Weaving Techniques || Adding Beads to a Weave Part 2

I think adding beads to weaves is my new obsession. They really make a weave pop and I love the added texture and dimension. A few weeks ago, I shared how I added beads to a pile weave. This week I wanted to trying adding beads to a flat weave. I’m still playing around with the best ways to add beads and this technique worked well so I’m sharing it with you now.

My main concern with adding beads is I want to make sure they are secure and supported. I’m using a sewing thread and needle to secure my beads. Oh and as a tip, a weaver friend pointed out that there are wide-eyed bead needles that can help you bead onto many different threads (not just sewing thread), which would be really nice. So that is something I’ll probably try in the future.

I also wanted to comment that I’m adding beads to a circular weave, but these same steps can be followed for a regular vertical weave.

Here are the steps I took:

step 1| I recommend having at least one row woven as a base for adding your beads. To add the beads I first double knotted my sewing thread directly onto a warp thread.

step 2| I strung my bead onto the sewing thread and brought it down to the warp thread.

step 3| I circled my sewing thread around the warp thread so that the bead was sitting in a loop. I then tied a knot around the sewing thread loop (under the bead). This secured my bead in the loop and also tied it to the warp thread.

step 4| next I pulled my sewing thread to the next warp thread and went under the warp and up, then strung my next bead on the sewing thread.

step 5| I then circled the warp thread creating a loop for this new bead and tied a knot around the thread loop (under the bead).

step 6| I continued in this way, creating loops for the beads at each warp thread and then securing them with a knot. When I reached the last warp thread I double knotted my sewing string directly to the warp thread.

In my example I only added one bead, but you can add as many as you see fit. Just make that you use thicker thread if you are adding so many beads that it’s getting heavy. If you take a look back at where I added beads in my center, I pulled down two beads so that you can see I added two beads to the loop around a warp thread to make a more solid bead line.

step 7| I then wove with my normal thread, making sure to keep the beads from falling back between the warp threads. As I wove more rows the beads easily sat on top of the woven rows.

Have you tried adding beads to your weaves yet? Did anyone try adding beads with the pile weave method I covered before? I’d love to hear how it went.

Happy Weaving!

Kate

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