July 18, 2019

Enhance your Beading Skills

Beading is a simple way to add glitz and glamour to your needlepoint canvas! 
Enhance your Beading Skills

Beading is a simple way to add glitz and glamour to your needlepoint canvas! 

Beads can be used for just about anything. Snow, stars, buttons, and polka dots are some of our favorites.

A-Wassailing stitched needlepoint ornament


If you’ve never beaded before, give it a try! It’s simple to learn!

First of all, make sure you are using the correct size bead for the count canvas you are working on:         

Use Size 11 Beads on 13 Count Canvas

Use Size 14 Beads on 18 Count Canvas.

Beading requires a thinner needle than the regular tapestry one you use when stitching. These Ball Point Beading Needles are our favorite!

John James ball point embroidery needles


We love this transparent Clover Beading Thread. You can use it to attach any color of beads to your canvas since it’s see-through. If you don’t have beading thread, a single ply of Splendor or Anchor Floss can be substituted, although it may not be as strong.

Clover transparent beading thread in package

The easiest way to attach a bead to the canvas is done in the same way you do a regular Tent Stitch.

Bring your needle up in the lower left hand corner of the canvas intersection and slide on a bead. Next go down in the upper right hand corner of the canvas intersection. It’s as simple as that! Repeat this process as many times as you would like, as close together or as spread out as you want, depending on the look you would like to achieve.

Take a look at this video for a demonstration:

 

To learn more beading techniques, consider taking our online beading class, Just Bead It. You will learn sixteen beginner and more advanced beading techniques including how to jazz up traditional stitches with beads, make a beaded tassel and attach fun embellishments.

Great news! Our beading online class has just been updated and rereleased with brand new videos making it a great opportunity to snag this fantastic class. If you had already purchased the class, the videos in your account have been automatically updated!

The class is all done at home at your own pace by following Jinny Barney's expert teaching and videos.

Click here to shop our Just Bead It! Class.  

Bead containers with Needlepoint.Com logo magnet

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