Bead
embroidery is a quick way to add a personal touch to store-bought items.
You can add simple stitches to journals, shirts, purses and more! In today’s
beading lesson, we’ll show you some basic stitches.
To do bead embroidery, you’ll need: beading thread, a sharp beading
needle, needle threader, scissors or wire cutters, and seed beads or bugle
beads.
It’s important to use beading thread for bead embroidery, especially
with bugle beads. Bugle beads can have very sharp edges and beading thread
is especially made to resist abrasion. Use beading thread that has near
zero stretch and is waterproof. Super strong beading thread can be difficult
to cut and you may find that wire cutters work better than scissors.
Beading needles are different from regular sewing needles because beading
needles have eyes that are the same size as the rest of the needle. Sewing
needles usually have slightly larger eyes. It’s important to use
beading needles so the eyes will fit through seed beads when threaded.
The most basic stitch is called a beaded backstitch. This stitch holds
beads together in a straight line. To make a beaded backstitch, pass the
needle through 4-6 beads. Bring the needle down through the fabric and
back up between the middle beads. Pass it through the last few beads.
This will hold the row firmly in place. You can add more beads and continue
backstitching as you go. Backstitch works well for straight rows or for
outlining a shape with beads.
Blanket stitch is another fun stitch. It’s the same as a typical
blanket stitch, but it’s a little more complicated when you add
beads.
You can also create freeform designs by stitching with beads. One of
my favorite techniques is to use a larger bead in the center, then make
short rows of smaller beads radiating out from the center. The finished
stitch looks like a little flower.
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