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BA icsRefer to these pages and the basic techniques they contain whenever you need help getting started with a project.

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Bead a ladder stitch base. Your thread should be exiting one of the beads at either end of the row. There are two methods of starting a row of brick stitch; which one you choose will depend on the design you are beading. Brick stitch can also be beaded along the edge of another stitch - simply attach your beads to any joining threads available.

Out row start: Pick up 2 beads. Loop

around the bridging thread between the 1st and 2nd beads of the ladder stitch base. Take your needle and thread back down the 2nd bead just added (1).

In row start: Pick up 2 beads. Loop around the bridging thread between the 2nd and 3rd beads of the ladder stitch base. Take your needle and thread back down the 2nd bead just added. Loop up through the 1st bead and back

down the 2nd to be in position to continue (2).Continuing brick stitch: Pick up 1 bead.

Take your needle and thread around the next bridging thread on the ladder stitch base. Go back down your new bead (3). Continue to finish the row. If you simply attach a new bead to each bridging thread in the base, the end of your row will decrease. To increase at the end, add a second new bead to the last bridging thread (4).

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beadIngbasics

Circle through your centre bead twice, so that you have 2 threads sitting either side of the bead (1). These form the attaching threads for your 1st row; they are shown loose in the diagram but you need them tight in your work. Pick up 2 beads, loop under the attaching thread and come back down the 2nd bead (2). Pick up 1 bead, loop around the attaching thread and back down the new

bead (3). Repeat, adding single beads all the way around. When you reach the hole of the centre bead you may have to straddle the two separate attaching threads, or move to attach to the 2nd thread. To finish your row, add your last bead, then circle through the first bead of the row and back up the last bead to tie them together (4). For your second and subsequent rows you will repeat

first adding 2 beads and then single beads all the way around. This time, however, you will use the threads linking the beads of the 1st row to attach to (5). You may need to increase at some point to fill any gaps. Simply add 2 beads individually to one loop to achieve this (6).

Brick stitch

Brick stitch around another bead

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Zipping up your work To be able to zip the edges of your work together you need to have beaded an even number of rows. Line up the edges of your work and weave from one side to another, zipping up through the beads that stick out on each piece (1). Weave back again to secure.

Using jump ringsUsing pliers with fl at jaws, grip either side of the cut on the jump ring. Pull your right hand towards yourself to open the ring (1). To close, reverse this action. To close any gaps and secure, take the ends past each other and bring your hands closer together, as though to close up the circle (2). Repeat with the ends swapped over and bring the ends together and adjust to make sure it’s fully secure.

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Turned loop, with a bead in placeThread a bead onto a piece of wire, or a head- or eyepin. Bend the wire directly above the bead. Trim the wire to approximately 1.5 cm (1). Grasp the end of the wire with your pliers and turn your pliers to make the loop, ensuring you don’t lose the right-angled bend you made earlier (2).

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Ladder stitchA stitch in its own right as well as a base for others. Thread on two beads and circle through the 1st one and then the 2nd so that the beads lie next to each other (1). Pick up a new bead. Circle through the previous bead and then the new one to be in the correct position to add a new bead (2). Continue adding beads in this manner, always making sure you exit the new bead, until you have beaded the required length.

Joining the endsOnce you have beaded your ladder stitch, strip the length you require, you can join the ends to begin a tube. Circle through the fi rst and last beads, joining them as though you were adding a new bead (1).

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Spiral ropePick up the beads you want for your core, as well as those for your fi rst outside loop. Circle through all the beads again (1). Pick up 1 more core bead and the beads for your next outside loop. Missing the bottom core bead, circle through all those previously there, and your new one just added (2). Continue adding 1 core bead and outer spiral beads, always making sure each new outer spiral sits on top of those previously added (3).

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Tubular herringbone/NdebeleBeaded in the same way as herringbone stitch; however, you begin with a ladder stitch strip with the ends joined. Bead herringbone stitch all the way around, adding beads in pairs, ensuring that at the end of each row you ‘step up’ through your new beads to be in the correct position to add the next row (1). This will mean threading up through 2 beads to end the row.

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This is beaded almost the same as for even-count. However, as you begin with an odd number of beads there is a change to how you bead the end of every other row. Begin beading your work as for even-count (but having fi rst picked up an odd number of beads) until you near the end of your 3rd row. You will not be able to complete this row yet (1). To fi nish the row; pick up 1 bead. Miss the end bead and go through the next 2 along (2). You have now added all the beads for the 3rd row but need to weave your thread through your work until you are exiting the last bead added, making sure you face in the correct direction to continue beading (3). Note: in this last diagram only the weaving thread path is shown.

