Crochet beading: How-To

This weekend I was working more on crochet beading. It is a great technique and can result in beautiful jewelery. However, at the beginning it can also be quite frustrating. I decided to pass on what I learned, so you can hopefully be spared the frustration and go on straight to the fun!

1. Making the chart

In crochet beading, in order to introduce any complicated design, you have to start with a chart. Once you know the trick, making the chart is not difficult.

- Draw 6, 7 or 8 squares, line below line. Each line has to be shifted half a square to the right. Color the squares creating your chosen pattern.

- Start stringing beads from left to right and from bottom to top. String each line from left to right.

- Remember that the first beads you string will be the last you crochet.

- Repeat the pattern as many times as needed.

2. Counting beads

It can be daunting to count the beads you are stringing. Depending on the size of the beads, a bracelet can count between 700 and 1000 beads. And longer robes can be even more difficult. Luckily, there is a very simple solution to this problem. Every 10, 50 or 100 beads (intervals depend on you) string a small piece of paper with the number of beads on it. This way you will be able to control the amount of beads and, once the stringing is finished, you can easily remove the markers.

to be continued...