How to Do Beaded Needle Weaving
So many beading techniques require stitching only one bead at a time, and can sometimes prolong an otherwise enjoyable project. Beaded needle-weaving works with an entire column of beads each pass, much like loom beading, which speeds up the process and adds to the instant gratification potential. The process is fairly simple and straightforward with a lot of possibilities for creativity once you have the stitch down. Follow these steps.
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Things You'll Need
- Medium-sized bead
- Seed beads
- Beading needle
- Beading thread
- Scissors
- Liquid seam sealer
Instructions
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1
Select or create your pattern. What makes a good needle-weaving pattern? One that is fairly dense (no holes or netting in the main part of the pattern) and has at least one flat edge. If the pattern you choose lacks a straight edge, draw a dividing line through the widest section and work each half separately, joining them together later.
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2
String a medium-sized bead onto your thread, looping the thread through the bead, creating a stop. Leave a few inches of string for a tail, especially if you'll have to join sections later or do any intricate finishing work.
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3
Load a column of seed beads, following the pattern from the top down, onto the needle and pull the thread through.
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4
Skipping the last bead, thread the needle back through the column of beads and out the top. You'll do this for the first column as well as any columns that are longer than the one next to it.
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5
Load the second column of beads onto the needle and pull the thread through.
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Slip the needle through the end of the thread from the previous column before threading it back through the beads of the second column. This will help straighten out that last bead from the first column as well as keep the bottom of the piece even.
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Secure the next column of beads to the previous one by looping the thread around the previous column, in between the beads, every three beads or so; this is where the weaving comes in.
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8
Continue adding beads column by column until you reach the end of your pattern.
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9
Join two halves of a pattern together by running your thread through the first few beads of each row in an "s" pattern, returning the opposite way to insure the best hold.
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10
Hide your ending threads among the beads, securing any knots or joins with liquid seam sealer for added durability.
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Tips & Warnings
Layer one piece on top of another to add dimension to your project; just stitch through both pieces, being sure to trap your stitches between the beads.
Because seed beads are generally wider than they are tall, cross stitch patterns or those charted on regular graph paper will turn out wider than their originals; use bead-specific graph paper for the best results.
Narrow strips can be stitched into a tube around cording to make rope-style necklaces.
