The Beauty of Beads

I love beads.  If I could I would completely cover projects with beads.  Even though I know that 1) the project would be very heavy and 2) it might really not be in good taste.

A recent fun project I did with my Crochet Club kids was to make chains with beads.  We used plastic pony beads. They are easy to thread onto worsted weight yarn and come in a variety of colors.

I decided it would be fun to make a “fancier” version for myself.  I purchased some Czech Glass Beads Size 2/0 in rainbow colors and some Patons Silk/Bamboo #3 thread to string them on.

I’m sure there are other ways to string beads on thread or yarn, but the method I like is to use a dental floss threader. You can find them in the toothcare area of most pharmacies.

To make my necklace I strung a bunch of beads on the thread, though I ended up only needing 25.  Using a H-8 (5 mm) hook, I chained 8 then slip stitched into the first chain, after making 10 more chains I slid the first bead up and chained around it (first bead chain made). I alternated bead chains and regular chains until I had used 25 beads up.

My length of beaded chain now measured approximately 15 1/2 inches from the loop at the beginning.  I made 11 more chains and fastened off with a 6 inch length.  Using the ending length I sewed a button to the chain and wove the end in.  Then wove the beginning length around the loop to act as reinforcement for the buttonhole.

Less than 30 minutes after starting this project I have a lovely necklace.  If you are needing a quick gift during this holiday season this is a fun one that can be made with a wide variety of beads and thread or yarn options. Have fun experimenting.