Bezel vs Embroidery

How I love my beadalicious friends on Facebook in my many various groups!  I'm not an expert by any means in this craft that I have chosen and I turn to them for lots of guidance and advice...so thanks up front to the Beadiful one of my Auntie's Bead Chat group.

In another group that I'm in on Facebook, "Seed Beads and More", the monthly challenge project is to create a bead embroidered piece.  For those that know me, know that although I admire all the wonderfully creative embroidered pieces, this form of beadwork is generally not for me.  Why?  It's free form and my brain just doesn't work that way (I'm working on that though). 

What caused my confusion you may ask?  Well, in a tutorial and a book I have about bezeling cabachons, they both recommend (not in all cases) adhereing the cabochon to a product called "Lacy Stiff Stuff" and the encircling the cab with beads using a 2-bead backstitch.  Well now, this is the same stitch used in bead embroidery so I didn't understand what made one thing bezeling and the other bead embroidery.

I couldn't tell the difference between bead embroidery and bezeling as in my humble opinion seemed to be the same so I start doing a little research.
 

Bead embroidery courtesy of Google Images

 Per Wikipedia, Bead embroidery is a type of beadwork that uses a needle and thread to stitch beads to a surface of fabric, suede, or leather.

Bead embroidery is an embellishment that does not form an essential part of a textile's structure.





Beaded Cabochon Bezel courtesy of Google Images

No such luck with a definition of beaded bezeling on Wikipedia, the closest I come is.."a general term for a setting holding the stone in place using a raised surrounding for the stone with a lip encircling and overlapping the edges of the stone, thus holding it in place"


After posing the question to my Chat friends, +Katarina Walker Ray, said it best..."Embroidery is decorative stitching, usually done on on fabric or leather. Bezeling is creating a setting that cradles a stone or other focal component. Bead embroidery can be used to create a bezel. Bead stitching, without an underlying fabric, can also be used to create a bezel."


Thanks guys!  Now I have a better understanding...

Happy Beading!