An easy method of attaching beads to embroidery

The following method of attaching beads to your embroidery is simple but secure. Cross stitch and beading are often used together.

Mill Hill Glass Seed Beads can be used as an embellishment or for the whole design or as replacements for french knots.

The most common size used in cross stitch, blackwork etc. is a size 11.0. You will need a thin needle and 1 or two strands of cotton to attach them. (Please note, to make the photography easier to share with you, I have used a tapestry needle and a large bead.)

I have found it useful to tip out a few beads onto either felt or a piece of corrugated cardboard in order to prevent them rolling around and getting lost.

Method of attaching beads with cross stitch

Bring the threaded needle up through the hole which will become the bottom left of the cross stitch. Pass the needle through the bead and take it through the fabric again at the top right as shown in photograph 1.

attaching-beads-step2 (38K)

Bring the needle up again in the bottom right as shown in photograph 2.

attaching-beads-step3 (37K)

Twist the bead slightly so that you can push the needle through the centre hole again. Take the needle back down in the top right hole of the fabric. Photograph 3 shows the work at this stage.

attaching-beads-step4 (27K)

The last photograph in the sequence shows the finished result, which is a firmly attached bead.

Even if a cross stitch design doesn't include beads on the chart there is no reason why you cannot adapt the pattern to include them. Perhaps use them in place of french knots. They make great little eyes for small designs, or how about a teddy bears nose. Oh and of course they are perfect for the centre of flowers. Why not decorate a little Christmas tree with metallic beads.

The following photographs show beading on some of my blackwork designs. On Pearl the beads are sewn in a group to represent her earring. Whereas on the Japanese lady they are used for the centres of the cherry blossom flowers.