Copyright © Jean Power December 2003 Distributed by http://www.crafting-patterns.com, designer email; jean@jeanpower.com
Ladder stitch
Ladder stitch is a method of joining beads together side by side. It is used as the base for brick and
herringbone stitch as well as a stitch in its own right. One thing to note is that you may find it easier to
bead this stitch and use it as the base for other stitches if you two beads instead of one at every step-
making it two-drop ladder stitch.
One needle method
1. Begin by threading two beads onto your needle.
2. Then bring your needle back through both beads.
3. Pull your thread tight and the beads should start to sit side by side.
4. You may need to adjust them using your fingers so they lie correctly. But don’t worry too much-
generally if you’re using ladder stitch as a base for another stitch i.e. brick or herringbone, then
beading the next few rows will neaten up the previous rows.
5. Pick up another bead and go back through the 2
nd
bead you added. From
now on when you put your needle and thread into the previous bead you
want to ‘circle’ through it- this means if the thread is coming out of the top
of the bead, you want to take your needle and thread up through the bottom of the bead.
6. Now go back up through the last bead you added. You always have to make
sure you do this to be at the end of the row of beadwork, ready to add the new
bead.
7. Continue adding beads until the ladder is as long as you require.
Remembering to ‘circle’ through the previous bead and to always
go back through the new bead you just added.
Two needles method
1. Begin by threading your thread with a needle at each end. Then pick up a bead
and bring it to the middle of your thread.
2. Pick up another bead and bring it next to the first bead you added.
3. Now go through the bead with the needle you didn’t use to pick it up. Make
sure you go through the bead so that you end up with a needle each side of it.
4. Repeat this pattern until your ladder is as long as you require.