Summary:
Loom beading is a beautiful and rewarding craft. This article describes what you need to get started, and how to create your first project.

Details or Sample:
Loom beading, or Indian beading, is a beautiful craft that creates a strong and durable beaded `fabric’ that can be used in many ways. Once you have mastered loom beading, you will be able to create unique, one of a kind head bands, hat bands, necklaces, pendants and even larger pieces such as bags or belts.

To begin loom beading you will need a beading loom. Beading looms come in different sizes and prices. Some have inset tray where you can keep your beads, stands so you don’t have to work at a table, and other accessories. To begin with you will want a simple, easy to use loom you can use to make smaller pieces such as wristbands and hat bands while you practice, so shop around and find the size and price that suits you.

Beading needles come in different sizes too, according to the size of the beads you use. Needles for fine beads, such as are used in fine beading work, are very thing and pliable. These can be difficult to thread, but using beeswax to coat the thread and a needle threader can make the job easier.

Before you purchase your beads, you will need to know you design, the colors you will be using and the number of beads of each color you will need. For example, if you are planning a design with a blue background and a number of small Native American motifs in black, you will need considerably more blue beads than black. You can look up many fine beading designs on the Internet and download the patterns.

Make sure all your beads are the same size for your first project. Later on you can experiment but for your first project, you want to keep it simple. The most important thing is that the needle and thread are the correct size for the beads. If they are too big, your beads will get stuck on the needle. The beads you choose must be able to slip easily over the needle and thread.

Your thread needs to be o the best quality, for the durability of your project. Good cotton thread is best.

To begin, thread your loom as per instructions. These are the warp threads onto which you will weave your design. The number of beads used in the width of the design (not the length) determines the number of warp threads you will need. This is always one more than the number of beads. For example, if your design is 10 beads deep, you will require 11 warp threads on your loom.

Thread your needle with a length of cotton thread, and load the needle with the correct number of beads to start your pattern. This is the weft of your project, so called because the cotton with the beads on it will be woven into the warp on the loom.

To start weaving, tie the end of your threaded cotton to the warp thread closest to you. Push the beads down the thread to the place where the knot is tied. Now take the thread under the warp, and press the beads up with your finger to place each one of them between two warp threads. A warp thread must be between each bead and outside of the two end beads.

Pass the needle back along the line of beads by inserting it through the holes in the beads from the end furthest from you. The needle must pass over the top of each warp thread to hold the beads in place and create the first line of your bead `fabric’. Keep stringing each line of beads in this way, adding different colored beads as the pattern requires.

Starting with a small project, such as a wristband no more than ten beads wide will help you get the hang of threading the beads much quicker, and using a simple pattern with only two basic colors will help you quickly learn to follow more complicated patterns.

When you run out of thread, tie the remaining thread to the end where you have inserted the lat row of beads. Then begin a new line, by tying the next length of thread to the end closest to you, as at the start. Later you can use a dot of craft glue to reinforce these knots and stop your work unraveling.

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Written by: Gail Kavanagh
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