Beads & Beading Techniques

You can’t resist them; you feel a surge of creativity when you look at them, but don’t know what to do with them? If you are new to beads and beading then read on, this bead resource will help get you started with bead information and basic bead instructions. Over time we hope to expand this section so please check back regularly.

The five main ways of working with beads are: Stringing, Wirework, Loom Work, Off-Loom Bead Weaving, Embroidery, Knitting and Crochet. Each can be suited to the beginner, as long as you choose your project carefully. In the information given below I will list the materials, tools and some of the techniques required for each area. I will also list a few books that might help with first projects. There are so many books on the market, that I would always recommend a good browse in your local bookshop or library (don’t forget libraries have access to many books beyond what is on their shelves) so that you can determine what manner of teaching suits you, and what type of project appeal to you most. Check also the beading and jewellery magazines on sale, as these carry bead guides for beginners, bead hints and tips, as well as projects and advice on how to get started. Books and magazines published in America may carry lists of materials that are hard to find in the UK or expensive to source from the UK, so bear this in mind.

Books on General Beading

• The Beader’s Handbook, by Juju Vail. Published by Octopus Publishing.

• The Beader’s Bible, by Dorothy Woods. Published by David & Charles.
  
  

Bead Stringing & Bead Threading

Stringing or threading beads onto nylon thread, cord, ribbon, flexible wire, leather thong etc. to make necklaces, bracelets and earrings. Stringing can be incredibly simple – thread beads onto a length of ribbon, tie a knot and you’re done – but the scope for elaborating on basic beading techniques, applying a professional level of finish and using imagination when selecting components can make stringing a very satisfying area to work in.

The key to successful stringing, whatever your design, is to choose the correct thread to match the beads selected. The thread should not be seen as the support act, but given top billing with the beads. If you choose the wrong thread your piece of jewellery may break, develop kinks or look shapeless on the wearer. That said, don’t feel daunted as there are a huge choice of stringing materials available, and you should feel free to experiment with as many as possible. Please click on this link to view some stringing options.

Tools Needed For Bead Stringing

• Needles (depends on stringing material chosen, some are stiff enough not to need one)

• Pliers & Cutters. Illustrated left to right: Round nose pliers / Chain nose pliers / Flat nose pliers
  

• Wire cutters / Snippers / Scissors (use the tool appropriate to the material)

• Crimping pliers (not essential, but these give a professional finish)

You will need to consider how you are going to finish your string, so that you have to hand the right findings. Will you use a clasp, cord or ribbon ends, crimp beads, crimp covers, jump rings? Will you need a clasp that can cater for more than one string? The clasp is the critical to the security of the item, so you should consider the weight and value of the beads used when selecting. The closure should also be compatible with the stringing materials used, so that it can easily take the weight of the components and fit securely on the string ends. Lastly, don’t forget that the clasp should be complementary to your design, or even be a feature in it. When buying a clasp, check whether it comes with jump rings or if you need to purchase these separately. You will need one to form second part of the clasp, and also may want to use them to attach the clasp to the end of the string as they allow the string to pivot in all directions and this helps with the ‘lie’ of the piece.

Using a Crimp Bead to Attach a Clasp

The most common way to attach a clasp to beading wire and some more robust nylon cords is to use a crimp bead. If you are working with a cut length of wire then start your piece with one half of the clasp, as this will stop the beads rolling off.

1. Pass the wire end through a crimp bead and half of the clasp, and then pass it back through the crimp bead. Adjust the crimp bead so the wire forms a small loop through the clasp, and make sure the wires are running side by side not crossed over. If you are attaching the first half of the clasp before stringing, then hide the ‘tail’ of the wire within the first few beads on the string – you can do the same at the other end, when finishing off.
2. You can now crush the crimp tube using a pair of flat or chain nose pliers – squeeze hard enough to flatten the crimp and then check how secure it is on the wire, squeeze some more if it is still loose, but don’t mangle the crimp! Using a crimping tool gives a neater more rounded finish to the crimp bead, which looks more professional.
3. To use a crimping tool, first place the crimp bead inside the U shaped space in the jaws (closest to the handles of the tool). Make sure your wires are lying side by side, then squeeze hard. Remove the crimp bead, it will now have an gentle U shape to your crimp bead. Turn the crimp bead to stand horizontally, so you have a C shape. Place the crimp bead inside oval shaped space (at the tip end of the tool) and squeeze gently to fold the crimp bead in half. Getting a neat crimp takes some practice. The crimping pliers that we sell carry visual instructions on their packaging.

