Fun and Easy T
o Make Matchbox Bag
Try your hand at this variation of Ndebele/Herringbone stitch which
Bring the needle
resembles loomed work& all the beads fall into vertical rows. It s fun back up through
both beads of the
and easy to do! 6
third group (Illustra-
Tension is an important thing to
1
Matchbox Bag size is 1 /2" wide x 2" high. tion 6).
mention at this point. The instruc-
Continue to add two beads with every
tions will tell you to  snug a bead
Black Bag
stitch across the row. When you reach the
into place. Pull with a gentle tension
MATERIALS: 2 Sterling Silver 4mm
last stitch, thread the needle back up
until the bead slips into place, don t
3
round beads " D 8" wide Sterling Silver
through the first group (Illustration 7).
force it. This stitch is best worked
pendant " Cardstock for insert " Size B
with a little bit of play and a lot of
beading thread " Size 12 beading needle
faith. You ll be adding beads to the
Toho Beads:
top row and straightening the beads
" 29 grams 11/0 round matte Black #610 7
of the previous row all at the same
time. Don t be discouraged if your top
Plum Bag
row looks a mess, it s supposed to!
MATERIALS: " 2 Sterling Silver 4mm Row 3 - Reverse direction. String two
Eventually, you ll get into the rhythm
3
round beads " D 8" wide Sterling Silver beads, take the needle down through
of the stitch and things will progress
pendant " Cardstock for insert " Size B the bead to the left of the thread (a sin-
quickly from there.
beading thread " Size 12 beading needle gle bead, not a group this time). Come
Toho Beads: up through the next bead. Continue
Let s Get Started! Pour some seed
" 29 grams 11/0 round matte Bronze around (Illustrations 8 - 9).
beads into a shallow bowl. Cut a 48"
Plum #514F
length of thread. Thread the needle
with one end. Thread on four beads.
Blue Bag 8
Slide them down the thread, leaving
MATERIALS: 2 Sterling Silver 4mm
the last 12" of thread free. Wrap this
3
round beads " D 8" wide Sterling Silver
end around the index finger of your
pendant " Cardstock for insert " Size B
free hand. You ll pull against this as
beading thread " Size 12 beading needle
you tighten the first few stitches.
Row 4 -
Toho Beads:
Reverse
9
" 29 grams 11/0 round matte Denim Blue
Row 1 - Now thread the needle back
direction.
#511F
through all four beads. Adjust work
Add
into two groups of two beads each
stitches
(Illustration 2).
The Big Picture from left
to right
You ll be making the bag in three 10
around
pieces - a circular body and flat
2
the circle
bottom and flap. Next, add an
(Illustra-
insert to help  square the bag and
String two beads and thread needle
tion 10).
finally add strap (Illustration 1).
back through second group of two
Rows 5 through 26 - Work as for Rows 3
beads and the new beads. Now you
and 4. Reverse direction with each row.
have three groups of two beads each
When you have completed row 26,
Ndebele Variation
(Illustration 3). Continue until you
reverse direction and stitch another
have 40 groups.
row without beads. This tidies up the
last row of beadwork (Illustration 11).
3
Join the first and
11
1
last group by run-
ning the thread
4
through both
Weave up to begin a
groups as shown
new thread.
in Illustration 4.
12
Row 2 - Thread
A few notes on Ndebele. Why this
two beads. Pass
stitch? Two reasons: first, we can
needle down
always use another stitch in our bead-
through both
ing repertoire. Secondly, it makes 5
beads of the next
design sense. I wanted to make a square
group (Illustra-
bag  a box. This stitch is perfect. Nice
tion 5).
even rows with square edges! Continued on page 34
Beaded Bag-ettes 33
Matchbox Ndebele Stitch
Continued from page 33
Let s face facts.
You re going to run out of thread at some
point, but there s no need to panic  or to tie a
knot! To end a thread, weave up and down
through a couple of bead groups on 2 or 3
rounds below. Clip thread end. Cut a 36" length
of thread and weave up and down through a
couple of bead groups on 2 or 3 rounds to
come up out of the last group of beads you
added. Weave down to end a thread, weave up
to start a new one (Illustration 12).
Let s Make the Bottom Panel! The bottom panel
is worked flat. The direction of the stitches still
changes with every row. But we ll simply turn
the piece over and continue to work from left to
right. (We are so sneaky!)
Row 1 - Make a ladder as
for Row 1 of the body
with 5 sets of two beads 13
(Illustration 13).
Row 2 - Flip the ladder over so you re working
from left to right. Make two stitches through the
bead groups of Row 1 (Illustrations 14 - 15).
14
15
Row 3 - Flip the piece over so you re working
from left to right. String 3 beads and make the
first stitch of the row as shown in Illustration 16.
Notice we are now going
through single beads
16
instead of groups.
