Main Bead Embroidery Kit Our Lady Kazan

“Our Lady Kazan” is a half-length image of the Mother of God with the Child: Mary in a deep red maphorion inclines her head toward Christ, who stands beside her in blue and blesses with a raised hand.

What the picture shows

There are only thirteen colours and they are clearly divided: the dense red maphorion with green and gold lining, the Child’s blue tunic, a warm gold ground and pale pearly halos. Star rosettes are scattered over the maphorion bead by bead, and its edge carries a gold band. The faces and hands stay as print on the artist canvas. Beadwork covers the garments, the halos, the arched niche and the wide border of plaited white ornament with red-and-gold squares in the corners, so the image is framed by almost continuous stitching. The difficulty is easy — the large solid areas fill in quickly. The composition is calm: the figures sit a little above centre, and the lower part of the maphorion stays one large unbroken field of red. The halos are worked in pale beads with a pearly sheen, so they stand out against the gold ground and read first.

What is in the kit

• Artist canvas with the full-colour pattern printed on it — no chart to follow on a screen
• Czech Preciosa beads, 13 colours
• Beading needles
• Instructions and finishing guide

Specifications

• Finished size: 285×385 mm (11.2×15.1 in)
• Beads: approx. 7,555
• Bead colours: 13
• Difficulty: easy
• Base: artist canvas

The piece is vertical; icons like this stand in a home icon corner or hang alone on a light wall. The canvas can be framed or stretched over a bar.