BEADINGbasics

Pick up the beads required for the width of your design. This needs to be an even number. These beads form the 1st and 2nd rows of your work. Pick up 1 more bead. Missing the last bead, go back through the second last bead added in your fi rst step (1). Pick up 1 more bead, miss the next bead along and go through the next. Repeat this pattern until you reach the end of your row (2). You will now have created spaces in your work that you will fi ll with beads as you go across each row. To bead your 3rd row, pick up 1 bead, miss the end bead and go through the next. Repeat this to continue your work (3).

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Turned loop, basicGrasp the end of your wire with round-nosed pliers. Turn your pliers either towards you or away from you to make a loop (1). You may need to reposition your pliers to complete the loop. You will end up with either a ‘p’ or a ‘q’ shape depending on which way you turned your pliers. Next place the point of one of your plier jaws into the loop and kink to centralise the loop above the length of wire (2).

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pliers to complete the loop. You will end up

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CrimpingIf using fl at-nosed pliers, simply press down fi rmly on the crimp to ensure the wires are held securely. If using crimping pliers, place the crimp, with your wires inside, into the notch nearest the handle. Press down fi rmly to crimp (1). Next, rotate the crimp and place inside the notch nearest the point of the jaws. Press down fi rmly to secure and round your crimp (2).

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Peyote stitch even-count

Peyote stitch odd-count

Surgeon’s knotLoop the right end of your cord around the left, twice. Then loop the left end over the right end twice (1). Make sure you pull tight so that the cords grip each other well.

Stop beadThis can be added to the start of your thread to help you with tension and keep all other beads from falling off. It may help you keep track of which is your stop bead if you use a bead that is a different colour from the rest of your work. Simply circle through a bead 2 or more times, making sure not to pierce the thread (1). Once you’ve fi nished your work, this bead can be removed.

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Square stitchPick up the number of beads you need for the width of your work; these will form your 1st row. Pick up 1 more bead, and circle through the end bead of the previous row and back through your new bead (1). Pick up 1 more bead and circle through the 2nd bead from the end on the fi rst row and your new bead (2). You always need to ensure you go through your new bead so you are facing in the correct direction to continue beading. Continue adding beads in this manner until you reach the end of your row. To secure your work, and help straighten and tighten your beads, when you reach the end of a new row you can weave all the way through your previous row and the new row, before adding new beads as before (3).

Bead a ladder stitch base the required width of your work. As herringbone stitch is beaded with 2 beads at a time, the base row needs to have an even number of beads. Exiting from a bead at the end of the row, pick up 2 beads. Take your needle and thread down the next bead along on the base and then up the next bead (1). Continue adding pairs of beads until you add the last two (2). There are many different ways to turn at the end of the row. A basic one is: weave though your work until you are exiting the last bead added (3). Continue adding pairs of beads to bead your next row (4).

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Wrapped loopsThread a bead onto a piece of wire, or a head- or eyepin. Bend the wire above the bead, leaving a small gap in which you will place the wraps (1). Place your round-nosed pliers into the bend and pull the length of wire around them to create a loop. Stop when the wire crosses itself at a right angle. If you need to join the loop to anything, do it

now before the loop is wrapped and secured (2). Holding your loop in the pliers, wrap the long length of wire around the gap created at the fi rst stage, moving closer to the bead (3). Once fi nished, trim as close as possible; you can use pliers to press in the cut end. Crimping pliers are perfect for this if you use the notch nearest the end.

wrap the long length of wire around

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Herringbone/Ndebele stitch

Increasing: In square stitch you cannot have 1 row wider than the others; it will also need a row the same width above or below it. Increasing at the start of a row will add a bead to the current row and the next. Bead the whole row and then pick up 2 new beads, 1 for the increase of this row and 1 for the fi rst bead of the next row. Circle through the end row bead, and back through the new row bead, to be in position to continue your next row (1).

Increasing at the end of a row will add a bead to the current row and the previous one. Bead to the end of the row; pick up 2 beads, 1 for the current row and 1 for the previous. Weave through what was the end bead of the previous row and was the end bead of this row, continuing through the 1st of your new beads to be in a position to continue beading (2).

Increasing:

possible; you can use pliers to press in the cut end. Crimping pliers are perfect for this if you use the

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