Beads…you either love ’em or you hate ’em! Some of my stitching friends… say Never! Ever! or I have heard never in public! (that’s so they can use some bad, bad words) Well for me I love, love, love to bead. Did I say love?

Just think of it this way when you bead, you don’t need to ply your threads, no counting, no compensating, no laying tool, just bead till your hearts content. I can fall into a zen with my beading. The last class I took with Tony Minieri, I was at a loss as I didn’t see any beads in my thread kit! What was I to do? After further examination…there were beads in my stitch guide, they were just an elusive color that would need some searching for.

There has been a lot of comments, compliments on my beading, so I thought I would give you a little lesson. Beading really can be fun!

As with anything, you need the proper tools. A good beading needle such as a #10 Bohin would be a good place to start. These needles have a good sized eye which make it easier to thread, but it is a heavier needle and sometimes all of the sized 14/15 beads don’t slide over this needle. They don’t bend so easily as the John James #10 needles, which these are perfect for other beading techniques, just not at this moment.

I was working on the Sparkles ornament by Pepperberry Designs, and even though I was stitching the hat, I thought it would be better to bead the snowflake now and then get back to the hat.

You have poured some beads out into a beading receptacle…whether it be a Tacky Bob,  Bead Buddie, the bead case that we talked about yesterday or anything else that works for you, beading thread and you are good to go.

Thread your needle with a long length of thread, double it and then knot. Come up in your canvas (lets call this A) as if you were to take a normal tent stitch, but before you go back down in the canvas, pick up a bead. Yes I use an away waste knot for my beading too.

What is an away waste knot? A knot placed away from where you are stitching, placed in the path that you are working…so as you near it, you can just cut it away.

Finish your tent stitch and pull your beading thread snug. Always pull tight! Come back up in A as if you are to take a second stitch…which actually you will be.

That second stitch is called lassoing or railroading as you want this thread to pass on either side of the bead. Pull tight! Sometimes I use the needle to make sure that the beading thread goes right where I want it to. At times that bead needs a little help so it stands straight up. That second stitch is very important as that what keeps that bead lined up.

Now on this beading project I was using an Edmar #10 beading needle. I like these needles very much. A little longer and somewhat thinner than the others and with a gold eye too! They come in a great little tube, so what’s not to love about them?

It’s Saturday morning, so I guess you can figure out where I am headed! It’s foggy out and not sure if more rain is on the way, but anyway any day that I can start off with breakfast at The Cottage is a good one.

Let me in! let me in! ooh you silly girl.

and until next time…keep on stitching