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ABOUT THE STITCH

Herringbone is so named because of the nested “V” herringbone pattern the beads form. It is also known as Ndebele after the Ndebele tribe in South Africa, who use the stitch to produce wonderful beadwork. This is an easy, fun stitch, and because you add two beads at a time it works up more quickly than peyote or brick stitch. The stitch can be woven flat or in a tube – this project utilizes the flat form.

STARTING HERRINGBONE STITCH

There are two methods for starting the herringbone stitch. One method is to stitch the first three rows all at once into a herringbone structure, and the other method is to weave the first row with the ladder stitch. For this project we will start with a ladder stitch row.

LADDER STITCH

String 2 beads (beads 1 and 2) and tie them together with a square knot (instructions for a square know follow) leaving a “tail” 6 to 8 inches long. Take the thread up through bead 2 (Figure A). String bead 3. Take the thread up through bead 2 and down through bead 3 (Figure B). String bead 4. Take the thread down through bead 3 and up through bead 4 (Figure C). Continue adding beads in this manner until you have the desired number of beads (since herringbone stitch is worked in “pairs” you should start with an even number of beads).

HERRINGBONE STITCH

Pick up two beads, take the thread down through the next bead (to the right if you’re right-handed, to the left if left-handed), and up through the following bead (Figure E). The beads will settle into an inverted V shape – they may need a little prodding. Continue this pattern – pick up two beads, down through the next bead, up through the following bead (Figure F) - until you reach the last stitch of the row.

For the last stitch of the row, pick up two beads, take the thread down through the next bead. At the end of each row, you will do a "turn" as follows: Wrap the working thread around the thread in the beadwork by passing the needle through the beadwork next to the last bead, then bring it around and then back up through the two beads (Figure G). Flip the beadwork so the working thread is on the right again to begin the next row.

Subsequent rows are worked the same way: pick up two beads, go down through next bead and up through the following bead, continuing until the end of the row where you will go down through two beads, wrap the thread, and come up through the two beads. The most recent row you have stitched will be “floppy” because the inverted V’s are not attached to the adjacent V’s yet. After finishing the last row, you can attach the adjacent V’s by simply continuing with the pattern of taking the thread down one bead and up the other (without picking up two beads) until you’ve gone through the entire row.

SQUARE KNOT

To tie a square knot, take one end in each hand. Take the left end over then under the right end, then the right end over and under the left end. Pull the knot tight. If the knot is tied correctly it should not slip.

TYING OFF THREAD

To tie off thread, simply go down through a couple beads and tie an overhand knot over the base thread. I like to change directions, tying three knots total. After the last knot, go through at least two beads, pull the thread tight and cut it as close to the beadwork as possible.

If you would like to more about the herringbone stitch, check out Beading with Herringbone Stitch by Vicki Star or The Art & Elegance of Beadweaving by Carol Wilcox Wells, which devotes a chapter to this stitch.