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Beaded Feather and Chain stitch

Beaded Feather and Chain stitch

Beaded Feather and Chain stitch is a fun variety of Feather and Chain stitch. This stitch is worked in the same manner, but with one extra step. As you create the stitch, you thread beads onto the working thread before you make the chain section of the stitch. Other than that, it is the same stitch as Feather and Chain stitch. Take a look at the Feather and Chain stitch tutorial and you will see what I mean.

How to work Beaded stitches tip!

With this stitch, the beading is done during the stitching process, not added afterwards. The trick is to use a size 26 tapestry needle. Since the eye of a tapestry needle is long you can thread perle #8 and Perle #5 through the long eye. However, the needle itself is thin which means you can add a bead to your working thread as you stitch.

How to work Beaded Feather and Chain stitch.

First, take a look at the Feather and Chain stitch tutorial to re-familiarise yourself with the stitch. If you are rusty on Feather stitch check out that tutorial too!

How to work Beaded Feather and Chain stitch tutorial step 1Work from top to bottom.  Start by working two feather stitches on the diagonal.

How to work Beaded Feather and Chain stitch tutorial step 2Thread your bead or beads onto your working thread.

Insert your needle at the base of the second feather stitch and wrap the thread under your needle in order to make a chain stitch. As you work the chain stitch, slide your beads up so that they sit to one side of the chain.

How to work Beaded Feather and Chain stitch tutorial step 3Pull your needle through and the thread will form a chain stitch with beads on it. As you work, make sure you keep your beads on the same side of the chain stitch.

How to work Beaded Feather and Chain stitch tutorial step 4Continue with feather stitch moving towards the right side of the row. Work down the row forming the second feather stitch.

How to work Beaded Feather and Chain stitch tutorial step 5Continue this pattern until the row of Beaded Feather and Chain stitch is complete.

Beaded Feather and Chain stitch sample showing alternative beadsWith this variety, you can use different types of beads. You can also bead the arms of the feather stitch instead of the chain. Adding beads to stitches is great fun – try a bit of bling in your embroidery. I am sure it will make you smile.

I hope this dictionary of hand embroidery stitches is useful for you. With it, I hope you can improve your hand embroidery skills. I also hope readers can see how rich and diverse hand embroidery is and that today many of the traditional stitches are being adapted and reworked for a contemporary setting.

Floral themed Stitchers templates for hand embroiderers

This set of stitchers templates is designed around a floral theme. With this set, you can combine petal and leaf shapes with the curved edges of the templates to create all sorts of floral and organic motifs and create hundreds of different patterns to embroider. It is the ultimate mix-and-match fun for stitchers.

The set comes with an e-book with instructions and is filled with patterns and designs that you can create and use as jumping-off spots for your own designs.

They are available now in our shop here

Enjoy your stitching!

3 Comments

  1. Love this. I have a vast collection of beads to use for it 🙂 I love the one w the longish oval bead. One thing to keep in mind w silver lined beads.is they will tarnish..At least the good ones do as it is real sterling silver they use to make them.The first bracelet I designed was mad w sparkle, now it has to be remade. I was crushed after a particularly humid year, I pulled it out for a holiday party & it was barely recognisable
    !
    May I ask what linen are you using? I love the even texture so I can start a sample roll. Being a painter, I have all sorts of things to add color. And I am generally a little wild w my stitching and purposefully uneven, but I’d like a nice proper sampler for some unknown reason. And ALL the needlework/needlepoint shops w/in 3 hrs of me have closed. Just knitting has survived. So I’ve nothing even to look at to try. I’m kind of at the end of my rope w this, it’s been frustrating in the extreme.

    Kim
    1. Great -pleased you like it Kim. The fabric is Lugana – it’s an even weave cotton. If you google it I am sure you will find an online supplier in your country. Hope that helps

      sharonb

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