String two beads and
make the next stitch
17
(Illustration 17).
Row 4 - Flip the piece over
so you re working from
left to right. String 3 beads
18
and make the first stitch
of the row as shown in
Illustration 18.
Rows 5 through 19 - Continue to work the panel
for a total of 19 rows. Remember to work a 20th
row without beads to tidy up Row 19.
Join the panel to the bag. Thread your beading
needle with 24" of thread. Weave the end
through several rows of the bag and come up out
of a bead on the bottom edge. Stitch one short
side of the panel to the bottom of the bag as
shown in Illustration 19. NOTE: As you stitch, try
to keep the panel resting on top of the bottom
row of beads.
34 Beaded Bag-ettes
Row 20
Mary Harrison
Mary designs and
19
crafts with unusual mate-
25
rials. Dozens of her
designs have appeared in
national craft magazines,
and she has designed
numerous books for
Design Originals.
Weave the thread in and out of the next 15 Mary enjoys making
beads of the bottom row of the bag and
every kind of craft from
stitch the remaining short edge of the panel
furniture to jewelry. She
to the bag between the 16th and 20th
operates SECOND STORY,
beads. Stitch the long edges together as
her own mail order bead-
neatly as possible. The beads will not line
ing kit business.
Row 1
up exactly, but should fit together well.
(2 bead base row)
Illustration 20 will give you some ideas for
stitching.
Stitch the flap to the top of the bag just as you
Suppliers - Most craft and variety
Hey, beading isn t a science!
Hey, beading isn t a science!
attached the bottom panel.
stores carry an excellent assortment of
Attach the Pendant. Stitch the pendant to the supplies. If you need something spe-
Illustrated is one
cial, ask your local store to contact the
bottom of the flap. Run the needle through all
method of con-
following companies.
20
the beads on the last row and then through the
necting the beads.
Toho Beads
Other methods pendant. Repeat several times. Weave the end
Tambrook Bead & Trade
work also.
of the thread through several rows of stitching
www.tambrookbeadandtrade. com
Great, start on the flap. Brass Beads
to secure before clipping the end.
South Pacific Wholesale
Rows 1 through 8 - Begin just as you did for
Add the Strap. Thread the needle with 70" of
www.beading.com
the body and the panel with a 2-bead
thread. Weave the end through several rows of
Small Bottles, Black Disk Beads
starter row. There should be 19 sets of
stitching to secure and bring the needle up
Rings & Things,
beads in Row 1. Work the next 7 rows flat,
through the left front corner bead. Thread on www.rings-things.com
Wire Wrapped Crystal Point
just as you did for the panel, turning the
15 beads, a Silver bead and enough seed beads
Fire Mountain Gem
work over and beginning each new row with
to make the strap the length desired. Then
www.firemountaingems.com
three beads.
thread another Silver bead and 15 seed beads.
Beading Thread
End Row 8 - Complete this row by adding
Bring the needle down through the right front
Power Pro
only 1 bead in the last stitch (Illustration 21). www.beadsmith.com
corner bead. Weave the thread through the top
Styrene Plastic Tubes
few stitches of the bag and bring the needle
Available from hobby shops
out through the back right corner bead. String
15 seed beads, then pass the needle through
21
all the beads between the Silver beads. String
MANY THANKS to my friends for their
last 15 seed beads and bring needle back down
cheerful help and wonderful ideas!
through the back left corner bead. Weave Production " Kathy McMillan
Art Department " Jen Tennyson
through several stitches to secure. Reinforce
Graphic Artists
strap with another 70" piece of thread.
Add two more
22
Patty Williams & Marti Wyble
Make a Cardboard Insert. Cut out and fold the
beads and contin-
Copy Editors
cardboard insert using the pattern. Square up
ue stitching row.
Wanda J. Little, Colleen Reigh
your bag as best you can, hold your breath and
(Illustration 22)
Margaret Allyson
slip it in. It may not be a perfect fit, every bead-
Photography
er has a different stitch tension and beads are David & Donna Thomason
Turn. Begin Row
Stitchers
not uniform. If it just won t work, measure your
10 with three
Laura Wilson-Anderson
bag and use insert as a guide to make your
Pat Drenten & Arlene Booth
beads in the cor- 23
own.
Dayna Gustafson & Vicki Heimburger
ner and stitch to
That s It - You re a Pro! You ve added a new
Bridgette King & Kathy Sanders
the end of the
stitch to your growing list of talents.
row. Turn and add
one bead to com-
plete the row.
(Illustration 23)
Row 11 - Add 2
beads, continue
24
stitching the row
(Illustration 24).
Stitch Rows 12
through 20 follow-
ing this pattern
(Illustration 25).
Beaded Bag-ettes 35
Stitch to top of bag
Stitch pendant here
for
or use a
Real Matchbox
Cardboard Insert
Matchbox Pattern