How to Sew Glass Beads on Girls' Socks
Sparkly, shiny glass beads turn an ordinary pair of socks into a glam fashion accessory. Little girls can channel their inner princess with a pair of beaded socks. You can purchase beaded socks in high-end boutiques, but making them yourself is a quick evening project. Buy glass beads at craft and sewing shops. Though the beads are available in packs of assorted colors, if you're planning a particular design, it's best to purchase beads in packages of single colors.
Things You'll Need
- Dressmaker's tracing paper
- Chalk or lead pencil
- Heavy-duty nylon or buttonhole twist thread
- Ruler
- Scissors
- Glass beads
- Beading needle
Instructions
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1
Plan your design. Sew beads in a random pattern around the cuff, for instance, or in the design of a flower, animal or geometric pattern. You might want to draw your pattern on paper first, then transfer it to the sock with dressmaker's tracing paper made for transferring pattern markings. Most simple designs can be sketched directly onto the sock with chalk or a lead pencil.
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2
Measure about 12 inches of heavy duty nylon or buttonhole-twist thread and cut it. Thread a beading needle with the thread.
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3
Pass the needle through the cuff of the sock, then through a bead you've chosen and back into the sock.
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4
Secure the thread with a couple of short stitches on the wrong side of the cuff. Weave your needle in and out of the fabric of the sock to hide the thread as you move to the site where the next bead will be sewn.
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Bring the needle up to the right side of the sock again and thread on the next bead. Take the needle back to the wrong side and continue to weave the needle in and out, attaching new beads every time you bring the needle to the right side of the sock.
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Knot the thread every five or six beads. Cut the thread and start a new series of stitches, or merely make a knot close to the wrong side of the sock and continue sewing. This helps ensure that if the thread on one bead breaks, you only risk losing the beads between the knots.
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End your sewing with a final knot, and snip off any excess thread.
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Tips & Warnings
Use any kind of sock with this beading project.
Beading needles have smaller eyes than sewing needles, so they work better for passing through the small circumference of glass beads.
Simple drawings from coloring books or designs from stencil translate well to patterns for beading.
Hand wash socks with glass beads and hang to dry to prevent beads from breaking in the washer or dryer.
