Working with beads for beginners: basics, technique and expert advice

2024 Author: Sierra Becker | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-26 03:46

Beadwork and bead embroidery are becoming increasingly popular among numerous types of needlework. This is quite understandable. Products made from this material are of extraordinary beauty, and the prices for parts are quite democratic. Having mastered the simplest techniques, you can bring this type of creativity into everyday life, decorate clothes for yourself and children, make interior gizmos, embroider paintings and icons. In the article we will give useful information on working with beads for beginners.

Craft Tools

Each separate type of work with beads requires certain devices.

For weaving products you need to prepare:

• beads;
• glue;
• fishing line;
• scissors;
• reinforced lavsan thread;
• needles;
• wire;
• fasteners for locks.

For embroidery you will need:

• beads of various shapes, colors and sizes;
• special needles;
• thimble;
• scissors;
• threads;
• hoop;
• fabric.

It's not easy for beginners to choose the right material, so there are already ready-made kits with everything you need for beginners to work with beads.

What kind of beads do you need?

Today, in needlework stores, there is such a wide range of beads of various shapes and sizes that it is not surprising to get confused. For handmade beadwork, beginners need to consider the following tips from experts.

Before buying, it is recommended to pay attention to the quality of the beads - the type of the finished product depends on this. Of course, the material is selected based on the budget, but it is still better to refuse the cheap Chinese offer. When using beads of different sizes from one set, the embroidery will turn out to be heterogeneous. In addition, there is a possibility that the paint will be washed off the parts. It is best to buy beads of Czech or Japanese production.

When choosing it is worth considering:

1. Canva size. The diameter of the beads should be slightly smaller than the fabric cell - this makes the embroidery even.
2. When using multi-colored elements, all views must be the same shape and size.
3. Beginners should give preference to beads number 10, it is the most common and you can always buy it in case of shortage.

Embroidery on textiles

To work withWith beads, it is best for beginners to use high-strength and dense threads that exclude stretching and twisting, so that as a result the embroidery does not deform and looks neat. Moreover, the hand is not filled yet. Usually, cotton or silk threads are used for this. If it was not possible to purchase them, you can use synthetic counterparts. They should be thin and match the color of the fabric or beads. Experienced craftsmen recommend waxing the thread so that it does not tangle.

The fabric for the base must be durable, not shedding or wrinkling. Well, if it has dirt-repellent properties. To decorate fine matter with beads, interlining is placed under it. A special fabric for embroidery is called canvas. It is a dense material with small cells. Before you start embroidering, it is advisable to rinse and iron the fabric. To keep the shape, you can starch it.

Special needles must be used for embroidery. You can buy them in the departments for needlework, in a set or separately. Embroiderers prefer needles with numbers 10 and 12.

Types of seams

To get started with beadwork, you need to learn the rules for attaching beads to fabric.

There are a lot of different options, but one of the most popular types of seams are:

• monastic;
• arched;
• attached.

The monastery stitch is one of the easiest techniques for a beginner to master. The beads are fixed with a diagonal stitch directed from the lower rightcorner of the canvas cell to the upper left. Action algorithm:

1. The thread is inserted into the eye of the needle and a knot is made.
2. The needle is passed into the lower right corner from the inside out.
3. Pulled out from the front side, a bead is strung on the needle. Pass through the upper left corner down to the wrong side.
4. Then they again pass to the lower corner, but already of the neighboring square and repeat the manipulation.
5. In this way, the entire row is stitched to the end.

You can determine the accuracy of embroidery by turning the canvas over: it should have only parallel stitches.

For beginners, you can use an arched stitch to work with beads. It is just as simple and is used when it is necessary that the product is not too rigid, and the beads are not attached to the fabric very tightly.

1. The thread is brought to the front side from the inside and several pieces of beads are strung.
2. The last bead is fixed on the fabric. To do this, the needle is passed down to the wrong side and pulled through the front side again, passing through the last bead.
3. Then again string a few beads and continue to sew according to the known pattern.

