From Bezel to Beauty: Turning Your Cabochon Into a Finished Piece
Welcome back to the blog! If you’ve been following along on my YouTube channel, you’ll know we’ve been diving into the magical world of bezelling cabochons. In the first two videos of the series, we looked at how to create a neat peyote stitch bezel and finish it with a backing—perfect foundations for any bead embroidery or bead weaving project.
In the latest video, I’m inviting you to take the next step: turning your beaded cabochon into a finished piece of wearable art.
So often, we stop after finishing the bezel and admire our work—but then wonder, what do I actually do with it? This video is all about answering that question. I’m sharing some of my own projects to give you ideas and inspiration, and we take a look at ways to embellish your bezel and transform it into a pendant, earrings, or even a focal piece for a bracelet or necklace.
You’ll learn about:
-
Picot edging: A simple yet beautiful way to add lacy detail to your bezels using three-bead points.
-
Embellishment ideas: From adding drop beads to layering multiple rows, you’ll see how to build up your design.
-
Creative examples: I walk through some of my past pieces—including an award-winning bead embroidery necklace—to show different ways to bezel around various shapes, use different bead types, and combine components.
-
Design considerations: We talk about how to make sure your piece hangs properly, how to avoid twisting in necklaces and bracelets, and how to use your stash creatively.
One of my favourite things about beadwork is how a small component like a simple bezel can be the springboard for so many different designs. Whether you add a rope and wear it as a pendant, stitch it into a bracelet, or build out into a statement necklace, the possibilities are endless.
I’d love for you to check out the video if you haven’t already—it’s a relaxed, chatty session right at the bead mat where we get hands-on with the embellishing process. Plus, you’ll see some of my go-to colour combinations, including smoky amethyst and raspberry-lined sapphire drop beads (a dreamy pair!).
👉 Watch the video now on YouTube
And if you haven’t seen the first two parts in the series yet, those are also available on my channel so you can bezel along from the beginning.
Happy beading!
—Catriona