How to Add Threads Within Beadwork
Beadwork is widely used in the fashion industry to embellish clothing, shoes and handbags. It is also used to create jewelry, including necklaces, earrings, bracelets and traditional American Indian inspired pieces. A relatively new type of beadwork, known as 3-D beading, involves threading beads back onto one another, to create a three-dimensional item, such as a flower, heart or teddy bear. New thread is added to the beadwork pattern when the old thread runs out, or when you just want to add some additional beads to an existing project.
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Instructions
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End the thread when there is less than 15 inches of it remaining. Insert the needle through the middle of four beads, into the direction of the center of the beadwork piece, and pull all of the thread through. Tie the thread around an existing piece of thread, in a half-hitch knot. Weave the rest of the thread back into the beads in a small figure eight pattern. Pull the thread through several more beads until you reach the outside edge of the pattern. Cut off the end of the thread.
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2
Cut a new piece of thread that is 3 to 4 feet long. Thread it through the eye of the needle.
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3
Insert the needle into the side of the beadwork and push it through four beads, toward the center of the beadwork item. Pull all of the thread through. Tie the thread around an existing piece of thread, in a half-hitch knot. Weave the thread in a figure eight through several of the beads. Insert the thread through the beads, back to the outside edge of the beadwork piece.
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Continue on your beadwork project, adding beads and new threads as required. To end this new piece of thread, repeat Step 1.
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Tips & Warnings
To get the best results, maintain an even thread tension throughout the beadwork project.
Store beads away from young children.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit beads image by Alison Bowden from Fotolia.com