This stitch is ideal for beading flowers and other details on canvas and other fabrics. It is often used for embroidering rounded and smooth lines.

The attached technique is that beads are strung on a thread, and then the finished ribbon is sewn to the fabric using miniature stitches between individual beads.

What are weaving techniques?

Beading lessons for beginners, in addition to embroidery on fabric, also include how to make crafts from this material.

Basic work techniques:

1. Monastery weaving is based on the principle of placing each bead at an angle of 90° and tying them four at a time in the shape of a cross. This type is widely used by beginner needlewomen.
2. Mosaic weaving. This technique is characterized by the arrangement of beads in a checkerboard pattern. The fabric is woven tightly, which makes the finished products look especially impressive.
3. Needle weave allows you to create pointed details. An even number of beads are strung on a small piece of wire, hold the last one with your hand and thread the wire through the odd bead.
4. Parallel weaving is commonly used to create voluminous figures. It is also suitable for making jewelry.
5. Loop weaving. This technique is based on the creation of small loops of beads. As a rule, branches, tree leaves and beaded flowers are created in this way.
6. Circular or, as it is often called, French weave is widely used for making flower petals and other similar details. This is one of the most difficult and at the same time interesting techniques.
7. Mesh weaving allows you to make openwork products. Often combined with other decorative elements: stones, flowers, beads.

How to embroider pictures?

In specialized stores for beginnersfrom beads with their own hands, a wide selection of patterns is presented. The drawing itself is applied to the sketch and the color of the required beads is indicated.

In the work, you must adhere to the following instructions:

1. The fabric needs to be hooped. The painting starts from the top left corner.
2. The beginning of beadwork - fastening the thread. Work begins by tying a knot at its end and threading the needle from the wrong side to the face.
3. The pattern is embroidered horizontally to the right, securing the beads with a monastery stitch.
4. The next row, on the contrary, leads from right to left. For rounded elements, an arched seam is used.
5. The finished picture is framed to maintain its shape, the effect of completeness and beauty.

Decoration of clothes

Many women are attracted to this type of needlework, first of all, by the opportunity to decorate familiar things with original embroidery.

To complete the pattern, do the following:

1. The picture is printed on paper and transferred to tracing paper.
2. The pattern is attached to the fabric with pins.
3. According to the pattern, beads are sewn onto textiles.
4. The thread is not recommended to tighten too much.
5. Where the embroidery is done, the tracing paper is carefully cut off.

Recommendations from experts

Experts advise beginners in beadwork to adhere to the following rules:

1. For the design of children's clothing, it is better to select miniature pictures.
2. Origin althe embroidery made by separate elements looks.
3. Better start with simple and small images.
4. It is important to ensure that not only the front, but also the wrong side is neat.
5. Optimal stitch spacing should be 1mm.
6. The thread tension should always be the same so that the beads do not sag and do not create a hole from excessive tension.
7. Beeswax-treated thread is tangle-free and stronger.

Beadwork for Beginners: Flowers

Knowing the technique of beading, even at a simple level, you can make not only beautiful jewelry, but also entire compositions. Flower bouquets with field or exotic plants look very beautiful. In the presented version, the method of weaving jasmine is considered.

For work you will need white and yellow beads, as well as two shades of green.

Let's look at step-by-step execution:

1. The technique of parallel weaving is used to make half of the petal. They start a row with three beads, and the next couple of rows add two pieces each.
2. In the next, fourth row, one bead is added, as a result there should be eight of them. With this number of beads, four more rows are woven. The next level is reduced by 1 piece, then 2 rows - by 2 pieces, returning to the original number of beads.
3. Then weave the second half, in the process attaching it to the first. You will get a single petal.
4. Further, foursimilar element. Starting from the 8th row, attach a new petal to the previous one.
5. Several stamens, one pistil and green leaves are woven according to the pattern.
6. Next, all elements are connected.

This flower can decorate a hairpin, make a brooch or create a whole bouquet.