Tapestry Needleweaving ~
Create a Woven Amulet Bag
The project for this article is a woven amulet bag.
Photo 1 shows the pattern I used and Photo 2 shows the
finished bag created from it. Amulet bags are fun and we’ll do more amulet bag
variations in upcoming articles.
PHOTO 1 – A Basic Amulet Bag Pattern

click photo for enlarged view
As we did with the pattern for a necklace, the pattern for the amulet bag is
laid out on ¼-inch grid graph paper. You can use this pattern in Photo 1 or make
your own.
PHOTO 2 – Finished Amulet Bag (front)

Before you create your pattern, think about what you’d like the finished size
to be and how you plan to use your bag. If you want a bag that will be strictly
"jewelry" it can be smaller than a bag that you expect to be able to use for
change, etc. My finished bag is about 3-1/2" on a side. Your bag could be square
or rectangular. Once you’ve created your pattern, tape the pattern to ½ inch
foam core.
You should also consider what you will use for the strap(s) on your bag. I
made a braid for the strap on mine, but you could use a woven strap or choose
lots of beads for a bag that will be a necklace.
PHOTO 3 – Warp Strung for Weaving

This pattern uses vertical warping. As with our necklaces, you can add beads
directly onto the warps or add them later to the finished bag. Rows of beads
might be very interesting, for instance. When including beads in your design
think about how the finished bag will be folded. You probably won’t want to have
the beads at points where the bag is folded.
When the weaving is completed, the length of the pattern will be divided into
thirds (more or less) as you fold the bottom third up and fold the top third
down to make a "flap." You’ll need to stitch the sides closed after you fold the
bottom third up.
PHOTO 4 – Finished Amulet Bag Back with Flap Up

On my example bag, I made the flap come to a center point, but you could
slant it off to one side or make a curvy pattern – anything you like. This bag
works up fairly quickly, but you need to take care to keep the outside edges
straight. I use extra pins along the
length to keep everything lined up straight.
This pattern can be adjusted easily to create a number of different sized
bags and you can readily make your own patterns, too. In laying out a design on
your bag, keep in mind how the weaving will be folded to make the finished bag.
You’ll want to have designs centered for the flap and the back of the bag and
the pattern on the flap should blend with the pattern on the front of the bag.
If you have stripes that come together in your design, they should match up on
both front and back when folded.
PHOTO 5 – Finished Amulet Bag Front with Flap Up

You can refer to the articles on needlewoven necklaces if you have questions
(the technique is the same) or e-mail me with questions. Please feel free to
contact me about technique, materials, or sources for materials.
PREVIEW:
In my next article, we’ll create
another amulet bag using a different design and the following article will have
a pattern for a bag that’s done in horizontal warps instead of the vertical
warps we used in this design.
www.dianakirkpatrick.com
Copyright 2008 by Diana Kirkpatrick. All rights
reserved.
Needle Woven
Necklace Design - Part 1 of 3
by Diana Kirkpatrick
There are several important things to think about when you
create necklace designs.:
(1) Whether your design is symmetrical or asymmetric, you
want the visual “weight” of the elements to feel and look balanced. For
instance, the scarab design in my last article has right vs. left symmetry on
either side of a center vertical line
(2) The beads you select should be appropriately sized for
the scale of the piece you are making. Consider how you need to arrange your
beads to show them off to their best in your design. Your design needs a focal
point, a feature, an area that the eye is drawn to – it can be part of the woven
design, an added element such as a brooch, or groupings of special beads. The
focal point can be highlighted by surrounding it with color that also draws the
eye of the viewer.
(3) The size of the hole drilled in your beads is an
important consideration. You want to be sure that the beads will fit on the
warp. You can add the beads on the warp as you go, using only one thickness of
cord, but they may not sit in your design the way you’d like. So you’ll need to
experiment. If you add beads by sliding the bead onto the double cord, the
hole in the bead has to be big enough to accommodate two thicknesses of cord.
That size requirement will eliminate a number of very nice beads. The lining of
silver-lined bugle beads will rub off if you put them on your warps, but you can
always add bugles and smaller beads to the finished necklace. You can embellish
your necklace after the weaving is completed by adding fringe, crocheted
elements, etc., to your woven design. Once I’ve selected my beads and decided
on their arrangement, I mark the bead positions on my drawing.
I’m using three colors of #3 Perle Cotton for this necklace
– two shades of purple and an aqua shade. I’m also using two metallic
threads. I have selected a mixture of iridescent purple tube beads, square
peacock pearls, and Czech crystals to use in this piece. The hole in the
peacock pearl is too small to allow the pearl to go onto the warp so I will sew
this bean onto the finished necklace at later time. I’ll also use the pearls
for “dangles” at the bottom of the necklace. I will add the dangles using head
pins when the weaving is finished. A head pin is a wire with a “head” similar
to a sewing pin’s head.
The photos below show the bead placement, the pin
placement, and the warp on my pattern.
PHOTO 1: DESIGN LAYOUT WITH BEAD
PLACEMENT DRAWN IN

