The benefits of a thick paper backing are that this type of material is inexpensive and easy to find at craft stores—and in a wide variety of interesting colors and patterns! It is easy to cut and shape to your project. However, there are several negatives with a card stock foundation. They don’t hold up well over time and can disintegrate if they become wet. They are also not suitable for very dense stitched projects where the stitches may be close together, causing the paper area between stitches to rip. This is especially true with backstitch bead embroidery, one of the most popular bead embroidery stitches. The best types of bead embroidery projects to do on card stock have beads that are loosely spaced apart and are used in greeting cards or other decorative (not wearable) uses. Interfacing is widely available at fabric and craft stores and is relatively inexpensive. It comes in whites and can be colored with dyes, paints or markers. It is often sold by the yard, so it can be good for larger projects and also be very economical. Some varieties can be ironed on to fabric and wash away with water, while others can be put through a printer to make more complex patterns. Still, other interfacing and stabilizers have peel and stick backings. One of the best aspects of fabric interfacing is that needles will pass through it easily without bending or breaking. On the negative side, embroidery interfacing may not always keep its shape over long periods of time. In addition, larger beads may pull the fabric and warp the design over time, even if a stiff piece of cardboard or plastic is placed under the beadwork. Lacy’s Stiff Stuff was specifically designed for bead embroidery and is the preferred foundation for many well-known bead embroidery artists. A stiff cardboard like felt fabric, Lacy’s Stiff Stuff is easy to cut to shape, holds its shape very well, and is easily pierced with a needle without it bending or breaking. It is easy to glue cabochons, stones or other components to the foundation and it can be colored with dyes, inks or markers to be less visible in the beadwork. It is only available in white. Lacy’s Stiff Stuff can be harder to find than other foundations and it is more expensive. The largest sheets are 8 1/2 by 11 inches, so they are not suitable for larger projects. Nicole’s Bead Backing is less expensive than Lacy’s, but it is slightly less stiff. It still holds up well and is easy to stitch through without bending or breaking needles. Natural leather and imitation leather, such as ultra suede, holds its shape well over time. It comes in a wide range of colors and is available at fabric stores, craft stores and from many online fabric stores too. It can be purchased in smaller pieces or by the yard—or it can even be purchased in mixed bags of scraps. Leather and suede are great for doing bead embroidery with heavier beads and cabochons, stones or other large beading components. Natural and imitation leather and suede fabrics cannot usually be dyed or colored, although they come in such a wide range of colors that you should be able to find the right one for your project. These fabrics are often thick and may be difficult to get a needle through. Make sure you take the thickness into account when purchasing. Leather and suede are more expensive than other types of foundations and require care to keep them in their best condition. They should not get wet or be stored in humid or damp conditions which can cause the natural materials to break down or deteriorate.
Experiment with different types of bead embroidery foundation to find out what works best for you and for each project. Do a test on a small piece of foundation if you are using fabric dyes, inks or markers to see what the color will look like before you begin to stitch your project. Stitch up samples on each of the different types of bead embroidery foundation to see what type of beads work best with each one.
