Weaving with beads

Beadwork is a popular craft, which has experienced more than one round of popularity. Today it is a popular creative activity, which attracts children and adults, people with art education and those who are far from arts and crafts. About how beading is connected with Ancient Egypt, about all necessary tools and materials, about various techniques of weaving you will learn from this review.

Tools and materials
To make beautiful products from beads and beads with your own hands, you need to stock up on basic tools and materials. Buying everything and at once makes no sense. Learn progressively, sparingly, choosing what is more convenient and interesting for you to work with.

The basic materials and tools are the beads themselves, this basis (thread and fishing line), this needles and, probably, a loom for bead weaving. The description of beads is a separate topic, wide and interesting, it is only necessary to say that there are dozens kinds of beads. And first have to learn how to work with its simple kinds to “get a hand”.

Needles
You will need fine needles right away. The thickness of the needle depends on the size, the common numbering starts from 4 to 16, and the smaller the number, the thicker the needle will be. If you’re taking a needle for beadwork, needle number 12 is a universal option. If you work with fine material, a jewelry beading needle (No. 10-16) is a good choice. For work with big beads thick needles No 4-10 are good.

The shortest needles are 4 cm, the longest 12.5 cm. The choice of length depends on the tasks set for the craftsman. If we talk about brands, pay attention to needles Gamma, Regal, Bidding Pony, etc.

Thread, fishing line, wire
The needlewoman can use ordinary thread, fishing line, capron thread or thin wire for crafts. It is convenient that today in many stores of goods for creativity offers a special material. If you buy a fishing line specifically for beadwork, you can be sure that it is adapted for creativity line, durable and easy to use.

The fittings are .
It is almost impossible to weave beautiful beadwork without having professional accessories. For example, if you make a pendant, it won’t be practical without a clasp. You can use different clasps – round spring clasps, carbines, Cartier clasps, toggle clasps, boxed clasps. They not only help jewelry to be strong and complete, they decorate it as much as the base material.

You may need a checker-base, without which it is difficult to make a necklace, and various clips-fixers, and crimps, and pendants, and jumpers, and pins, and caps. In some cases you can’t do without beautiful bead cups. And if you decided to make earrings from beads to a bracelet, you will have to buy blizzards, pendants, pendants with an English lock, pussettes and creoles. Of course, you can buy accessories when you need them.

Additional tools
First of all, you need the most common scissors. It should be a sharp, well-sharpened tool.

Also in the work may be useful:

round pliers;
wire cutters;
crochet hooks;
pliers;
pencil and ruler.

And also help in the creation of a napkin of dense fabric, which will detain on the working surface of the falling beads. A napkin made of thick linen or velvet will do. There is no point in starting the creative process by buying all the tools on the list, absolutely everything may not come in handy. Usually a list of everything you need to make it is indicated in the product description.

Machine
Bead weaving can be manual or machine weaving. Both are usually taught by a craftsman. A machine will not be able to weave balls or ornaments for Easter eggs for you, but it is valuable in the manufacture of bracelets and purses, complex compositions.

Beading Techniques
Techniques of beading are numerous, but there are among them the most sought-after and interesting, allowing you to create beautiful things according to competent schemes.

Mosaic
This is the name of the most dense method of weaving. The beads in it resemble a brickwork. Doing such weaving can be done with one needle, and with two. Mosaic weaving is perfectly performed on a round beads, chopped and faceted beads. Bracelets, necklaces, belts, brooches are ideal in this technique.

Monastic .
This technique assumes the use of two needles. It is possible to weave both in width and in length. It begins as a chain “square”, i.e. vertically, with subsequent increase in width. This technique often takes a fishing line, even fishing line will do.

Brick
Very similar to the mosaic technique, but the brick stitch involves the location of beads in horizontal rows. Mosaic technique, on the other hand, is vertical rows. Such products are more flexible, because the brick technique is also used for independent weaving, in combination with the same mosaic.

French
Otherwise, it is called the weaving of arcs on the wire. It is actively used in the manufacture of flowers and trees, and this is a popular direction of beading. The French technique allows you to deftly and quickly make leaves and petals of any shape.