I go through mad bead-embroidery phases and because a single 2.5" to 3" x 7" cuff can take me 30 or 40 hours to complete, I want the bead backing I use to wear like steel for the next millennium. And I want it to be able to dye it, color it with fabric pens and easily put my #13 beading needle through it. I want to be able to place a stitch a hair from the edge and have it stay there - and no fraying allowed, ever.
Enter Lacey's Stiff Stuff. A miracle! Finally!
I always wondered, though, why on earth a single standard 8.5" x 11" sheet of it was so darn dear.
How I happened to find Sova Enterprises and their alternative to Lacey's, I'll never remember but they carry a product which is, for much less of my money, indistinguishable from Lacey's. As of today's date their product comes in packs of 6, 6" x 8" sheets and sells at $4.75 US. They also sell by the yard at an even less expensive price. When I checked the site today, they showed a "sold out" button on the discount yardage, but Kathleen from Sova informs me that it's back in stock now.
You can find them online at http://www.sova-enterprises.com/catalog/index.php
Click on "supplies and tools" on the left hand side of their home screen, and then click on "bead backing."
Below is a collage of my embroidered cuffs - done on Rita and Dave Sova's bead backing.
Next time: Fabulous glass - the focal bead
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