Beading Technique to Make Bead Animals

The main beading technique here is the 'Back and Forth' technique. It's very simple. Once you mastered it, you'll be able to make most of the bead animals on my site.

However, there're a couple of other needed techniques, what I'll also explain on this page.

You'll find the step-by-step instructions for

• the back and forth technique
• the three types of leg making
• the basic wing making
• the tail making

Back and Forth

Use this instruction to make the body of the bead animals. After you've finished with the first row, make the second row by doing the same thing again. In this way, make the rest of the animal.

String the beads (depending on what you are making) on either side of the wire. If you're beginning a new bead animal string the bead(s) on the center of the wire.	Now, loop back with the opposite wire through the beads as shown on the picture above.	Pull it as tightly as you can.

	If it's not in the right place (not exactly beside the row before), then bend it until it looks nice.

Important:

If you are making an animal that should be flat, then push the rows beside each other (and use wire). However, if your animal supposed to be round (3D), pull each row very tightly to make them overlap. 
If it doesn't help, then simply put the rows right opposite of each other. After that, if you look at your animal from side, then the rows should look zigzagging as shown on the picture below.

Leg Making

1. Simple straight leg
2. Leg with foot
3. Leg with foot and toes

Simple straight leg

String the leg beads on one side of the wire.	Loop back with the same wire through the leg leaving out the last bead.	Try to avoid kinks on the wire.

TIP:  When you pull the leg tightly hold the leg as near as possible to the body.

Hold the leg to the body as near as you can.	Pull it very tightly. Do the same on the other side.

Leg with foot

String the beads on either wire. For the foot use different color like on the picture.	Loop back with the same wire through the leg (NOT through the foot -- yellow beads).

TIP:  When you pull the leg tightly hold the leg as near as possible to the body.

Pull it very tightly. If the wire begin to twist set it right.	Now, do exactly the same on the other side.

Leg with foot and toes

String the leg beads (here 3 beads) and one toe beads on one side of the wire.	Loop back through the remaining of the toe beads leaving out the last bead as shown.	Hold the toe near to the leg and pull it tightly.

Now, you've finished the first toe.	String the second toe beads on the same wire.	Loop back through the toe beads leaving out the first bead as before.

Hold the toe near to the leg and pull it tightly.	Do exactly the same with all toes. (Here 3 toes)	When you've made all of toes, loop back through the whole leg.

Pull it tightly. Do exactly the same on the other side.	Congratulations! now, you've finished your first leg with toes.

Wing making

String all wing beads on either side of the wire.	Loop back through only the first bead (the nearest to the body) as shown.

Hold the first bead near to the body as you pull it tightly.	Do exactly the same on the other side.

Tail making

String the tail beads on both wire.	Pull it beside the body, tightly.

Loop back with either wire through and around the last bead.	Pull it very tightly and clip the end of the wires.

Find more about beading:

• Bead Pattern
• Beads
• Butterfly Project (easy)
• Baby Frog Project (medium)  With Video Guideline!!

 

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