4.2. Overlay Stitch

The Overlay Stitch can be used for geometric as well as floral designs. It was widely distributed across the North American continent: the Seminole in the Florida area used it as well as the Athapaskan of the subarctic area.

You should draw just the outlines of the designs if you tend to leave the background unbeaded.

The technique is quite simple you just have to bear in mind, that the first row is the most important. The more carefully you sew down the first line, the better is the quality of the whole work.

When you start your work, begin at one end of the design. The fastening of the thread is the same as when you do the lane stitch. (make a knot - melt the perlon thread, etc.)
Then take beads on the thread you will need for the whole line (if it is one color) or as many as you need from the first color.

Now you need a second thread and a second needle. Start the thread at the same point as the other, only 2 beads away. This so called "tacking thread" will help you to sew down the bead row as needed. Make a loop over the thread which is holding the beads (the so called bead thread) numerous times. Always lead the needle on the other side of the leather before making the next loop. If you let the thread run inside the leather the force you use to tighten the tacking thread would compress the leather along the line.

I recommend a distance of 2 beads for each stitch. This is important for the first row. From the second row on you can go to a 3 or even 4 beads distance. This is very important, because the first row covers the design on the outside and has to be very firm.
BUT: do not pull the tacking thread tight to the leather. This would cause the rows to make dips along the way.

To end a row and start the next one just make a stitch with the bead thread and fasten the first row this way.

If you tend to a floral design, always start with the outlines of the motive and work inwards, row for row.

some examples for floral design

 

All these barrets, the purse and earrings were crafted by:

Jolie Phillips - Blackbear,
Tuscarora
(c) Jolie Phillips- http://tuscaroras.com/users/blackbear

purse	barret
working status	finished	"End of the trail" unfinished	"End of the trail" finished

All this work was crafted by:

Walter Mills
(c) Walter Mills