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Beading
Methods for Needlework
Beading adds
such beauty and dimension to needlework. So, what
color/type of thread should you attach your beads with?
And, how do you attach beads to your counted cross
stitch? And, should you wash the needlework before
beading or after beading?
Color of
Thread
One of the
first questions asked is what color thread should the
beads be attached to your needlework
with?
Some
designers will list the color thread for attaching the
beads in their Color Key. Others do not. So, there are
several choices here. Read them over and decide what
works best for you.
1. Attach the
beads with a color of floss that matches the color of
the bead.
2. Attach the
beads with a color of floss that matches your
fabric.
3. Attach the
beads with a clear thread made for attaching
beads.
Beading
Needles
For most
beading on counted cross stitch, you may use the
following:
#10 beading
needle (a long, thin, sharp needle) - this needle comes
in handy when attaching the longer bugle type beads or
when making tassles, or if you need to string several
beads onto the needle at once.
#10 tapestry,
ball-pointed beading needle (these needles won't stab
you, thank goodness). These needles work great for
attaching beads one at a time (singly).
Some
manufacturers of beading needles are Mill Hill, John
James, Susan Bates, DMC & others.
You may also
purchase a needle threader if you need help in threading
these needles. Mill Hill makes the Mill Hill Needle
Threader which can be very helpful.
How to Anchor
Thread
| 'TRADITIONAL METHOD' - If you already have stitching worked in
the area, thread your needle with 2 strands
approximately 15" long. Run the end through the
back of several stitches and turn and run under
several more stitches in the opposite direction.
Then, come up to the front of your fabric, slip on
a bead and go down to the back of the
fabric. |
 |
"LOOP
METHOD'
May
only be used with an even number of threads. For
beading with 2 strands of floss, cut approximately
a 30" length of floss. Strip out 1 strand of
floss. Fold the strand in half and thread the cut
ends of the floss into the beading needle. This
will leave a 'loop' at the end of the floss. Come
up from the back of your fabric, without pulling
the loop through. Begin your first stitch by
coming up to the front of the fabric. If beading,
add the bead to the needle and go back down to the
back of the fabric. Slip the needle through the
'loop' and pull snug. Continue stitching.
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'AWAY
KNOT'
Thread the needle and knot the tail end.
From the right side of your fabric, bring the
needle down to the back several inches away from
where you will be stitching.
When
you are finished stitching with this length of
thread, snip the knot and bring the thread through
to the back of the fabric and run under several
threads, turn and run under several more threads
in the opposite direction to secure.
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Methods to
Attach Beads to Needlework
There are 3
commonly used methods for attaching beads to needlework.
A lot will depend on the 'look' you want for your
finished needlework.
| METHOD
1: Half Stitch - bead lays diagonally: |
| Method 1 attaches the beads with a half stitch
(similar to the tent stitch used in needlepoint). Using
the #10 beading needle of your choice, you may attach
the beads with either 1 or 2 strands of floss. Come up
from the back of the fabric at the lower left corner of
the grid square and slip the bead onto the needle. Go
down at the upper right corner of the grid square to
return to the back. Continue in this manner until all
beads have been attached. Secure
thread.
| METHOD
2: Cross Stitch - bead lays vertically: |
|
| This method uses a full cross stitch to attach
the beads. Come up at the lower left corner of the grid
square and slip the bead onto the needle. Go down at the
upper right corner of the grid square. Come up again at
the lower right corner of the grid square and slide the
needle through the bead again and go down at the upper
left corner of the grid square. Continue in this manner
until all beads have been attached. Secure
thread.
| METHOD
3: Split Cross Stitch - bead lies diagonally: |
| This method uses a full cross stitch with the top
leg being 'split' so one strand lies on either side of
the bead. Come up at the lower left corner of the grid
square and slip the bead on the needle. Go down at the
upper right corner of the grid square. Come up at the
lower right corner of the grid square and 'split' the 2
strands so one lies on either side of the bead, then go
down at the upper left corner of the grid square.
Continue in the manner until all beads have been
attached. Secure thread.
