Bead Weaving 101 – Tubular Herringbone – Alternative Starts

Welcome back to Bead Weaving 101.

In the last post, we talked about the more popular way to begin a Tubular Herringbone project, with a ladder stitched base.

In the Handbook we are reviewing for this series, I found an alternative method that I will share with you today.

After filming the method from the handbook, I thought of an second alternative method and will also share that with you in the video.

The links to the Handbook are my Amazon affiliate links.

Purchasing through my links, provides me with a small commission, that helps support the free content on this website.

The top figure inn the diagram above, is meant to illustrate the ladder stitch start. On the base, shown in the paler color, there are eight beads ladder stitched together.

From there, the darker colored beads indicate the first row of Herringbone stitched in the round. You can distinguish the row by the v-shape formed by the new row of beads.

Alternative 1

The method illustrated in the lower figure of the diagram, is the first alternative method you will see in the video.

In this method, only four beads are picked up and sewn into a round.

The next pass adds a pair of bead between each of the four base row beads. Once, these eight beads are in place, you are set up to begin adding more rows of tubular herringbone.

One main difference I notice is the orientation of the columns of beads. In the first example, the columns span out from the center at 3-6-9-12 o’clock . In the second method, the columns span out off-center from 2-54-8-10 o’clock, while the four base beads remain at 3-6-9 and 12.

This makes a noticeable difference to the appearance of the base made with the alternative method, and closes off the end of the tube.

Alternative 2

In the second method, the orientation of the columns remains the exact same, as if we had started with a ladder stitched base of beads.

We begin by picking up sets of two beads for the desired circumference of the tube.

From there we simply add our rows of herringbone and move into the next bead before continuing.

Materials and Tools

We don’t need much to start with as we are creating a few small samples.

Using two colors may help you to see the thread path easier while learning a new technique or method.

2-Colors 8/0 or 11/0 Seed Beads

4 ft. Beading Thread

Size 10 Beading Needle

Stop Bead optional

Let’s dive right into the video next and you can check out the alternative methods for starting a tubular herringbone project for yourself.

The Tutorials

I hope you find this info useful and will try these methods in your creative bead work.

We are nearing the end of our exploration of Herringbone Stitch and Variations. Over the final few posts, I will be addressing the following subjects.

The Alluring Bead Boutique

The Alluring Bead Boutique

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