Woven beaded bracelets

Created by Alena Isabella Grimmichová, grimmich.cz

Weaving with beads is a very simple technique that beginners and even children can master. Bands made from a loom or weaving frame can be used to make bracelets, pendants and barrettes. Easily decorate any accessory by stitching or gluing on woven decorations – belts, purses, pencil holders, jewellery boxes … Learn the weaving basics and create friendship bracelets: two bracelets with the same patterns, but the colours switched.

Materials needed for weaving

Weaving frame; strong thread or embroidery yarn (special beading thread also exists); beading needles or thin sewing needles; different coloured glass beads.

Preparing the pattern

Grid paper; coloured pencils; eraser; ruler; pencil. Various weaving frames can be bought in shops or can be made at home out of any sturdy box.

Drawing the pattern

Draw on the grid paper the same number of lines as the number of threads that will be used. This means if you want to weave a bracelet that is four beads wide, you will need five warp threads and will thus need to draw five lines. Do not draw new lines; simply trace over the ones that are one square apart from each other on the grid paper. Each square in the design will represent one bead. Now decide how long the pattern should be. This depends on the size of the beads. The smaller the beads, the more squares will be used in the design. Arrange the beads next to one another to see how many you will need to use. If you want to make a bracelet, measure your wrist with a strip of paper and calculate the corresponding number of beads (also take the lengths of the ends into account). In most cases, about 50-60 medium-sized beads are needed to make a bracelet.

3 Tightly stretch the warp onto the weaving frame so that the spaces between the threads are the same as the width of the beads. At the ends, leave the length of the warp about 10-15 cm longer than the length of the bracelet. You will need the extra 10 cm to finish the bracelet. The number of warp threads is always one greater than the number of beads in the row. Start weaving using 1 – 1.5 metres of thread, depending on the size of the item you plan on making.

4 Thread the needle and tie the thread to the first thread of the warp (in our case, on the left). String on the beads (the quantity for one row).

5 Guide the beads under the warp to the opposite side (to the right). Push the beads up from the bottom through the warp threads. Each bead will be bordered by warp threads.

6 Using the needle and thread, string all the beads over the warp (see picture). String another row of beads and repeat. Note: Be sure to keep the beads close to one another; the thread must be strung through the beads tightly.

7 At the end of weaving, tie the thread (just as at the beginning) to the last warp thread and weave another two to three already woven beads through it once more. Do the same if you run out of thread in the middle of weaving.

8 Remove the finished pattern from the weaving frame. Tie the warp threads with knots (always tie the two threads lying adjacent to once another). For bracelets, either tie a clasp to the warp threads or, if you have woven the bracelet using embroidery yarn, braid the ends and tie the bracelet onto your hand.