How To Do Flat Chenille Stitch
Flat Chenille Stitch Bracelet by Tammy Honaman
Recently I had the opportunity to work with the flat chenille instructions Jean shared a while back. I so enjoyed the way this stitch worked up but even more so, the results! It was a little tricky to get right off, but after a few tries, it really does work up easily. If you are ready to try your hand at it, too, please don’t give up after your first or second try. Keep going! It really is worth it as the weave is beautiful and the bracelet a flexible delight to wear.
Rather than make you have to hunt for Jean’s post, which is also a great note no matter the season, please enjoy the following in Jean’s words.
Making Presents
“I saw a sweet meme on Facebook recently that featured a chalk-board to-do list for the holidays. The first thing on the list was “Make Presents”, but someone crossed out and added letters so it read, “Be Present”. Isn’t that great? It made me think about my pre-holiday freak-outs surrounding gift-giving, trolling the malls for perfect gifts, wild-eyed and frothing like some kind of holiday banshee. The reality is, those around me would probably be a lot happier if I gave them Presence rather than Presents. With that in mind, I’m going to do my best this year to Make Presence for my loved ones.
But WAIT! I get a lot of joy out of gift-giving, so “Make Presents” is staying on the list! A good compromise is beading gifts for those on my list, because when I bead a piece with a specific person in mind, I get to hold that person in my thoughts the whole time I’m working, sending them good vibes. As a result, I can create a present AND give my presence! I love it when things work out like that, don’t you?
With all this Making Presents business on my mind, I’m excited to tell you about the eBook the Beading Team just finished putting together. 10 Holiday Projects for Fall through the New Year is an all-new content eBook that’s filled with projects I know lots of people on my list would love. One that I’m particularly excited about is the Silver and Gold Bracelet by Diana Balogh. Diana uses flat chenille stitch to form a stunning flat band that would look as great with a Santa-festooned Christmas sweater as it would with a sophisticated black dress. I’m especially excited about it because of the way she’s incorporated flat chenille stitch, a technique that’s usually shown in rope form. Want a sneak peek? Here’s how to get a flat chenille stitch band started:
Note: For this pattern, Diana used size 15 seed beads (A) and size 11 seed beads (B), but you could use all size 11 seed beads for a different look.
Row 1: Add a stop bead to the end of a comfortable length of thread. String 8B (Fig. 1, blue thread).
Row 2: String 1A, 1B, and 1A; skip the last B strung in Row 1 and pass back through the next 2B. String 1A and pass back through the next 2B of Row 1; repeat. String 1A; pass back through the next B of Row 1 (Fig. 1, red thread).
Row 3: String 1A and 1B; pass back through the last A of the previous row. String 2B and pass back through the next A of the previous row; repeat twice. Weave through beads to form a turnaround and exit back through the last B added in this row, toward the beadwork (Fig. 2).
Row 4: String 1A and pass back through the next 2B of the previous row; repeat twice (Fig. 3).
Row 5: String 2B and pass back through the next A of the previous row; repeat twice. String 2B; pass through the nearest 2B below and exit from the first B of the last 2B added, away from the beadwork (Fig. 4).
Row 6: String 1A; pass through the next B of the previous row. String 1A and 1B; pass back through the first A of this row and the following 2B of the previous row. String 1A and pass back through the next 2B of the previous row; repeat. String 1A; pass back through the next B of the previous row (Fig. 5).
Rows 7 and on: Repeat Rows 3–6 to the desired length.”
Happy beading!
Jean Cox, Bead Artist, Author
Beaded Chenille
Here is a small swatch of beaded chenille, close up; a good visual reference of what the bead weaving is supposed to look like.
I recommend practicing the stitch and trying it with different beads. Then, if you want to make use of some of your practice pieces, consider making something like this pendant.
Partially fill a premade bezel with ICE Resin then add a chenille swatch along with a swatch of ladder stitch. Allow the resin to cure and voila! You have a beaded resin pendant. Want even more to do with this stitch? Check out the chenille bracelet design in the eBook the Beading Team put together. 10 Holiday Projects for Fall through the New Year is a great compilation of bead weaving patterns.
Tammy
Get additional chenille stitch resources in our shop!
This is so much more straightforward than the videos I have been watching to learn this stitch!! Thank you, thank you!!
This is so much more straightforward than the videos I have been watching to learn this stitch!! Thank you, thank you!!
This is so pretty! Did you use size 8 beads?
For this pattern, Diana used size 15 seed beads (A) and size 11 seed beads (B), but you could use all size 11 seed beads for a different look. Enjoy!
This is so pretty! Did you use size 8 beads?
For this pattern, Diana used size 15 seed beads (A) and size 11 seed beads (B), but you could use all size 11 seed beads for a different look. Enjoy!