click photo for enlarged view
You can see the concept behind the pin placement better in
this vertical layout than in the scarab we examined earlier. In photo 2, notice
that across the bottom of the pattern the numbers run out from zero at the
center in both directions and the pins are placed on the lines. Across
the top of the pattern the spaces on either side of the center line are marked
as “1” and the numbers run out to the sides. The
pins at the top are placed halfway between the lines. Be
sure that pins are inserted at about a 45 degree so they will hold securely.
PHOTO 2: PIN PLACEMENT

click photo for enlarged view
The warp is usually a 4 ply No. 18 waxed linen thread or
something similar. You can get a rough idea of how much warp you’ll need by
measuring back and forth across your piece (I use string and then measure the
string). Add some extra for tying off at the ends.
Using a slip knot, tie the end of the warp to the pin whose
position is most to the left (not necessarily a top row pin), then proceed
across the piece to the next pin then back across to the next, etc. There is no
photo to illustrate this so just start with the leftmost outside pin (in this
case the leftmost pin is the first pin in the second row), then go up to the
leftmost pin on the top row, then back and forth. In Photo 3 I’ve marked the
starting point and the ending point for the warps. Place your beads onto the
warp as you go, according to your design. At the last pin, tie the warp off
with another slip knot. Once the warps and your beads are in place, you are
ready to weave.
I use No. 3 perle cotton with a tapestry (blunt tip) needle
to weave and I put at least two threads through the eye of the needle together.
One thread is perle cotton, the other thread is a metallic. Metallic threads
come in many colors that can complement your perle cotton color or contrast with
it. You can also use two different colors of perle cotton. To start, weave
with a basic under/over (plain weave) stitch. Once you are comfortable with
weaving, you can experiment with variations (go under 2 or 3 warps then over 2
or 3, etc.). Like all needlework, there’s a correct tension or tightness for
what you are doing and you’ll learn what this is as you go. You will need to
weave for a while to get a “feel” for it and for your tension to be uniform.
Too loose will not look good and too tight will pull the yarn off your pattern.
As you can see in Photo 3, openings are created between
sections that are not woven together. You can create some very lacy designs
using open areas. Twisted threads will create another interesting effect in
your necklace. Have fun experimenting. Look at the openings that occur in
Photo 3 below. As you weave, compact each new row against the rest. I use a
table fork to push the rows together. If you choose a design that has matching
patterns on the left and the right, try to work on both sides during one working
session. This will help preserve the same tension. In addition to thread and
needle, you will need sewing scissors, extra needles, and a small pair of
pliers. I often thread two needles with the same thread so I can work on two
areas simultaneously. When pulling the needle and threads through the finished
weaving to end a section, you may find that you need to grab your needle with a
pair of pliers in order to pull it through.
PHOTO 3: WEAVING STARTED

