Beaded Hardanger, the basics

Beaded Hardanger is something I’ve worked on for quite some time. I wasn’t far into my Hardanger journey before the idea of replacing the picot with a bead happened. But I wasn’t at a skill level where I knew how to go about it. 

You want to embroider without having to switch needles all the time sothe trick is to match up your thread and needle to the beads. The limit you have is the size of the hole in the bead, because your needle needs to pass through not only once but twice. This means you also have to figure out which thread will fit your needle. Too thick for the eye and you’ll go nowhere. Which again means you will have to consider what kind of thread count you can use. It’s like a game of Dominoes really.

For my beaded Hardanger jewellery I’ve used a no 28 John James tapestry needle, DMC Special Dentelles no 80, size 11 and 15 Toho beads and 40 count linen. I prefer Toho beads because they have larger holes than the more popular Miyuki beads. And again I prefer both Toho and Miyuki beads to Czech beads as they are more uniform in shape and size. 

In the video I’m working on a 32 ct fabric with no 9 beads,  DMC Cotton Perle no 12 and a no 26 John James Tapestry needle. The bead in the middle is a 3mm Swarovski Crystal Perle. The beaded motif sans the Closter Blocks measure about 4 cm/1.5 inches.

When doing beaded Hardanger you need to think about the negative spaces and the silhouette your bead is going to make in the embroidery. Too small and they just look like little slubs in the weave, too big and they fill up too much space. Also, see-through beads are going to give very little impression while the solid ones really give the embroidery shape and interest. Stay clear of cut beads as they will be too sharp along the hole and wear through your thread. Nicely rounded beads are the best. 

I think I could rave on endlessly here about beaded Hardanger, but I think this must be enough for now. If you have questions please feel free to ask, either here or on the Gram and I’ll do my best to answer.