ATTACHING
RANDOM BEADS:
This can be
tricky. You can start by using the 'loop method' to
begin in an area where there are no threads to secure
the tail on the back. To end the thread in this
situation, you may have to use a tiny knot (horrors!).
The problem is you will only have the one half stitch on
the back to secure the thread and it is difficult to
secure it tightly without a knot when there are no
threads to run the tail under.
If you are
working with a thread that is a similar color as your
fabric, you may be able to get away with letting the
thread run between beads if they aren't scattered too
far apart.
Should You
Wash Beads?
This
information on beads comes from Sally at http://www.beadybunch.com/,
an online shop for all your beading
needs.
All of the
beads that needleworks typically used are made from
glass. The question arises whether or not there is a
coating used over the glass to give the bead some color
or if the color goes through and through the glass
itself prior to being made into a bead.
If the color
goes through and through.. then the beads are almost
indestructible. <G>
If the beads
have a coating on them (the metallic or very bright
colored metallic like colors) they are notorious for not
holding up to *anything*. They are known to wear out
just from rattling around in their package or just from
the "beating" they take from being worked on. The colors
that look like very bright, metallic greens, mauves,
golds, fuschia, etc... are *terrible* for wear. For
example, some beads are so bad that if you stick them to
scotch tape and pull them off of the tape, the color
will stay with the tape! (I've seen this... it's
bad!)
Another type
of bead that is really bad for wear are the "dyed"
types. The ones that come to mind for me are any of the
ones that are dense orange, pink, purple, or salmon type
colors. There is something about those colors that they
cannot usually be made into an opaque bead without being
dyed to get that color. Maybe it's just cheaper. I don't
know. You can usually tell a dyed bead because if you
get out a
magnifier, you'll see that the color inside
the hole varies from the outside color of the bead. Or
rub them.. the color comes off easy if you
try.
Pearly colors
hold up very well.. as do any that look transparent.. or
any that you can tell are the color of the glass and not
a coating.
How can you
tell if it's coated? (if you want to really know?) take
about 4-5 of them and put them in your hands and rub
them together like crazy and see if any of the color
comes off in your hand. A better test is to put them
into an acid and see if the color comes right
off.
I realize
this sounds crazy if the bead's destination is for
needlework that will probably hang on the wall and not
get any "wear"... but for those of us that do beadwork,
it's really a terrible thing to put 50-60 hours into a
relatively small piece of work only to see the first
rows of your work lose their color before you are
half-way through the project!
Also... we
beaders have to be extra paranoid about these things
because even if the beads survive the process of being
made into a piece of jewelry, it would be terrible to
have the customer come back a few months later with her
piece because all of the color came off the prettiest of
the beads.
It's an
issue. <G> But it depends on how picky you need to
be or want to be ... and that depends on the final
"destination" of the particular flavor of
beads.
So. <G>
To answer your question - if in doubt, I'd wash the item
first, then add the beading.<G>
Sally - Beady
Bunch
Ironing
Beads?
If you are
using Mill Hill Beads, they are made of glass and Mill
Hill states that they can be ironed. Treat them gently.
Be sure to use a thick towel beneath the stitching, then
lay the stitching face down on the towel, then cover the
stitching with a top cloth (a cloth baby diaper works
well). Press with the iron set for the type of fabric
you have stitched on.
If the beads
get askew, you may straighten them with your tapestry
needle so they all lay properly.
Mill Hill
also states that when using their glass beads, your
finished stitching can be washed in a mild cleaner.
Mill Hill
recommends that you DO NOT wash their Glass or Crystal
Treasures or their ceramic buttons.
For other
types of beads, check with the manufacturer for washing
and/or ironing instructions.
How Many
Beads are in Those Packages?
Below is an
approximate count of beads in each type of Mill Hill
Package:
Glass Seed
Beads, Frosted Beads, Petite Beads: approx. 450 -
500
Antique
Beads: approx. 250
Small Bugle
Beads: approx. 130
HINT: 1 small
bugle bead covers approx. 4 grid squares in length on 32
count fabric.
Medium Bugle
Beads: approx. 70
Large Bugle
Beads: approx. 35 | 