click photo for enlarged view
With my beads placed on the warp, I began weaving on the
left side of my necklace. I left about an inch and a half of thread loose down
the edge of the pattern then wove across the entire top of the necklace and
back. From this point, I started weaving in the top left side block. Weave
the thread ends into the block as you go. Try to fill the entire block with
woven thread. I use some straight pins to hold the compressed weaving in
place. As I weave more, I move the pins down. Use the lines on your graph
paper to keep beads and woven areas lined up on each side.
When I’ve finished the first block, I end the block by
running the thread up through my weaving. I also trim any thread ends that are
hanging down below the block. Hint: don’t cut any threads until you are
absolutely sure you are finished. I often leave about one inch hanging out
after I’ve run the threads up so I can tighten the threads if needed.
I start the threads for the next block by running them up
through the weaving in the block just completed. BE SURE that all your beads
are in place before you get into this block if you are following my design.
Weave the block, going around the beads that you included in the design. If you
can’t get all the way across the block because of a bead, do one side, then fill
in the other side later.
Start the center section of our design in the same way.
Be sure that your beads are in place so weaving won’t block bead placement.
In Part 2 (below) we’ll do more weaving and talk about additional
things you can do with your necklace designs.
www.dianakirkpatrick.com
Copyright 2008 by Diana Kirkpatrick. All rights
reserved.
Needle Woven
Necklace Design - Part 2 of 3
by Diana Kirkpatrick
In Part 1 of this article I described how to set up the
necklace pattern on graph paper, mark the bead placement then start weaving and
in Part 2 we finished the weaving. In Part 3 we’ll add embellishments and
discuss possibilities for the neck straps.
PHOTO 1: PIN PLACEMENT ON LAYOUT

click photo for enlarged view
You can clearly see the pin placement in the layout shown
in Photo 1. Pay particular attention the numbers that appear above and below
the pattern. Across the bottom of the pattern the numbers run out from zero (at
the center) in both directions and the pins are placed on the lines.
Across the top of the pattern the spaces on either side of the center line are
marked as “1” and the numbers run out to the sides. The pins at the top are
placed halfway between the lines. Be sure that pins are inserted at an
angle so they will hold securely.
PHOTO 2: WARPING DONE & WEAVING STARTED

click photo for enlarged view
In general, the warp is usually a 4 ply No. 18 waxed linen
thread or something similar. Using a slip knot, tie the end of the warp to the
pin whose position is most to the left as seen in Photo 2 (not necessarily a
top row pin). You place your beads onto the warp as you go, according to your
design. You’ll have to experiment to determine which beads and what
arrangement you like the best. At the last pin, tie the warp off with another
slip knot. Once the warps and your beads are in place, you are ready to weave.
I’m weaving with No. 3 Perle Cotton (or a similar thread)
using a tapestry (blunt tip) needle. Usually I use at least two threads
together through my needle for each row I weave – one is perle cotton, the
other(s) are lurex metallic. The metallic threads come in many colors which can
compliment your perle cotton color or contrast with it. I used three metallic
threads and one perle cotton for most of this necklace. In the center section I
used two perle cotton threads (aqua and deep purple) and three metallic threads.
Photo 2 shows some of the weaving at the top of the
necklace. The weaving is done with a basic under/over (plain weave) weaving
stitch, although you can use variations (go under 2 or 3 then over 2 or 3,
etc.). I start weaving on the left top. I leave about an inch and a half of
yarns loose, then start weaving. I lay the loose threads along the warp thread
and weave them into the section. You will need to weave for a while to get a
“feel” for it and for your tension to be uniform. You will find that your beads
tend to slide to the bottom as you work. Be careful to arrange your beads
before you weave into an area that will prevent you from placing the beads
where you want them.
As you weave, compact each new row against the rest. I use
a table fork to do this. If you choose a design that has matching patterns on
the left and the right, try to do both sides during one working session. This
will help preserve the same tension. Like any needlework, there’s a correct
tension or tightness for what you are doing and you’ll learn this as you go.
Too loose will not look good and too tight will pull.
PHOTO 3: WEAVING IN PROGRESS