A crimp cover is a c-shaped bead that fits over the flattened crimp bead to hide it. Once closed carefully with flat nose pliers the cover resembles a regular metal bead.

Sterling silver crimp beads are thought to be superior because the soft nature of the metal allows for a more secure fit and a smoother finish. They are also less likely to break when under pressure. However, they are more costly and in most circumstances plated crimps will do the job very well.

Crimp beads can also be used to secure the position of beads in floating or illusion necklaces.

Using Jump Rings to Attach Your Clasp

Never open a jump ring by pulling the two sides of the opening away from each other like a mouth opening. This will distort the shape. Instead hold each side of the opening with pliers (so left side hold with pliers in your left hand, and ditto for right). Hold one side still and push the other side away from you. To close repeat the position for holding and pull one side back to the centre. The jump ring should be closed as tightly as possible. If necessary use the tiniest squeeze across the jump ring to force the ends of the loop to meet – but squeeze too hard and you’ll end up with a 0 rather than an o.

It is possible to buy closed jump rings (joined with solder) and also split rings (like very tiny key rings) that are more secure than standard jump rings. Split rings require a special tool to open them (to save your sanity and your fingernails!).

Using Knots to Finish Your Piece

There are a several important knots that you’ll use over and again in jewellery making and macramé. A knot can be used to tie the two ends of your string together, and is the perfect closure for elastic cord bracelets or for long necklaces that can slip over the head. Tie a surgeon’s knot and secure with a small amount of glue. See the illustration below for tying a surgeon’s knot.

If you have long tails to your knot, then thread these back through a few beads and secure to the stringing line with an overhand knot (see illustration below). This is a good way of stopping the knot wriggling undone. For an alternative method, see below – Finishing Without a Clasp.

Knots can also be used in conjunction with findings to provide a neat finish to softer stringing materials such silk cord, nylon thread etc. You can knot directly onto the clasp and tuck the tail ends back through the beads, but it looks more professional to make use of a calotte or end cone. End cones tend to be used with multiple strands as a way of bringing several ends to one point. Calottes are used to hide a single knot and will also provide the means of attaching to the clasp. Some calottes have a hole in them to pass the end of the thread through, other ones simply close about the knot and have a channel to run the thread though. Look at your calotte to see which type you have. Tie an overhand or figure of eight knot (see illustration below for how to tie a figure of eight knot) and add a tiny drop of glue to hold the knot secure in the calotte. You may also want to incorporate a seed bead as extra anchor. Trim the thread end and gently use your pliers chain or flat nose pliers to close the calotte. Then use your chain nose pliers to form the hook into a loop which can be attached directly to your clasp or with a jump ring.

Other Jewellery Findings

Folding crimps, cord ends, ribbon ends etc. are all findings that are specifically designed for use with particular stringing materials. Folding crimps come in different widths and be used with leather or suede thong, cord and ribbon ends are hopefully self-explanatory! Again these come in different dimensions. Generally these endings are simple to use. Insert the end of your thread and use your pliers to fold or tighten the finding around the thread. Use a drop of glue for extra security.

Finishing Without a Clasp

It is possible to knot your thread ends –see above for one method. Another way of finishing a piece and giving the illusion of a continuous loop is to pass the each of your two tail ends through the last four or five beads at the other end of the piece, thereby forming a loop. This will mean that the beads previously at the each end of the string will sit next to each other. Take each tail end and knot it against the main string using an overhand or half-hitch knot (see below for how to tie a half-hitch knot); for extra security continue the tail end through another few beads and knot again before running the end of the tail through one or two beads and trimming off. If you want to follow this method you will obviously need to ensure that you will have enough thread at either end of your string to allow for the extra threading and knotting.

If creating a piece with beading wire it is also possible to do away with a clasp. You will need some crimp beads and ideally some crimp covers too. Insert a crimp bead between the fourth and fifth bead strung, and the beads fourth and fifth from the end of your string. As with the above instruction feed each end of the wire through the final few beads at the opposite end. Instead of tying a knot use the crimp bead to secure the loop. Add crimp covers to neaten the finish.

Books on Bead Stringing

• Stringing Beads, Jean Campbell (founding editor of the American beading magazine -Beadwork). Published by Interweave Press Inc. Good comprehensive guide to beading to get you started.

• Big Bead Jewellery, Deborah Scneebeli-Morrell. Published by CICO Books. Nice range of projects using all manner of beads, including fabric beads and buttons. Inspiring, well-photographed and clearly laid out with good instructions.
  
