An Easy Way to Make a Line of Beads

Making a line of beads can be frustrating. If you attach beads one by one, you may struggle to have the eads line up evenly, as they would be on a necklace. One way to correct this is to run a second thread through the beads lining them up.

But there is an easier way — couch down a long continuous line of beads.

To do this you’ll need:

two needles (one beading, one tapestry)
floss
beading thread (optional)
beads

You’ll use the beading needle, the beads, and either a strand of floss or beading threads to place the beads on canvas. Your second needle and a strand of floss to match the beads, will be used to couch down the line of beads.

Begin by threading both needles and securing them to the back of the canvas. Bring the beading needle to the front of the canvas at one end of the line. String your beads onto the thread, adding enough to complete the line in a single stitch. Bring the needle back into the canvas and allow the needle to hang free.

As you can see from the picture above, the string of beads does not match the line on the canvas. This is one reason why the string of beads needs to be couched down. You’ll be couching using the second needle and one strand of floss, beginning at the end where the beading needle came out of the canvas.

Couch by going over the line of beads at various points, pulling the thread down so it snuggles down between two beads. Don’t pull so tightly that the line of beads pucker. Be sure to put a couching stitch at both ends of each line o beads.

When the line curves, you should space your couching stitches closer together. Once the line is couched, you can secure both threads.

When you get near the end of the line, move your beading needle to the front of the canvas. If you have too many beads on your string, put the final couching stitch, unthread the needle, and remove the extra beads. Rethread the needle and either secure the thread or bead another line as needed.

If needed do additional lines of beads the same way. If you have lines you will be beading that cross, be sure to make a couching stitch at the crossing point.

The beads used are Sundance size 11 seed beads in color #39.