click photo for enlarged view
Unless you weave segments together, you will produce
openings between the woven sections in your pattern. Some designs look very
lacy with open areas in them. I like the naturally occurring openings and the
effect they create. The openings around the beads set them off and can’t be
eliminated. Near the top of our necklace you can see openings in the weaving
between the dark purple sections and the lighter purple sections. If you do not
want to have openings between woven segments, you need to weave the sections
together as you go. One way to do this is to weave every other row around the
first warp of the adjacent section.
If you look at the top group of cylinder beads as shown in
Photo 3, you’ll see that where there is a single warp thread due to the pattern
designs, I have wrapped my weaving threads around and around the warp until you
reach a point where you pick up additional warps.
I use straight pins to anchor sections and warps in place
so that they do not pull to one side or the other as I’m weaving. When a
section is completed, run your needle up through the weaving and pull your
thread through. Be careful not to let any of your pulled through weaving
thread show when you do this. Pull the threads through a substantial amount of
the weaving so the end will be secure. You can also curve into another row and
backtrack a little to anchor your thread ends. Once you’ve pulled your threads
through you can cut them off. I generally leave a length of around two inches.
I want to be able to identify where I’ve pulled threads through so I don’t try
to pull additional threads through the same area (especially in the opposite
direction). When you start new threads in the body of your necklace, either
for a new section or to continue an existing section, you will pull them through
the weaving in the same way.
As you weave, you will discover that when you are working
around groups of beads you may not be able to have access to all the spaces you
want to weave. The beads and the grouping you chose may block your access to
certain areas. Here’s an example: midway down our necklace, there’s second
group of cylinder beads. You can weave the center section down to where that
second group starts, but then you will need to work over to each side and back,
then anchor your threads. You will have to start new threads down each outer
part of this section in order to weave those areas. Run your threads down
through the weaving in the center in order to complete the weaving the area just
above the second group of cylinder beads. (This is how I completed weaving the
area above the first group of cylinder beads at the top of the necklace).
To weave the next section below the second group of
cylinder beads (lavender fibers in our necklace), run threads down one side and
weave as much as possible, then introduce threads from the other side and
complete weaving the area. Another approach to doing this area is to start
from each side and weave to the center, interlacing the threads in the center.
I used a combination of these approaches.
The lavender section has angular lines in the center
portion. To deal with weaving on a diagonal line make each row one or two
stitches longer than the row above it depending on the angle of the slant. You
will use this same approach to weaving the final dark purple section of the
necklace Weave as close as possible to the pins at the bottom of the necklace
and compact your threads well so the weaving is nice and firm.
PHOTO 4: WEAVING THE NECKLACE BODY
COMPLETED

click photo for enlarged view
I had to run my thread through the center cylinder bead in
order to weave to very bottom of this necklace. The hole in my bead was too
small to run all the threads through, so I used just the skinny metallic ones.
Once I was finished weaving the bottom section, I wove a piece of the heavier
perle cotton thread through my weaving. When you have finished the weaving and
run all your threads back into areas woven earlier, you can trim all the thread
ends and remove the pins.
In Part 3 of this article (below), I’ll show how to add beads to
the bottom of the necklace and we’ll consider various possibilities for the neck
straps.
www.dianakirkpatrick.com
Copyright 2008 by Diana Kirkpatrick. All rights
reserved.
Needle Woven Necklace Design -
Part 3 of 3
by Diana Kirkpatrick
In Parts 1 and 2, I described how to create a necklace
pattern and start weaving. In Part 3 we’ll add embellishments, weave the neck
straps, and complete the necklace.
PHOTO 1: WEAVING THE NECKLACE BODY
(COMPLETED)