  
  
  

Bead Wirework

As distinct from working with flexible beading wire, wirework is a technique that uses firmer single strand wire that holds its shape. Working with different wire types it is possible to create not just the usual range of jewellery pieces, but tiaras, fascinators, beaded flowers, knitted and crocheted pieces, your own wire components, beaded decorations, and chain maille work. All of these can be completed without the need for the need for specialist tools or a soldering iron, and you can produce work that is one-off, free-form and expressive, or structured pieces using a jig that can be reproduced (a jig is a former to bend wire around). Because no heat is used with this type of work, it is sometimes referred to as cold wirework.

Wire is supplied in different gauges (thicknesses) which are denoted by a number according to an american system or by its diameter in mm. If you click on the link you can read what wire gauge is suitable for your needs. Wire is available in four different levels of hardness: dead soft, soft wire, half-hard and full-hard. Memory wire is the hardest of all the wire types.

Wire comes in a wide variety of cross-sections such as round, triangular and square.

• Dead soft wire can be easily bent and broken with the hands, so any shape produced is vulnerable to becoming damaged or distorted. Good for wire wrapping of larger beads or stones, and thicker wire can be used.

• Soft wire is very similar to the above, but is slightly tougher.

• Half-hard is the most versatile type of wire as is soft enough to bend, but strong enough to act as a functional component in jewellery – i.e. for use as an earwire or eye pin. Use the correct cutters with this wire. Not so good for wrapping around beads or stones as it will be hard to get the wire to tightly follow the contours.

• Full-hard is stronger than half-hard and can be trickier to work with, again suited for use where you need reliable strength and form. Use the correct cutters with this wire.

All wire will stiffen slightly as you work it (work harden) but you can stiffen (and strengthen) the wire further if you hammer it – obviously this will also change the appearance of it, but this can give a very attractive finish. If making ear wires, hammer the curved part of the wire (the part that sits within your ear lobe) to give form and strength.

For general beading purposes you will need a few wireworking techniques under your belt, once mastered you will find that these will take you a long way. The first is turning a loop and the second is wrapping a loop. A loop can look like a simple thing, but try making one for the first time and you might find your fingers become thumbs and your loop is more of a lOop . Practise will bring your Os into shape – I promise!

A turned loop is a loop of the type that you will see at the end of an eye pin. A straight length of wire deviates to form a circle and at the end of the circle the wire terminates. You might need to turn a loop in order to finish off the other end of an eye pin or headpin so that they can be attached to other components in your piece (jump rings, chain, wire etc.). You can also create your own beaded links – one length of wire with a turned loop at each end and a bead in between, join the loops to other beaded links to form your own ‘chain’.

Tools Needed For Basic Bead Wirework

• Pliers & Cutters Illustrated left to right: Round nose pliers / Chain nose pliers / Flat nose pliers

• Wire cutters

Turning a Loop and Creating a Dangle

I am imagining here that you have an eye pin, have added a few choice beads and wish to form a dangle for a chain bracelet. Grab your round nose pliers and your wire cutters.

1. Cut the wire to within 1 cm of the final bead. Place your round nose pliers on the wire next to the final bead, and using your fingers bend the wire against them to create a right angle bend.
2. Next, take the end of the wire in between the jaws of the round nose pliers and hold it so the wire end is flush with the outside of the jaw. Where you position the wire along the jaw of the pliers will determine how large your loop is (try a few loops in different positions until you get a feel for where the wire should be placed).
3. Rotate the pliers away from you so that the wire started to wrap around the curve of the jaw. When you have turned as far as is comfortable in one movement, release your grip of the wire, reposition the pliers and continue turning your wire until you have a loop.

Wrapped Loop

Sometimes referred to as a gallery wrap. Once again this is a technique that you can carry out to form a dangle or pendant, but it is slightly stronger than a simple turned loop. If using a head or eye pin you will need one with a longer length as the wrapping requires more wire (at least 3cm above the final bead). You will need round nose pliers, flat nose pliers and wire cutters.

1. If necessary cut the wire to within 3cm of the final bead. Place your round nose pliers on the wire next to the final bead, and using your fingers bend the wire against them to create a right angle bend.
2. Grip the wire next to the bend just formed, then wrap the tail end of the wire up and around one of the jaws of the round nose pliers to form a loop.
3. Change to your flat nose pliers use them to grip the loop, then using your fingers tightly wrap the tail end of the wire round the wire beneath the loop. Trim the excess with your cutters.

Good Practice with Bead Wirework

• When cutting wire, always hold onto both parts of the wire that you are going to cut, so that you are not at risk of small pieces flying up and endangering your eyes (wear safety glasses too for maximum protection). If it is awkward to hold onto the wire and the cutters, then do your cutting within a clear plastic bag to contain any flying spikes!

