3 Ways to Make Right Angle Weave Spectacular

If you haven’t tried Right Angle Weave yet than don’t be deterred – the stitch is really not that hard, and as I have already discovered is as simple as doing the dosado.

One of the great things about beading Right Angle Weave is the diversity of the stitch, the possibilities are endless. But for those looking for ways to make your work more interesting, here are three simple methods to help you elaborate the basic stitch.

1. Colour  

I know this may seem obvious, but the basic template of Right Angle Weave is great for playing with colours. All it takes is a little planning before you start to bead. The beauty of using colour to enhance Right Angle Weave is that your design can be as simple or intricate as you like.

When planning your colour scheme think about what aspects of the pattern you want to highlight. Perhaps you want to accentuate the diagonals or maybe you want to create crosses, perhaps it is the vertical or horizontal axis. Be creative, explore and experiment with colour – remember, its not like your painting the walls in your house. You can always start again!

2. Change the dimensions

In my free tutorial about how to do Right Angle Weave. I explain how to stitch a basic pattern based upon 1 x 1 units. One of my favourite ways to expand on Right Angle Weave is to create a pattern with differing dimensions of height to width. 

My free Bubble and Squeak bracelet pattern is an example of Right Angle Weave that uses 3 x 3 units (forming squares). Here is a pattern below for 1 x 3 units. Note, the red beads are larger than the pink – this is yet another way to achieve a different effect. You could even exchange the three side pink beads for bugle beads. Play around with different bead sizes and different dimensions to create different effects.

3. Create sequences

I’ve already discussed the technique of creating different unit dimensions. Now, expanding on this idea, you can alternate different unit dimensions between each row, or each new unit you stitch. This is a great way to come up with some very spectacular, not to mention, complex-looking designs.

To stitch the pattern below follow this sequence:

The first row: 1 x 1 unit, 1 x 2 unit (repeat).

The second row:  2 x 1 unit, 2 x 2 unit (repeat).

The third row: 1×1 unit, 1 x 2 unit (repeat).

Note that the first and third row are the same.

So there you have three simple methods for working with Right Angle Weave. Experimentation is key. And like all good experiments, there may be some that don’t do so well. Then again, you may surprise yourself and create something truly fabulous. Give it a go!