The weaving is finished, with all thread ends run back into
areas woven earlier, and the thread ends have been trimmed. Remove the pins.
Your goal is to have the back of your piece look as neat as the front. In
photo 1, you can see that I sewed the pearl in the center of the design and
added a few seed beads. If you want to add more beads to the body of the
necklace in this way, you can do it at any time, now or later.
Adding Dangling Beads to the Necklace
PHOTO 2: NECKLACE WITH SOME DANGLES
ADDED - HEADPINS
In photo 2 you can see the head pins I used to attach the
crystals and beads to the bottom of the necklace. You can buy head pins in a
variety of styles or make your own from wire. The beads are added to the
headpins, the pin is bent at a 90 degree angle just above the beads using
pliers, then curved around the tip of your round nose pliers to make a loop.
Don’t quite finish the loop – you need to be able to thread the wire through the
warp at the bottom of your necklace. The beads on the head pin should look
like the example in Photo 2.
Locate the warps at the bottom of your necklace. You may
need to use a crochet hook or a large pin to loosen the warp a little. Slide
the wire of your dangle into the warp until your bead hangs free then wrap the
end of the head pin wire around and around just below the loop a couple of
times. Cut off the excess wire and use your pliers or a crimper to wrap the
end in tightly. Attach all your dangling beads in this manner. You may want
to use a tiny file to smooth the cut end of the wire. You can also purchase
pins with a loop on one end to attach a dangling bead. You attach them just
like head pins. You can also add charms, etc., to the necklace as dangles by
putting a jump ring through the eye on the charm and running the end of the jump
ring through the warp loop. Use your pliers to close the jump ring. Or use
split rings – they look like a double jump ring – to attach charms. Split rings
will not pull open.
An alternative to adding dangles this way is to thread your
beads onto the warps initially before the weaving is started. As you string
your warp, the bead(s) is slipped over the bottom end loop of the warp using
microfilament fishline or a crochet hook and the loop of warp thread is brought
up and over the bead or charm to hold it in place securely. To do this, the
hole in the bead has to be large enough to accommodate a double thickness of
warp thread and you will also need extra warp thread length.
Adding the Neck Straps to Your Necklace
You have a large number of choices when adding neck straps
to your necklace. You can have straps of beads, woven straps, one of each, or
straps that combine weaving with bead sections. If you choose to weave one side
and use beads on the other, make sure that both straps are equal in weight. If
one side is heavier than the other (beads weigh more than the fibers), the
necklace will pull to the heavy side and not hang straight.
If you want to weave the straps, get out your graph paper
and create the patterns you want to use just as you did for the necklace. You
can add beads to each warp thread or over a double warp as we discussed
earlier. I’m going to weave part way up the straps, have a row of three
cylinder beads on each side, then continue weaving until the straps are long
enough. To start your weaving, anchor the weaving thread(s) into the back of the
necklace. When the straps are long enough to overlap slightly behind your neck
and the pendant is where you want it to hang when you wear it, you are ready to
make your closure. There are a number of options open to you at this point.
We’ll look at three possibilities.
PHOTO 3: WARPING FOR STRAPS WITH WOVEN
ENDS
(1) To create straps with woven ends, draw the outline of
your necklace on graph paper and draw the straps. Anchor the necklace in place
with pins. Use a favorite necklace to guide you as to strap length and allow
some length to overlap behind the neck. Place your pins at the ends of the
neck straps. Measure how much warp length is needed to make the straps about
9” on each side. You start warping just as we did for the necklace: attach the
warp at the outside corner of the necklace – lift that outside warp and run the
warp for the straps under. Tie the end to the necklace warp with a slip knot,
then run the strap warp up and down between the pins at the end of the strap and
the warps at the top of the necklace, slipping it under each warp loop as you
go. Tie another slip knot at the necklace end to finish the warping for the
strap. Repeat on the other side. The ends of the warp will be buried in the
weaving (just as we did for the necklace itself). This will produce straps with
woven finished ends. Sew a hook and eye or snaps onto the strap ends and your
necklace is complete! You could also you a fancy closure if you have something
you like, threading the warp through the eyes on the closure or attached the
closure to your straps with split rings.
PHOTO 3a: WARPS ARE STRUNG FOR STRAPS
WITH A LOOP END

