5 Things You Must Know When Using Beads in Cross Stitch

By:John Wigham

Beads can add a wonderful touch to your cross-stitch project. They bring dimension and beauty to any needlework. However, there are some things you need to know about beads so you can make sure they are appropriate for your project. There are also some tips you can use to ensure that cross stitching with beads is fun rather than frustrating.

1. Keep the Color Consistent
When working with beads you may wonder which floss to use, and you actually have a number of options depending on your design. You can match the floss to the color of the bead. You can also match the floss to the color of the fabric. Your third option is to purchase a special thread that is clear and designed specifically for attaching beads.

2. Use the Right Needle
Most of the beads you will use in your cross-stitch project are seed beads. These beads are very tiny and require a thinner needle. If your needle is too thick you will probably break a number of the glass beads. If you are using longer, bugle beads you can use a size10 beading needle.

These are long needles that allow you to string a number of beads on the needle at once. However, if poking yourself is an issue, use a size 10 tapestry needle. The ball-point will not stab you, but the needle is best for stitching on one bead at a time.

3. Use the Stitch That Works Best
When you stitch your bead on your fabric, you actually have a number of ways to stitch the bead depending on how you want it to lay on the fabric. For instance, if you want your bead to lie diagonally, you should use a half stitch. You would come up from the back of the fabric in the bottom, left corner, slip on the bead, and then bring the needle down through the top right corner.

However, you may also want your bead to lie vertically, so you would use a full cross-stitch. For a full stitch you will start like you would for beading on diagonal, but once you complete the half stitch, you bring the needle back up through the bottom, right corner, slip the needle through the bead again, and bring the needle down through the top, left corner.

4. Test Your Beads
Most of the beads you will use for your cross-stitch projects are glass beads where the color goes through the glass. Once in a while, though, you may like the look of another bead. You will need to check that bead to see if the color is in the glass or if it just has a coating on the outside of the bead. While the coating may look nice, it is not meant to last, and the color could chip off and ruin the effect of your project. Also, if you plan to wash your project, the beads will definitely lose the coating.

You can test the beads by putting them in your hands and rubbing your hands together. Check for flakes or pieces of color that come off. You can also put them into acid to see if the color comes off.

5. Check the Manufacturer's advice
For the most part, the glass beads you use can be washed and ironed. However, you should always check with the manufacturer first. Still, if you do choose to iron your project, remember that glass can get very hot. So you should always use a thick towel under the project. Put your cross-stitch face down on the towel and cover it with a cloth. Make sure your iron is set correctly for your fabric.

Digg del.icio.us Blink Stumble Spurl Reddit Netscape Furl

Article keywords: cross stitching, DMC, Anchor, embroidery, yarn, thread, sewing, crochet, crossstitch, cross-stitch, needlework

Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

John Wigham has been a professional author and editor for 20 years and is a co-founder of Patterns Patch an online cross stitch club dedicated to counted cross stitch. The website has a small team of writers who are devoted to our cross stitch club and enjoy writing about their hobby.