• Always file the ends of your cut wire using a needle file and wire wool, or a specialist tool like a burr cup (you insert your wire end and twist). Most wires won’t need much attention, particularly if you have used cutters that have produced a flush cut (i.e. a horizontal end to the wire), but in the interests of comfort when wearing it is best to always give your ends a quick going over.
  
  

Books on Bead Wirework

• All Wired Up, by Mark Lareau. Published by Interweave Press Inc. Highly recommended for the beginner and also a great source of inspiring wire creativity.

• The Encyclopedia of Beading Techniques, by Sara Withers & Stephanie Burnham. Published by Search Press. This book is a brilliant all-rounder, andhas good clear illustrations of the basic wireworking techniques.
  
  

Bead Loom Work

Woven bead loom work can be produced with small beads on a simple wooden or metal loom, either purchased or home-made from something like a picture frame; or it is possible to work with a tube loom to produce a piece of tubular beading for bags, bracelets etc. The basic techniques are easy to learn and from there you can quickly learn to shape your loom work and add decorative finishes to the piece when removed from the loom.

When working on a traditional flat loom the warp threads (the long threads running the length of the loom vertically) support the work and the weft thread (running horizontally) passes through the beads and over the top of the warp threads. The thread used for the weft can be lighter than that used for the supporting warp, and it will need to be able to pass through the beads several times. Thread such as Fireline or PowerPro are good choices for the warp, as you want to minimise the chances of your splitting the warp thread with your needle as you weave and weakening the warp (a tip is to blunt the end of your needle with sandpaper). Nymo can be used but it stretches and is easier to put your needle through. Nymo in sizes A, O or OO is fine to use for the weft. The advantage of Nymo is that it comes in a myriad of colours, so it is possible to match the thread to the beads – in the finished piece some warp thread will be visible, as will the weft edges, unless you add decoration here. It is also possible to use elastic thread and thin craft wire for the warp thread, to create stretchy or shapeable pieces.

There are two ways to set up your loom – the individual warp method and the single warp method. In the first instance each warp thread is cut from the spool separately, with at least 20cm (8 inches) extra length at each end. The warp threads are tied together with an overhand knot and then fitted onto the loom. Using the single warp method you work directly from the spool, knotting the end of the thread to the loom and then running the thread back and forth to create the warp. With both methods you will need one more warp thread than the number of beads in the width of your pattern as the warp threads sit between the beads. The two outside warp threads can be doubled up to give extra strength to your piece. When you have finished weaving the piece and have removed it from the loom you will need to sew each warp end into the piece for a neat finish. There is another way of working with a single/continuous warp thread, that produces a piece with only two tail ends to finish off – for more instruction on this method take a look at this extract extract from The Beader’s Bible by Dorothy Wood.

Seed beads, cylindrical seed beads and small crystals are the most commonly used bead types for loom work. Many weavers prefer the regular shape of Japanese cylindrical seed beads, such as Delicas, as they sit neatly side by side and produce a very smooth surface finish. Seed beads give a more textural and irregular result, and small crystals or other beads can be used to add extra interest and shape.

The type of beading needle you choose is dependent on your own preference, but it is possible to buy especially long needles designed for use on wider looms.

To start weaving you need to cut yourself a comfortable length of thread, and tie this to the outside warp thread with an overhand knot. Using a beading needle thread the beads required for the first row, then bring the thread with the beads up under the warp threads and position so there is a warp thread between each bead. Support the beads with a finger, and push them up slightly so that you are able to then push the weft thread back through the beads, with the thread passing over the top of the warp thread (this is when you need to be careful not to pierce the warp). Once the weft thread has exited the final bead, passed over the top of the final warp thread, you can pick up the beads for the second row and repeat the weaving action – if you worked left to right for the first row, then you will work right to left for the second row, and vice versa.

Once the piece has been completed and tail ends tidied up, then you can add beaded decorative edges – picot, loops, fringes etc. by weaving free-hand.

Tools Needed For Bead Loom Work

• Bead Loom

• Thread

• Needles

• Snippers / Scissors (use the tool appropriate to the material)

Books on Loom Work

• The Beader’s Bible, by Dorothy Wood. Published by David & Charles. Has good clear instructions for setting up and simple weaving.

• Contemporary Loom Beading, Sharon Bateman. Published by Lark Books. Comprehensive beading instructions for beginners and inspiring modern designs to weave.

