Bead Embroidery - Lessons Learned

I finished the embroidery, and I learned what to do and what NOT to do.  I am well pleased with the design, but there are too many mistakes in it for me to sell.  I am going to finish it and wear it myself... it is at least that good. 

I still have to add the backing and finish the necklace.  I crowded the pearls too much and some of them came unglued and popped up..  Lesson 1 - DON'T crowd the beads too tightly.  I wish I could have found button pearls that are drilled through and through instead of top drilled.  I could only find button beads that are either cross drilled or top drilled.  I am glad though that the pearls are sewn in or they would have popped right out.  Maybe another kind of adhesive would have held them better, but I just crowded them too much. 

The beads along the edges kind of lay down.  I hope that they will straighten up when I back it and add the beads for the edging.  Lesson 2 - Do the final cutting out of the necklace AFTER the beading is done!

All in all, I am pleased with the design... so much so, that I started another one using tiny rice pearls instead of the button pearls.  Here is the started piece.

I am still crowding the beads a bit, but that is improving.