(2) Alternatively, once you know how long you want your
straps to be, double that length and cut three warps for each side. Thread the
three double length warp threads through the warps at the top of your necklace
on each side as shown in Photo 3a. Add any beads you want. Keeping the warps
aligned, tie all the warp ends in a knot near the end and pin the knot securely
to your board. Repeat for the other side. When you have woven as much as you
want, make a fiber coil wrapped loop on one side and a fiber wrapped knot on the
other side for the closure. On the other side, wrap your perle cotton threads
around and around the remaining warp thread length until you have more than
enough to create a loop that will fit over the button/bead on the other strap.
Make your loop and anchor it by running your thread through the wrapped part and
coiling it around some more. Anchor the ends by running through the wrapped
part a few times. See Photo 4 for reference.
PHOTO 4: EXAMPLES OF A LOOP CLOSURE

(3) Sometimes I
prefer to use beads for my straps. You can string the beads on your warp
threads, but you can also use beading wire (Beadalon, etc.) and crimps. Attach
your bead wire(s) through the warps at the top of your necklace and use a crimp
bead to anchor it. I try to select a bead that will slide over the crimp and
hide it as my first bead on the string. Add all of your beads and your closure
at the other end and fasten with more crimps to complete the beaded straps.
(Another approach to this is to use clam shell bead tips to hide the crimp. In
this case you do not thread the bead wires under the warps – just crimp or knot
the end and add a bead tip, then attach the hook of the bead tip to your warp.)
PHOTO 5: COMPLETED NECKLACE WITH STRAPS

Enjoy wearing your necklace!
PREVIEW:
In my next article, we’ll see how to make a little
amulet bag that you could wear as a necklace or use
for evenings out. See it
here.
SOME REFERENCE
MATERIALS & RESOURCES
I’ve had several requests for sources for materials and
information, so I’m including a brief list here. An internet search will turn up
even more.
Yarns
Herrschner’s –
a good source
for a variety of yarns and perle cottons. They also carry some metallic
threads. The address is 2800 Hoover Rd., Stevens Point, WI 54492. Their phone
is 1-800-441-0838. The URL for the website is
www.herrschners.com
Earth Guild –
perle cotton and
other fibers.
www.earthguild.com or 33 Haywood St., Asheville, NC 28801; Needlework
Unlimited – perle cotton;
www.needleworkunlimited.com; I also found some interesting items at
www.welcomestitchery.com
Threads
Metallic Threads (multistrand twisted)
I’ve used Purr-fect Punch thread, but so far I haven’t
found a source for this brand. However, YLI Corp. is source for very similar
threads and YLI has a list retail outlets on their website at
www.ylicorp.com
Waxed Linen Thread
I have purchased waxed Linen Thread from Royalwood Ltd.
Their contact info is: 517 Woodville Rd., Mansfied, OH 44907, 1-800-526-1630.
Pins
I purchased pins several years ago at Panda International Trading, 237 W. 38th St.,
New York, NY 10018, 212-302-9434. I do not know if they are still at this
location. The pins I’m using are #20, but I think #24 would also work. They
are labeled Prim Dritz and the URL for Dritz is
www.dritz.com
Books by Helen Banes:
Fiber & Bead Jewelry
Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
New York
2000
ISBN 0-8069-6082-5
Beads and Threads (Helen’s original book)
Flower Valley Press
Rockville, MD
1993
ISBN 0-9620543-5-6
www.dianakirkpatrick.com
Copyright 2008 by Diana Kirkpatrick. All rights
reserved.
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