Finishing a Bead Weaving

Mirrix Tutorial
FINISHING A
BEAD
WEAVING
• CHAPTER 1 •
FINISHING A BEAD WEAVING
There are many ways to finish a bead weaving. Many people like to cut their piece off the
loom and then sew each thread back into the piece.
Here we show you how how to finish a piece if you are planning on backing your piece or
attaching it to a cuff.
Loosen the
tension on
your loom
by turning
the side
wing nuts
clockwise
Your finished piece.
Once the tension is
released, remove
your warping bar
(it's less traumatic
than cutting the
warp threads!).
2
Trim the loops
off the ends of
the warp so that
you can tie
knots.
I am using a heavy
brass beater to weight the top warp ends so
that the piece does not shift while I tie the
bottom knots. Anything from a brick to a
book will accomplish this task. You can
either use a beading needle to assist with
the making of these knots or, as in the
illustrations on black, a tapestry needle.
They both create the same results.
Here is the piece fallen off the loom.
3
Take two warps and do
the first tie of a square
knot.
Snug it up to the base
of the bead weaving.
4
Next make an overhand knot.
Stick your beading or
tapestry needle in the
knot itself and then push
the knot snug up a
against the bead
weaving. The needle will
prevent the knot from
closing while you move
it in place.
Once the knot is in
place remove the
needle.
The knot should be as close to
the weaving's base as possible.
5
Tie all your
knots.
In this illustration I am using
a beading needle. Go to the
other side to tie your next
knot and then fill in the
middle knots.
6
Trim warp threads.
Since this piece has warp threads that need to be concealed,
you can finish this piece in a variety of ways. One way would
be to sew ultra-suede to the back burying the warp threads
between the back of the bead piece and the ultra-suede. You
can also (and this would obviously be a much larger piece)
attach the bead weaving to a brass cuff. If this were a large
beaded tapestry, you would attach the piece to some kind of
backing, burying the warp threads between the piece and the
backing.
7