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Technique for ending one length of weft thread and beginning another while making beaded loom work
By A. OakGrove. Copyright free.
The beauty of this technique is that it allows the beader to work from start to completion of a work without ever having to make a knot at the end of the thread itself. When I work on a loom, the only double knot I make is the one which anchors the first length of weft thread to the first warp thread.
Use singled thread, not doubled, throughout.
Illustration 1.
When there is enough thread on the needle to make two more rows of thread make a half-hitch knot ON the first warp thread (working left to right) between the last row made and the one preceeding it. Make another between that row and the one preceeding it. The point is to skip the last two rows of completed work so the beader can use the two rows above them to end the lengthy of thread. (In the illustration, it appears there is slack between the knots; this is only to differentiate between the warp and weft thread in the picture. Pull the thread snug between each element of the technique.) Pass the thread through the row above the second half-hitch. Make another half-hitch on the last warp thread between that row and the one preceeding it. The beader is essentially working backwards to accomplish this. Pass the thread through the row above this third half-hitch and clip the thread as closely to the hole of the bead as possible. If a little still shows, use a pin to tease the thread back inside the bead by pulling slightly on it from the other end of the row just above the third half-hitch.

Illustration 2.
Thread another needle. Do NOT tie a knot at the end of it. Working only in the last two rows completed to this point, pull needle and thread gently through the next-to-last row (left to right) until the end of the thread disappears inside the first bead of that row. Make a half-hitch on the last warp thread in the space between that row and the last row. This can be tricky and might take some practice. This anchors the thread. Now pass the needle and thread through the last row (right to left) and continue working from there.

Special thanks to Leah's Beadesigner program which was used to draw the beads on the above illustrations.
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Last Updated: 24 October 2000