Brilliant Bead Embroidery Turns Earth’s Beautiful Animals into Dazzling 3D Stitches

Bead Embroidery by Laura Baverstock

London-based textile artist Laura Baverstock crafts bespoke embroideries that both honor and push the boundaries of the ancient craft. We often think of embroidery as consisting of only thread, but the designs can be completed with other elements, too. Baverstock creates three-dimensional winged insects, big cats, and marine life using a combination of fibers and most dazzlingly, metal beads.

Baverstock studied fine art and fashion textiles before deciding to pursue a degree in Hand Embroidery at the Hampton Court Palace. “Embroidery has such a rich history,” she tells My Modern Met, “and I’ve found the specialized nature of the craft and the variety of traditional techniques to be hugely inspiring.” She combines these historical approaches with a more experimental one in order to create her own stunning works. “I specialize in goldwork embroidery,” she explains, “and I love to incorporate the precious metals into raised-work and silk shading to give a different finish and feel to my pieces.”

Baverstock’s embroidery expertise has allowed her to break into costuming for feature films. She has worked on several productions including Murder on the Orient Express and the Oscar-nominated movie Mary Queen of Scots. “Each film I’ve worked on has been within different historical time periods, which is fantastic as they all require a very different mindset and embroidery skills for the era,” she shares. “For the outfits of Mary and Elizabeth 1 in Mary Queen of Scots, I created embroidery for many different outfits, including the development of leather cording designs for Mary, and embellishing mythical creatures in the tiniest of metallic sequins on an elaborate dress for Elizabeth 1.”

Scroll down to see Baverstock’s beaded embroidery and watch for her work in the upcoming film The Aeronauts, which is set in the Victorian era and stars Eddie Redmayne.

Textile artist Laura Baverstock creates three-dimensional bead embroidery featuring nature-inspired subjects.

Hand Embroidery

Hand Embroidery by Laura Baverstock

Hand Embroidery by Laura Baverstock

Bead Embroidery by Laura Baverstock

Bead Embroidery by Laura Baverstock

3D Embroidery by Laura Baverstock

Hand Embroidery by Laura Baverstock

In addition to her personal work, Baverstock has also worked on costumes for feature films, including Mary Queen of Scots. 

Beadwork Embroidery by Laura Baverstock

Hand Embroidery by Laura Baverstock

Hand Embroidery by Laura Baverstock

Laura Baverstock: Website | Instagram

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Laura Baverstock.

Related Articles:

Artist Hand-Stitches “Floating Embroidery” on Translucent Tulle Fabric

Everything You Need to Start Stitching Your Own Embroidery

Embroidery Artist Uses Beads to Craft Images of Nature That Shimmer in the Light

Sara Barnes

Sara Barnes is a Staff Editor at My Modern Met, Manager of My Modern Met Store, and co-host of the My Modern Met Top Artist Podcast. As an illustrator and writer living in Seattle, she chronicles illustration, embroidery, and beyond through her blog Brown Paper Bag and Instagram @brwnpaperbag. She wrote a book about embroidery artist Sarah K. Benning titled 'Embroidered Life' that was published by Chronicle Books in 2019. Sara is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art. She earned her BFA in Illustration in 2008 and MFA in Illustration Practice in 2013.
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