How to cross stitch with beads
Beads use the same chart as cross stitch: one cell, one element. Whether beads fill the whole picture or only add accents, what changes is the needle, the thread and one movement of the hand.
Updated
Cross stitch with beads works exactly like ordinary cross stitch: one cell of the chart is one bead on the fabric. So there is nothing new to learn about reading the chart. What is new is the stitch and the supplies: an ordinary needle will not pass through a seed bead, and six strands of floss will not fit through the hole. Below is everything you need for a first project.
What you need for beaded cross stitch
- A beading needle, size 10–12: thin, with a narrow eye, so it can pass through the bead hole twice. A tapestry needle will not fit.
- Thread: beading thread, monofilament, or a single strand of floss matching the fabric. A bright thread shows through clear beads and between them.
- Aida or another fabric with visible cells. The size of the cell decides which bead to use — more on that below.
- Beads from one maker for the whole piece: the same size number from different factories can differ in diameter, and the rows will start to wander.
- A flat dish or bead mat, so you can pick beads up with the needle rather than your fingers.
- A hoop or frame: taut fabric keeps the beads straight.
Which seed bead fits your fabric
A bead is sewn into a cell, so it is chosen to fit the cell of the fabric, not the other way round. The finished size does not depend on the bead: the fabric sets it, just as it does in cross stitch.
| Fabric | Stitches per cm | Cell, mm | Bead | ± |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aida 14 | 5.51 | 1.81 | 11/0 | 0.29 |
| Aida 11 | 4.33 | 2.31 | 10/0 | 0.01 |
| Aida 16 | 6.30 | 1.59 | 15/0 | 0.09 |
| Aida 18 | 7.09 | 1.41 | 15/0 | 0.09 |
| Evenweave 28 ct | 5.51 | 1.81 | 11/0 | 0.29 |
| Evenweave 32 ct | 6.30 | 1.59 | 15/0 | 0.09 |
For a first project the easiest pairing is 11 count Aida with 10/0 beads: the cell is 2.31 mm and the bead 2.3 mm, an almost exact match. On 14 count Aida the closest bead, 11/0, is 0.29 mm larger than the cell and sits a little tighter. The full seed bead size chart, and what happens with the wrong size, is in the guide “Seed bead sizes: which bead fits your fabric”.
How to attach a bead with a half stitch
The basic stitch of beaded cross stitch is the half stitch: a single diagonal across the cell with a bead threaded on it. The bead lies in the middle of the cell, tilted slightly in the direction of the stitch.
- Start without a knot: leave a tail on the back and cover it with your first stitches, or make two tiny stitches where beads will go.
- Bring the needle up through the bottom-left corner of the cell.
- Pick up one bead on the needle.
- Take the needle down through the top-right corner of the same cell and pull the thread so the bead lies flat on the fabric.
- Work the next bead the same way, from the bottom-left corner. Every half stitch must slant the same way: a bead stitched the other way shows at once from the front.
- To finish a thread, run it under a few stitches on the back and trim it.
Do not pull the thread too tight: the fabric puckers and the rows start to wave. The thread should hold the bead snugly against the fabric without dragging on it.
When to secure a bead with a second pass
A bead on a single half stitch can tilt and turn its hole upward. Where that shows, secure it with a second pass: after the first diagonal, bring the needle up at the bottom-left corner again and go through the same bead once more, into the same top-right corner. Use it for single beads, the edges of the piece and places that get handled. It takes twice the thread, so a whole area is not usually worked this way.
How to add beads to cross stitch
Beads and cross stitch can share one piece: beads are used for sparkle, eyes, dewdrops and flower centers. Attach them last, once all the cross stitch and backstitch is done — otherwise the thread snags on the beads. Use a half stitch slanting the same way as the top leg of your crosses, in thread matching the fabric or the neighboring stitches.
A bead chart from your own photo
A bead chart is the same as a cross stitch chart: one cell, one bead. So you can make one from a photo in the builder: choose the fabric, set the width in centimeters, inches or cells and the number of colors, and switch the cells to circles — the chart then reads the way it will look on the fabric. For a first project 8–12 bead colors are enough: each color is a separate pack, and beads of one color should come from one batch.
In short
- How do you cross stitch with beads?
- Use a size 10–12 beading needle, beading thread or a single strand of floss matching the fabric, and Aida with visible cells. Attach each bead with a half stitch: bring the needle up at the bottom-left corner of the cell, pick up a bead and go down at the top-right corner. Keep every stitch slanting the same way.
- What needle do you use for cross stitch with beads?
- A size 10–12 beading needle: thin, with a narrow eye, so it can pass through the bead hole twice — you need that for a second pass. A blunt tapestry needle with its wide eye will not go through a seed bead.
- Can you use a cross stitch chart for beading?
- Yes. In cross stitch and in charted beadwork alike, one cell is one element: a cross or a bead. The chart stays the same; only the needle, thread and stitch change, and the bead size is matched to the fabric cell.
- Can you make a bead chart from your own photo?
- Yes. A bead chart is the same as a cross stitch chart, so the Stitchka builder makes one: add a photo, crop it, choose the fabric, set the size in stitches, centimeters or inches and the number of colors. Cells can be shown as circles, and the finished chart with its legend saves as PDF or PNG.
The numbers and charts on this page are computed by the same code as the builder.