• Beading on a Loom, by Don Pierce. Published by Interweave Press. History, techniques and ideas for projects.
  
  

Off-Loom Bead Weaving

Also known as needle weaving, this technique is worked with a flexible thread, seed beads and other small beads. It is the path that the thread takes through the beads that determines the lie of the beads and the form that they create. The results of off-loom weaving are generally more three-dimensional and textural than the flat weaves produced on the loom.

If stringing is learning to walk with beads, or even move at a nifty pace, then bead weaving can be the equivalent of entering the marathon event or learning to emulate the movement of a prima ballerina as she pirouettes, jumps and twirls around the stage. Off-loom bead weaving can be very complex and labour intensive, as much as a challenge to complete as a joy to view the finished piece, but it can be also satisfyingly straightforward and deliver immediate results. It is the huge range of bead weaving stitches and the infinite scope for applying these stitches (making jewellery, buttons, vases, bowls, purses, pictures, netting, tassels, fringing to cushions or garments, needle cases etc.) that makes off-loom weaving such a popular technique. Don’t be put off by the need to follow a pattern, it is no harder than learning to knit, and a darn sight quicker to complete most projects. Once you are au fait with the basic stitches you can start to make your own variations. The basic stitches are peyote, square stitch, brick stitch, netting stitch, right-angle weave, herringbone weave and chevron stitch. Until we can offer you here the same level of pictorial instruction, I would urge you toward one of the well illustrated books that cover the key stitches, such as The Encyclopedia of Beading Techniques, by Sara Withers & Stephanie Burnham (Search Press), or The Beader’s Bible, by Dorothy Wood (David & Charles). The Art & Elegance of Beadweaving, by Carol Wilcox Wells has instruction, tips and plenty of inspiration including a whole chapter of patterns for beaded beads.

Tools Needed For Off Loom Bead Weaving Stringing

• Needles

• Thread

• Thread Conditioner

• Snippers / Scissors (use the tool appropriate to the material)

Needle choice is really down to personal preference – whether you prefer to work with a hard or flexible needle, a small or large eye, a twisted wire or straight. You will need to take into account the size of the bead hole that it needs to go through, and the number of passes that the thread needs to take through the beads, so that you choose a needle of the correct diameter. All needles will bend over time, but this can be an asset when trying to thread through awkward to reach beads.

Nymo is a great thread to work with. It does stretch a little, so it is a good idea to pull taut the length that you are about to use in order to eliminate kinks and prevent any stretching. Size D is a good general purpose size thread, but there are finer options available. Double up the thread if using with heavier beads, as it is primarily for use with seed beads – although in quantity these can weigh a surprising amount. Fireline and PowerPro also suit some projects, particularly where the resulting piece is quite weighty or if you need an ‘invisible’ thread but don’t want to use monofilament.

Some beaders like to use a thread conditioner (such as Thread Heaven or beeswax) to ease and protect the thread and help prevent knots. However, it is a personal choice, so see what works for you – Nymo is lightly pre-waxed but you can add a slick of beeswax. A coating on the thread will protect the thread from the sharp edges on bugle beads, will hopefully assist the smooth running of the thread when approaching the end of the spool and all the kinks come out to play.

Adding in a New Thread

Plan ahead and attach a new thread whilst you still have a good tail of your existing thread to knot with. The method you use depends on the stitch. If you are weaving with square stitch, it is possible to add thread without knotting, just introduce the new thread near to the old and follow the path of a few stitches, repeating a couple to anchor, then you can carry on (do the same in ‘reverse’ with the old thread). For ‘tight’ weaves such as peyote, brick and herringbone stitches, you can attach the new thread to the old using a surgeon’s knot and carry on weaving. Later you will need to weave in the tail ends and trim.

Alternatively, introduce the new thread a few rows of beads away from where current thread exits the piece. Insert the needle and push through a couple of beads, then tie a half-hitch or overhand knot, repeat until you can exit through the same hole that your current – now, old – thread exits through. Now weave the old thread back into the piece, repeating the pattern of travelling through a couple of beads and then knotting. After your final knot pass through a further couple of beads before trimming the thread end. This way you are not trimming immediately adjacent to the knot and risking it coming undone. If in doubt – knot! If really concerned you can dab a little glue on the knot, so long as your applicator is neat and controls the flow of glue well.

ADDITIONAL ARTICLE KEYWORDS & THEMES:

Bead Terms, Jewellery Bead Making Techniques, Beading Terminology, Beading Terms, Beginners Guides To Beading, Guide To Beads, Guide To Beadwork, Bead Starter Guides.

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