Top Hobbies Articles
1). Are you addicted to scrapbooking? By : Rita Hutner Many who suddenly get the scrapbooking bug say they started when they realized that so few pictures were taken of them as cute little tykes - and they want to make things better for their own children. What ever the reason, scrapbooking has become a big business. There are estimates that over 4 million people, almost all of them women, gather for "crop-alongs" or "power layouts" every month! All these people are on the lookout for new and exciting scrapbooking ideas and share their thoughts and techniques on how to create that perfect keepsake.
2). Orchid Care - Phaleanopsis Orchids By : Yale Bernstein --An introduction to Phalaenopsis orchids. Phalaenopsis orchids are one of the easiest orchids to grow in the home. The name "phalaenopsis" comes from the Greek phalaina, meaning "moth" and opsis, meaning "like". For this reason this orchid goes by the nick name "Moth Orchid". These orchids are very easy to grow and flower as long as care is given to recreate their natural growing environment as much as possible.
3). Doyles Room Spokesman Wins Cardplayer Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award By : Sage Kalmus He's been called the Godfather of Poker. He's the Texas Dolly. He's won more tournaments than this writer has years to his name. He's written the seminal book on Texas Hold'em strategy. He's the spokesman of Doyles Room, one of the internet's most popular online poker rooms. His name is Doyle Brunson. And as of February 15, 2006, he's got another claim to fame.
4). History of Candle Making By : Coffee Man Who invented the candle? Candles were invented independently in many countries. The Egyptians and Cretans made candles from beeswax, about 3000 BC. In the fourth century BC there were clay candle holders in Egypt. Qui Shi Huang (259 - 210 BC) was the first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221 - 206 BC). His mausoleum was rediscovered in the 1990s 22 miles east of Xi'an in China and contained candles made from whale fat.
5). Which pool table? By : Jeff King There are a few things to consider when purchasing a pool table that have an effect on the price and quality of your table and therefore, your game. Note that the term �pool tables� refers to the table used to play billiards, snooker, and all other cue-sports similar to this. The differences between these games are the rules and sets of balls used, not the table itself.
6). Genealogy as a Hobby to Trace the Roots and History of Family By : James Hunt Genealogy is becoming more popular as a hobby for those people that are interested in tracing the roots and history of their family. It may start with looking at a few old photos of unknown family members standing at an unknown landmark...
7). Challenge Coin Display Cases And Challenge Coins Tips By : Paton Jackson I find it amazing that the interest and popularity of challenge coins and challenge coin displays keeps rising. I get many questions about military challenge coins so I have decided to gather some valuable tips for you. The most popular challenge coins are navy challenge coins, marine corps challenge coins, army challenge coins, air force challenge coins and police challenge coins.
8). The Lincoln Cent � Part 3 � The Many Changes By : Keith Scott No real changes occurred in the cent from 1918 through 1942. In 1943, the cent would again see a dramatic change although not to its design, but rather due to shortages of copper caused by the war. At the time of World War II, the one-cent coin was composed of 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc. These metals were denied to the Mint for the duration of the war, making it necessary for the Mint to seek a substitute material.
9). Skydive To The End By : James Monahan A skydiver usually travels at the speed of 12,000 feet or 4000 meters altitude and free falling from the sky.
10). Live or Fake Bait? By : Ty Wagner Choosing fake bait over live bait and how the two can get better results in different conditions.

New Hobbies Articles
1). Why The Hobby Of Model Building Continues To Be Popular By : Gregg Hall The hobby of building models has been a fun activity for fathers and sons for years. The popularity continues to expand today, and there are more variations of models to build than ever before.
2). Perfect Timing for Shooting By : Mitch Johnson "Leading" or shooting ahead of moving game is usually thought of in connection with shotguns and wing shooting, but it is sometimes important with the rifle while shooting deer. Learn some tips on the timing for shooting.
3). What you need to know To Avoid Hunting Human Beings By : Mitch Johnson In some occasion there is accident which happened unintentionally, which caused the live of others human being. But it can be prevented. In this article you will find some direction on how to prevent this accident.
4). Effective Times to Hunt Deer By : Mitch Johnson One of the things, which a hunter must realize when he go for hunting, is that he must respect some restriction given by the land owner where he hunt the deer.
5). Tips on How to Get the Best Shot on Target By : Mitch Johnson Sometimes the hunter is too hurrying to give a shoot which caused him missing his target. What is the best thing for him to do to get the right shot on the target?
6). Things to Remember When Shooting From Vehicles By : Mitch Johnson What has been experience hunting on vehicles? Have you been able to sight deer from the vehicles better or by approaching them walking?
7). What You Can Do With Your Hunted Deer By : Mitch Johnson Hunting the deer nowadays has become a commercial business, where people are hunting the deer to be sold.
8). Karaoke Machine Buying Guide By : John Morris The word karaoke, often mispronounced with a long e at the end instead of a short one, originated from a Japanese word meaning empty orchestra...
9). How To Lose Distance By : Robert Partain This article contains tips on what not to do if you want to improve your distance in golf.
10). How to Avoid Shooting Human Beings By : Mitch Johnson How do we prevent shooting other hunters or being shot? Sometimes in a forest or woods area, it is quite impossible to see where the others hunters are located.

� 2006 articles2k.com - Privacy Policy