Beaded pendant: scheme and execution in the technique of hand weaving

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:35

The use of beads to decorate clothes dates back to the Stone Age. These were large beads made of shell or ivory. What is now called beadwork using small beads is also a fairly old skill. In ancient Egypt, there were products made using small faience beads. Some of them are 4,000 years old. Now many different subtypes of glass and plastic are used to make beads. Materials have become stronger and cheaper, so everyone can afford to decorate clothes or create an accessory from small multi-colored balls.

The art of jewelry making

Beading has been a popular type of needlework for several millennia. The materials for it are changing, and the technique is being improved. But at the core, there are still a few simple tricks and methods that needlewomen from all over the world use to create jewelry. Beads are used to create bracelets, earrings andpendants, and hair accessories. Often the same scheme is used for various crafts. A beaded pendant is woven with the same ornament as earrings or a bracelet is created for them. This is how jewelry sets are obtained that echo each other and are in harmony with a certain style of clothing. Therefore, you can consider the patterns of beaded pendants and use them to make earrings or bracelets to your taste. It is permissible to make such decoration in several ways.

Hand weaving pendant

There are many weaving techniques, but beginners are usually advised to start with the most understandable. For example, hand weaving is based on one of the simplest patterns. Pendants, pendants made of beads can be made on a special machine or without it. In each case, the process will be slightly different. In hand weaving, all beads are aligned in a grid with straight horizontal rows and vertical columns.

If you decide to weave with your hands, you need to learn the square stitch. Performing it, you should move forward and go back through the bead, changing direction with each row. This option is most useful for small stitched or flat items where setting up a loom and weaving at the ends of the threads would be less practical. You can even draw schemes of pendants made of beads and beads using this technique on your own on a sheet of paper from a squared notebook. When collecting beads, it is enough just to count the right amount of a certain color in each row.

Where to start

First collectall materials for beading and prepare a needle and thread. Draw a diagram or print one found on the Internet. When you are ready to start weaving, pick up all the beads for the first horizontal row of beading and carefully slide them down to the knotted bead. Hold all the beads between your index finger and thumb so they stay together. Then take the first bead for the second row. If you are left-handed, you can pull and hold the first row of beads from right to left instead of from left to right as shown in most diagrams. The beaded pendant will not suffer from this, and it will be more convenient for you to work.

Weaving process

Passing the needle and thread through the first bead of the row in place, pass it through the last bead in the first row, pulling the thread. It is important to fasten it tightly. Then again pass the thread through the bead of the first row. Hold the new bead between your index finger and thumb and give the thread a couple of tugs to increase the tension. For most designs, it is recommended to pull up the weave in this way after each row. So it will become stronger. The second row of flat square stitches can be the hardest. Take your time and don't be discouraged if you don't succeed the first time. You can always untangle the thread and start over. The scheme of the beaded pendant using the hand weaving technique makes it easy to do this. The weaving process will become easier as your fabric increases in length. For the next row, pick up the next bead and then thread through the bead just below it,going in the opposite direction.

Loom weaving

Let's consider another way to create decorations. Do-it-yourself beaded pendants, the schemes for which were created on the basis of hand weaving techniques, can be made using a loom. It is easy to make it yourself from a cardboard box with strong sides. On opposite sides, you need to make cuts at the same distance from each other and stretch the threads between them, one more than the beads in the row. The pattern of weaving a beaded pendant will be slightly different. In the upper corner at the beginning of weaving, a knot with a thread is fixed and the required number of beads is collected on it. They are placed between the threads, and then the needle is drawn in the opposite direction through the entire row. The next row is performed in the same way, due to which an even canvas with the desired pattern is formed.

How to finish weaving

Repeat the assembly process, changing direction each time, until you're done. Many crafters find it useful to re-sew the entire first row and then thread through the entire previous row to align the beads and tighten the stitches. If you feel that the beads are not completely aligned or loose, you can try this after completing every other row. Attaching the thread is very easy. It is enough to pass the thread through several previous rows and bring it out in the central part of the product to cut it. After that, the hand-woven beaded pendant will be completed.