How to Do Native Beadwork

Create designs on clothing by using a Native American beadwork technique.

If you like the look of Native American beadwork, you can learn one of the most popular techniques, which is referred to as "Lazy Stitch." This style is used to cover clothing with stitched, beaded patterns. This is one of the simpler techniques of Native beadwork, but you will need to practice to become adept at it. With enough practice you will be able to decorate your clothing or accessories with designs of tiny glass beads, known as "seed beads."

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Pencil
• Fine-tipped colored markers
• Thread
• Beading needle
• Fabric
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Create a bead pattern with a pencil on paper to help you plan out the beadwork design. Draw a square to represent each seed bead and color it in with fine-tipped colored markers or colored pencils. Draw the whole design on paper composed of the colored squares.

2. Feed the end of a your thread through the eye of the beading needle. Beading needles are skinnier than sewing needs, so they can fit through the holes of the tiny seed beads. Poke the needle up through the bottom of the fabric (of the item you wish to decorate) at the starting point for your beadwork design and stitch up and down to create a secured stitch so that the thread doesn't slip through as you are beading. Pull the needle and thread up through the bottom to finish the secured stitch.

3. Feed eight beads onto the end of the needle and slide them down so that the first bead comes up against the surface of the fabric. Bring the row of beads down so that they lay against the fabric and pull the needle and thread down through the other side. You have just created the first row of your beadwork pattern.

4. Poke the needle up through the bottom of the fabric, right next to the last bead of the first row to begin the second row of the design. Add the next eight beads and repeat the process for the rest of the design.

5. Run the needle up and down through the fabric in one spot to secure the end of the design, just like you did in step 2 to secure the beginning of the design. Finish with the needle and thread on the bottom of the fabric and trim the excess thread with a pair of scissors. Now you have a Native American beadwork design on your clothing.

Tips & Warnings

• You don't need to add eight beads to every row, but no more than eight or the rows will be too loose.

References

• Matoska.com: Sioux Style Lazy Stitch Beadwork
• Kstrom.net: Seed Beading Techniques