Herringbone Spiral Tutorial

The herringbone stitch is also known as Ndebele stitch. It is most commonly made into a flat piece of beading, or a straight rope. This tutorial shows you how to make it into a spiral rope, and also explains ladder stitch and basic herringbone stitch.

This pattern is worked with all the same size beads. There is another variation that uses a triangle bead to create the spiral.

 

 

 

 

  

Materials

• Size 8/0 or 10/0 beads in two contrasting colours

• Beading needle

• Fine fishing line or thread

• 2 small jump rings

• Lobster clasp, or another type of clasp

Techniques

• Ladder stitch

• Herringbone rope

• Herringbone spiral

• Stringing

Difficulty

Moderate

 

Step 1

Pick up one bead of each colour and tie the thread to make a circle, leaving a long tail to work the clasp onto later.

 

 

 

  

Step 2 

Thread back up through the first bead, and back down through the second. Pick up one of the next colour, go back through the second bead, then back through the third bead. Pick up the fourth bead and go through the third bead again, then the fourth bead again.

You will now have a row of four beads joined together. They may look a little wonky at this stage — don't worry about it for now.

You have just learnt to do ladder stitch!

 

 

 

 

Step 3:

You now need to join these four beads to create a circle. Just put the needle back through the first bead, go back through the last bead, and back through the first bead. Now go through them all again, and again if you feel the need, and if there's enough room in the bead holes. They should now all be sitting pretty evenly, and in a circle.

Note: The images will show the work looking flat, but in reality the work is round. You will be working from the top of this circle; the hole of each bead is also at the top.

 

 Step 4:

Be sure the thread is now coming out of the top of a bead; it doesn't matter which one.

Pick up two beads. The first one needs to be the colour of the bead the thread is coming out of, and the other one in the contrast colour.

Needle down through the next bead to the left of where the thread is coming out of. Go down through that one bead, pull tight, and then go back up through the one bead in the next column. Pull tight.

Add another two beads, starting with the colour you come out of, and work the same way — down through the next bead, move across to the next column, and go up through the bead directly next to the one you came out of.

 

 

 

Step 5:

You will now see that you need to come up 2 beads to get to the top. This is what you need to do at the end of each and every row in the usual herringbone rope.

 

 

 

  

Step 6:

Come up those two beads, pull tight, then add two more beads, then go down one bead only. Come up at the next column at the bead directly next to it, coming up one bead only. Repeat. Come back up the bead directly next to the one you come out of, and go up 2 beads.

You have just learnt to do the herringbone rope, without the spiral!

You have now done 1 row of 1-bead ladder stitch base, and 2 rows of herringbone rope. The spiralling now starts at this next row.

 

  

Step 7:

Pick up the usual 2 beads, starting with the colour you're coming out of. This time go down through two beads, but then come up through just one bead. Repeat, this time coming up through two beads, to finish the row. Pull tight at every stage.

Repeat this row again. These rows are just a gentle transition to start off the spiralling. The other rows will work it tighter.

 

 

 

 

 

Step 8:

This time, repeat as before, but just continue with going down two beads and up one bead, even when you get to the end of the row. This will make the spiral tighter. You won't see much of a spiral at first; this will develop as you work.

Continue with picking up two beads, going down two beads, then up one bead, until you have almost the length you require.

 

Step 9:

For the final row: Add two beads, go down two beads and come up two beads, and repeat. This is just one row.

To bring the rows together: You have now added all the beads you need to add. For the next row, don't add beads; just go down 2 rows and up two rows, down two and up two. Repeat.

To end off: Now do the same with just one row at a time. Work the thread down one bead, up the next, and continue a few more times.

 

 

Step 10: Add clasp

Add one bead and one jump ring, go back through the extra bead, and back into the work. Move up to the next bead in the next row, and back out the edge of the work.

Go back through that extra bead and jump ring, and back through the extra bead and into the work. Do the same through each column of beads. Work the thread back and forth through some of the work, and cut off.

Repeat exactly the same with the thread left from the start of your work, this time adding a clasp as well as a jump ring, or just the clasp if you prefer.

 

Created by Augenia (Jenny) Lawson.

All of the patterns on this blog were created by me from my own original designs.

These tutorials are free for you to use. You are welcome to sell finished items made from these patterns, but please do not mass produce items made with them.

Please do not copy, sell or distribute the patterns themselves.

If you have any questions about this tutorial, you're welcome to contact me at hello@craftcove.au.