Any crochet enthusiast will know just how much effort, time and care goes into crochet work, and at the end of this you want to show off your masterpiece. Whether that’s wearing an item of clothing you’ve crocheted, putting your creation on display as a decorative object, or giving it as a gift. To elevate the skill involved in crocheting, many crafters like to sew embellishments onto their final piece, a favourite being bicone beads. These dainty little droplets of crystal offer an amazing sparkle and can have the effect of bringing the object to life.
What are Bicone Beads?
Bicone beads are small embellishments used in craft, jewellery making and interior design pieces. They can be made out of glass or crystal – the most famous crystal bicone beads are produced by Swarovski and Preciosa and are favourable due to their high quality shine and durability. Bicone refers to the shape of the glass or crystal bead; two cone shapes fused together at their base, to create a multi-faceted bead. They have a hole running through the centre allowing them to be threaded onto wire for jewellery making or sewn onto textiles.
Why are Bicone Beads used in crochet?
Bicone beads are often favoured over other types of embellishments for sewing onto crochet projects for several reasons:
- Aesthetic Appeal: Bicone beads have a distinctive shape with multiple facets that catch and reflect light. This unique shape adds a touch of elegance and visual interest to crochet projects, enhancing their overall appearance.
- Versatility: Bicone beads come in various sizes, colours and materials, such as crystal, glass, or acrylic. This versatility allows crafters to choose beads that complement the yarn or thread used in their crochet projects, and are ideal for anyone on a small budget.
- Texture and Dimension: The facets of bicone beads create a textured surface that can add dimension to crochet work. This is particularly beneficial for projects like clothing, accessories, or home decor items, where a bit of embellishment can make the piece stand out.
- Compatibility with Stitches: The shape of bicone beads allows them to nestle neatly between stitches in crochet work. This makes it easier to incorporate them into various stitch patterns without disrupting the overall structure of the project.
- Enhancing Design Elements: Bicone beads can be strategically placed to highlight specific design elements in crochet projects. Whether used as accents along edges or to create patterns within the crochet fabric, these beads can elevate the overall design.
- Creative Expression: Beads, in general, provide an additional means of creative expression. They allow crafters to personalize their projects and experiment with different colours, sizes, and arrangements, adding a unique touch to each creation.
Project Examples
For Halloween and the Autumn season, displaying pumpkins outside your front door or in your porchway is becoming more popular each year. Whether real or artificial, pumpkins represent that shift between summer and winter, and people love to celebrate this time of year. Crafters go wild for home made pumpkins, and this year we elevated our pumpkin game by adding some beads to the crocheted leaves. The Emerald AB beads gives that added sparkly touch to the crochet.
For a pretty Christmas tree decoration, gift or general hanging decoration, try sewing some bicone beads into the centre of a snowflake pattern for an extra twinkle. Here, we have used Black Diamond beads to elevate this delicate flower design.
Homemade greetings cards are always cherished and appreciated, so why not add a crocheted element and make it stand out with some bead embellishments! A Valentine’s heart, birthday cake or Christmas pudding would look a hundred times better with the detail of beads sewn on.
Upcycling and making your own clothes is a current trend that will get more and more popular over time. Crochet clothing and accessories are hugely popular in the crafting world, so why not make them a bit more unique by sewing on some bicone beads? Ponchos (see image below), hats, scarves, and other accessories make great hand made gifts and the extra touch of sparkle adds a luxurious expensive feel.
A simple crocheted beanie hat can be made to look truly unique with the addition of beads sewn into the crochet stitches. Go for a matching colour for subtle sparkle, or a contrasting colour for a bold feel. As long as the thread matches the crochet wool, these diamond like embellishments will catch the light like tiny stars.
When choosing which bicone beads to use for your crochet project, think about colour, size and quantity. Do you want to add just a subtle hint of sparkle? Go for a colour that matches your wool, pick a smaller sized bead and space them out. But if you’re after a more bold, blingy look, try using a bright contrasting colour, or even mixed colours and sizes to really add texture.
We love to see how our customers use bicone beads to bring their crochet projects to life, so feel free to get in touch if you have a piece of work you’d like to share with us. Or if you need any advice on which beads are best suited to your project.