Hi, I saw your tags about using beads in embroidery, do you happen to have any tips or resources about that? It sounds very cool and I would love to look into it (maybe there is a way to include some without redoing all the hair?)
Okay, my specialty is cross-stitch and not specifically embroidery, but as you are probably aware these are sister specialties. My daughter does weaving and I cannot begin to explain to her how to stitch, and she can't tell me how to weave. Unfortunately I learned the skillset as a child and never got proper book tutelage, just my mother physically correcting me and moving my hands. When I make pieces, I'll thread a bead (usually clear ot a solid color) and have it lay sideways (the holes to the side and not up and down) on top of the cloth. Put the string, floss, thread or whatever through as normal and I tend to tie off the bottoms of those specifically, or lick them then burn the tips to secure them on the back end. Clear floss works best if you want a sparkle, but you can usually get away with the same thread as the area you're working in if it isn't exceedingly delicate. I usually put them down *last* and leave only a small space for them in a clustered area, and mark with ink the back of the cloth where I'll want them to go *before* I go ham. One mark where I want it, pre-punch one hole and put the thread through, string the bead, other end down and secure.
The white dots of the above piece I did for one of my kids were done 100% with thread. You can see how they're flat and non reflective. It sits by the sun and it was requested to not blind my daughter each time she walks into her room- so thread only.
This one, grainy as the photo may be, had bead embroidery because I was asked to include it. You can see the visible texture changes, as well as the illumination change even from an old phone camera. They aren't necessary for shapes or pop, but they *do* give immense volume and can shine if you decide to add pearlescent beads or other objects.
There are ways to embroider almost entirely with beads, yes, but I'm not very versed in that, personally. I've also seen people literally cut or crush a bead, shell or faux pearl in half then hot glue it to the final product! Generally speaking it'll stay on if it's in a picture frame or well taken care of.