With the popularity of beading and jewelry making today, there are literally millions of different beads which you can purchase and add on to your crochet projects. Beads are very readily available and inexpensive to purchase. They can be found made of many materials and of all shapes and sizes. Whether you want to add a single focus bead to your crochet projects, or add many of them, it is simple to do and will produce great results every single time.
No instruction about beading crochet would be complete without a warning about babies. If you are crocheting baby items, they are not appropriate for beading. The baby’s hands can work beads loose and they are a possible choking hazard if swallowed. The best way to deal with this is to avoid the issue all together by not adding beads to your baby crochet items.
No matter if your crochet project is simple or complex, adding beads is a simple process which you can learn very quickly. However, one very important thing is to remember is that your bead holes need to fit over the yarn or fiber which you are crocheting with. If the bead hole is hard to get on your yarn then you will find the entire process frustrating. And, the bead, if hard to string, will rub your yarn and cause it to fray. This fraying will cause your finished product to look less than professional.
The first step in adding beads to your crochet projects is deciding how many beads you need and where you will place them on your project. Your options are limitless when you are adding beads to crochet. You can add one bead, you can add just a few beads or you can add many beads. You also have the option of forming patterns with your beads or making them appear more random. Once you have decided some of these things then it is time to hit the craft store to purchase your beads.
While you are selecting beads, take care to decide on the quality of the beads and the wear they may receive. If your item will be machine washed then it is a good idea to stick with sturdy beads. If your item will be hand washed then you can use more delicate beads. Whatever your choice in beads, make sure you use quality beads so they will last the lifetime of your finished crochet project.
You will be placing your beads on your project in the reverse, so you will want to line up your beads in reverse order, if they are not all the same. When you are going to embellish your crochet with beads you have two choices of how to do it. The first choice is to add your beads as you crochet. To do this you will want to feed your beads onto your crochet hook when you are at the stitch where you want the bead to be. Place the bead right where you want it to be, and then make your last yarn over. This will secure down the bead into place. If you are working on an open or lacy design, you will need to add your beads as you crochet.
The second choice you have is to sew on your beads after your fabric has been crocheted. To do this, you will want to use the same crochet yarn or thread to sew on your beads that your fabric is made of. This will allow the thread to blend in and not stand out on your finished design. This is a good technique for tightly woven crochet fabrics.
Adding beads to your crochet projects gives you a way to make a simple item really have some sparkle and visual interest. Whether you choose to add a single bead or thousands, the process is simple and you can do it well with very little practice.
