craftgrrl | BeadPoint Project: White bird on blue [XPosted to BeadWorkl] (Reply)

Hi! I'm not exactly new to the community, but this is my first time posting, and my first try at beading. A post on Craftgrrl (which I can't find, but it was about beaded coasters) inspired me to try out it out, and in searching for techniques I found beadpoint here. For a friends upcoming birthday (if you know who sshhhh! don't tell!), I decided to do a white bird on a blue background.
I got the pattern from this book:

It has lots of heraldic-type needlepoint (or crosstitch) patterns, all in two or three colors. I love this book.

I had tried a needlepoint kit last year, but decided that it was too ugly for the time and effort. So, I'm happily using part of the canvas as my base for the beadpoint. It's size 14 canvas, which means I should be using size 11 beads. I could only find size 10, which are slightly larger but work just fine. (Except for the pearl beads, which are slightly larger, even though marked the same size. I don't mind, as it gives the bird itself a slightly raised surface.) Before beginning I marked the pattern in with red and black markers.

Then, using the directions given, with the addition of the diagonal needle point stitch, I began adding beads. It doesn't take much longer than regular needlepoint, and in my opinion looks a lot better. These images really don't do it justice, it looks gorgeous in person.

Once I finish the pattern, I plan to add some to the top and bottom to make it a shield shape, cut it out, and trim in white cord. I haven't decided whether to just put a loop at the top to make it an ornament, a bigger loop for a door hanger, or just leave it as a coaster. The fate of coaster just seems so undignified.

I'll be sure to post a picture of the finished product.