Bead Stitching Basics [Must-Learn Stitches for Seed Beads & 2-Hole Czech Beads]

Seed beads are a versatile bead that forms the building blocks for a variety of DIY jewelry-making and bead weaving projects.

Seed beads come in countless sizes, shapes, and finishes so the possibilities are endless. In general, seed beads are divided into three main categories: Japanese cylinder beads, Japanese seed beads and Czech seed beads. While most beads are manufactured cheaply in Chinese factories, there are several skilled manufacturers in Japan (Miyuki being one of the most popular) and the Czech Republic.

If you want to become a beader, its great to start with some basic seed bead stitches. In this article, we're going to highlight some basic beadwork techniques, including the ladder stitch, flat brick stitch, and classic square stitch.

Once you master these basic bead weaving techniques using these tutorials, you can use these beading patterns to design anything you can dream of.

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Ladder Stitch

The ladder stitch is the first stitch that many beaders learn because it is often used to create the first row in other beading stitches (like a brick stitch or herringbone stitch). Since this is the foundation of many other patterns, it's important to thoroughly understand it.

Before you start your ladder stitch, let’s dissect this video tutorial by Jill Wiseman to see her step-by-step instructions.

Step 1

Start with a long piece of thread and a beading needle. Thread the needle through two beads and leave a 6-inch tail.

Step 2

Next, go back through the bead closest to the tail end and pull the beads tight. This is what it should look like:

Step 3

Now that you have the first rung of your first ladder, you need to go back through the bead on the right (farthest from the tail) in order to set you up for the next bead.

Step 4

Now you’re ready to pick up your third bead. Once you put the bead on the needle, go back through the second bead from the top, essentially following the route from Step 3. This should pull the third bead tight. It should look like this:

Step 5

Now with the thread exiting the second bead, go back through the third bead from the bottom to set you up for the fourth bead.

Step 6

Repeat these steps until you reach your desired length. Congrats, you’ve just performed your first ladder stitch and are ready to move on to more stitches!

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Flat Brick Stitch

As we mentioned, the ladder stitch is the foundation for the brick stitch. In brick stitch, each row is offset from the previous row. When complete, a brick stitch is visually similar to how bricks are laid out on a wall.

Let’s visit another Jill Wiseman video to see how you can start with a ladder stitch and build on that with a flat brick stitch.

Step 1

As we’ve mentioned, start with a basic ladder stitch as described above.

Step 2

To start your first brick stitch row, pick up two beads. Starting a new row is the only time in the brick stitch process when you will need two beads.

Step 3

This is the step that confuses some people since it is a different beading technique that doesn’t evolve threading the needle through an actual bead. Instead, pass your needle through the connecting thread between the first two beads of the ladder. That’s right, you do NOT pass through any of the beads (yet). Pull the beads tightly and you’ll start to see the formation of the first row.

Step 4

To finish the first brick stitch, pass the needle up through the second bead. This whole process works best if you can keep the thread nice and tight.

Step 5

To make the stitch more secure, go back down through the first bead and up through the second bead. This step isn’t 100% necessary, but it will make everything much more sturdy.

Step 6 - Adding a Third Bead to a Row

Now you can start with adding beads to the row. For this step, you only need one bead on your needle. Just like in Step 3, stitch under the thread bridge of the two beads on the last row. We suggest starting in the back and pulling the needle towards you through the front.

Step 7

Repeat Step 4 and go back up through the most recently added bead. Now, you can repeat steps 6 and 7 until you’ve reached the end of your row.

Step 8 - Starting the Third Row

Once you’ve reached the end of the row, all you need to do is flip your work over and start again on Step 1! We like to just flip the weave over because it’s much easier than having to learn how to do the stitch in both directions.

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Square Stitch

The final bead weaving stitch that we’re going to cover is the square stitch. A square stitch is another one of the very basic stitches that every beginner should master. The final result is similar to a brick stitch, except that the rows are not offset. Instead, the beads line up straightly to make a very clean design which is great for flat, decorative pieces or even elaborate necklaces or other beaded jewelry.

Once again, we’re going to look at another great beading tutorial from Jill Wiseman.

Step 1

To get started, place a stopper bead (any large bead that is different from your pattern works fine) on your beading thread. Then pick up as many beads as you need for your first row. In this example, Jill uses five beads (which would make a beautiful wide beaded bracelet).

Step 2

Next, pick up a new bead (which will be the very first bead on the second row) and pass your needle through the bead farthest from your stopper bead. When you pull the string tight, your new bead should sit right up next to that farthest bead from the stopper.

Step 3

To set up for the next bead, pass through your newest bead. Repeat this step until you are at the end of your row.

Step 4

 

Now that you’ve added a second row of five beads, pass your needle through the entire previous row (in this case, the first row).

Step 5

Now, go back up through your most recent row. This step and the previous step are added in here to make the beads sit much closer together. So, it’s not 100% necessary but it will make the final product much cleaner and stronger.

Step 6

From here, you can flip the beads around and start back at Step 2.

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Now that you’ve mastered the ladder stitch, brick stitch and square stitch bead patterns, you’re now reading to tackle an endless number of beading projects.