Bead Embroidery as wearable art has been a passion of mine for many years.  Marrying natural stone, glass, pearls, and a myriad of beads to form a pleasing whole may be inspired in a flash or mulled over for weeks. Each piece has its own pace and timeline. I find inspiration in the patterns and colors of the focal stones and tend toward the monochromatic.
I embroider the beads onto felt which I then back with microfiber or soft fleece.  Since there is very little metal in the pieces, they stay lightweight even when the work itself is large.  You will be amazed at how comfortable they are to wear.