Loom Beading
The invention of beading on a loom is credited to Indigenous peoples of South and North America. Beginning with a tree branch and evolving to a more permanent wooden loom, this artform periodically dips in popularity, but never vanishes. Today, loom beading is popular, especially for items such as hat bands, bracelets, chokers, and necklace and key pendants – anything that has a rectangular or square shape can be easily and quickly beaded on a loom.
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*** The photos in this month’s blog are courtesy of Jamie Cloud Eakin, from her comprehensive “Guide to Beading with a Loom,” available from many booksellers online.
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Supplies to get you started
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Loom. The Beading Room stocks a few types of looms – Little Ricky’s (pictured at left), Rick’s, LoomEEZ, which differ in price point, accessories, and size.
- Weft thread. This is the thread you’ll use to string the beads you then nestle between the warp threads. Nymo, KO, and other top quality nylon beading threads lead the list. For some applications, Fireline or other similar “threads” are used.
- Beads. Most popular are seed beads, usually in size 11/0 (The Beading Room carries top quality Miyuki and Czech Preciosa seed beads), or cylinder beads (The Beading Room carries a wide variety of the Miyuki Delica cylinder beads).
Durability, especially when making a bracelet, is essential for a loomed piece that lasts. Beads of the best quality – defined as having size consistency and colour fastness, is an important consideration. For this reason, opaque and Duracoat Galvanized Miyuki and opaque Czech Preciosa seed beads are good options where colour fastness is key.
- Beading Needles. A standard 2”, size 12 beading needle suffices for most projects; for a larger project, such as a tapestry, you will want a 4” long needle. In general, Miyuki beading needles are excellent; with a slightly rounded tip they are ideal for those prone to splitting a thread. John James beading needles are another choice.
- Bees wax. Conditioning the thread with bees wax minimizes tangling, helpful when working with a yard or two in length of thread, which is practical as longer thread = fewer joins.
- Glue. Depending on your finishing method, at some point you may need glue. Zap Gel and G-S Hypo Cement are both excellent as they are made for jewellery use and have fine tip applicators.
More Tips on Loom Beading
Beading on a loom usually requires a schematic, like a cross stitch pattern. (You could absolutely wing it and develop an improvised design as you go!)
To keep track of where you are, consider using a magnetic board and ruler, Adobe software with completed rows highlighted, or pencil or chalk marker on a plastic sheet.
Speaking of patterns, here are two free software tools to help you create your own:
- Bead Tool 4 to design your own pattern on a PC.
- Stitch Sketch to design your own pattern on an Apple computer.
The hardest part to loom beading, in my experience, is starting the first row. Coaxing the beads to nestle in between threads takes time, patience, good eyesight or glasses, and a steady hand. After that it’s easy, meditative, and so rewarding!
Resources to Make Your Bead Looming Awesome
Facebook group Loom Beading & Square Stitch
A super cool short reel on how to create a V-shape in a loomed necklace.
Jamie Cloud Eakin’s fabulous “Guide to Beading with a Loom – From Start to Finish and Beyond” is 121 pages of loomalicious beading!
And a lovely course, full of tips and step-by-step instruction on loom beading from Domestika.org – Beaded Jewelry Design, Weave Elegant Patterns, presented by Marion Mazo, Jewelry Designer.
Another bead loomed artform is that of tapestry. Smaller than embroidered counterparts, they are nonetheless equally striking. Next month, we will take a look at beaded tapestry art.
And that, my dear readers, will help you bLOOM like a garden!
Cathy
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