box.

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