  From the pragmatic to the symbolic, textiles play a prominent role in some of
the most demanding yet ubiquitous scenarios, such as covering the complex and
dynamic geometries of the human body. Textiles are made by repeated
manipulations of slender fibers into structures with emergent properties.
Today, these ancient metamaterials are being examined in a new light, propelled
by the idea that their geometric structures can be leveraged to engineer
functional soft materials. However, per their inherent softness, textiles and
other compliant materials cannot typically withstand compressive forces.
  This limitation hinders the transfer of soft matter's rich shape-morphing
capabilities to broader research areas that require load-bearing capabilities.
Here we introduce \textit{beading} as a versatile platform that links centuries
of human ingenuity encoded in the world of textiles with the current demand for
smart, programmable materials. By incorporating discrete rigid units, i.e.
\textit{beads}, into various fiber-based assemblies, beadwork adds tunable
stiffness to otherwise flaccid fabrics, creating new opportunities for textiles
to become load-bearing. We select a shell-like bead design as a model
experimental system and thoroughly describe how its mechanics are captured by
friction, the material properties of the constituent elements, and geometry.
The fundamental characterization in this study demonstrates the range of
complex behaviors possible with this class of material, inspiring the
application of soft matter principles to fields that ultimately demand
rigidity, such as robotics and architecture.
