Balanciaga Hourglass Beaded Bag

I made this beautiful pink beaded handbag using the right-angle weave technique. I decided to make this because I love fashion and wanted to create something both stylish and functional that I could actually wear.

I am only 13 years old, and this is my very first time ever making a beaded bag! I put a lot of work into making sure the 13x21 mat was perfectly straight and that the handle was strong enough to carry my things. It was a big challenge to learn how to cross the fishing line and keep the tension tight, but seeing the final result makes me so proud.

The Best Part: A Gift for Mum

"After all the hours of weaving and making sure every bead was in the right place, I finally finished my very first bag. I decided to gift it to my mum, and she was absolutely over the moon! Seeing the huge smile on her face made all the hard work and the sore fingers worth it. There is no feeling quite like seeing someone you love cherish something you made with your own hands. I encourage everyone to try this—you can make this for your loved ones and experience the same thrill and pride that I did!"

The materials I used are:

1. Koko Beads: Two large packs of pink acrylic "sugar" beads.
2. Fishing Line: One spool of 0.80mm "AB Frank" brand strong nylon line.
3. Scissors: A sharp pair of craft scissors for trimming the line.
4. D-Rings: Two silver metal D-rings for attaching a handle or strap.
5. Magnetic Snap: One silver-toned magnetic clasp to secure the bag opening.

Tip: Always ensure you have enough beads before starting, as using two large packs ensures you won't run out while weaving a dense 13x21 mat

Step 1: Establishing the Base Foundation (The First Row)

To reach a width of 13 beads long, you must construct 13 individual square units.

1. The Initial Unit: Thread four beads onto the center of your fishing line. Take the right-hand tail and pass it through the fourth bead in the opposite direction (from the left). Pull both ends firmly to center the first square.
2. Building the Middle Units (2 through 12): For each subsequent unit, slide one bead onto your left string and one bead onto your right string. Take a third bead—the "connector"—and pass both strings through it from opposite sides (crossing them). Repeat this until you have completed 12 units.
3. The Turning Unit (Unit 13): To prepare for the second row, do not split the beads. Instead, load all three beads onto the outer string. Cross your fishing lines through the third bead. You will notice that your lines are now exiting the side of the bead, pointing upwards toward where Row 2 will begin.

Step 2: The Linking Phase (The Second Row)

Now you will build the second row by "locking" it into the top edge of the first row.

1. Starting Row 2: Since your lines are already at the corner, add two beads to the outer string. Pass the inner string through the top bead of Unit 12 from the first row. Now, take a third bead and cross both strings through it. This creates the first square of your second level.
2. Continuing the Row: For the next unit, your inner string is already positioned next to the first row. Thread that inner string through the next available bead on Row 1. Add only one bead to the outer string, then take a second bead to cross both lines through. This "zip-up" method ensures the two rows are physically fused together.
3. The Row-End Turn: When you reach the 13th unit of the second row, repeat the turning maneuver by loading your beads onto the string facing the outside edge, forcing the line to exit upwards once more.

Step 3: Vertical Progression to the 21st Bead

1. Structural Scaling: You will repeat the process of Row 2 back and forth. Each time you reach the end of a 13-unit row, you perform the "turn" to start the next level.
2. The Final Target: Continue this zig-zag progression until you have stacked 21 rows vertically. Theoretically, you are creating a 13x21 grid of beads. By the time you reach the 21st row, the tension held by the interlocking fishing lines will have transformed the individual beads into a solid, rectangular mat that can be folded and joined at the sides to form your bag.

Keep Tension Consistent: Because this mat is quite large (13x21), ensure you pull the fishing line tight at every single "cross" bead. If the first few rows are tighter than the last few, the bag will look lopsided or "waisted."

step 1; Growing the Sides Directly

Instead of making separate pieces, you will use the side beads of your main 13x21 mat as your foundation.

1. Position Your Line: Take a new piece of fishing line and thread it through the bottom 5 beads on the side of your main mat where you want the bag to sit.
2. The First Unit: On the outer string, add 3 beads and cross through the 3rd one. This creates your first square unit sticking out from the side.
3. Zipping Up: Pass the "inner" string through the next bead up on the main mat. Add 1 bead to the outer string and cross with a 2nd bead.
4. Complete the Row: Repeat this "zip-up" move until you have a row that is 8 units high. This creates a side wall that is physically part of the main body, making it much stronger than sewing it on later.

Step 2: Connecting the Front and Back

1. Folding: Fold your main mat up so the front edge meets the side panel you just grew.
2. The Final Join: Use the same "cross" technique to link the free edge of your new side panel to the beads on the front of the bag.
3. Repeat: Do the exact same thing on the other side of the bag.

Tip: Because I am 13 years old, I found that weaving the sides directly like this was easier because I didn't have to worry about the panels falling off while I was trying to join them!

To make sure my bag doesn't fall apart when I carry it, I used a specialized reinforcement technique to attach the 3D handle to the side panels.

Step 1: Securing the Handle

1. Alignment: I placed the open ends of my 18-unit 3D handle onto the top center of the 5x8 side panels. I made sure to align the four "corner" beads of the 3D handle with four beads on the side panel so they matched up perfectly like a puzzle.
2. The Interlocking Stitch: I took a fresh, long piece of fishing line and threaded it through a bead on the bag's side. Then, I passed the line through the matching bead on the bottom of the handle.
3. Cross-Weaving: For every bead where the handle touched the bag, I added one new bead and crossed the fishing lines through it. This acts like a "bolt" that locks the two separate pieces into one solid structure.
4. Triple Reinforcement: Because the handle takes the most weight, I didn't just do it once. I wove the line back through the same connection beads three times.
5. Hiding the Knots: Once it felt solid, I tied a very tight double knot. I then "buried" the ends of the fishing line by weaving them through five or six extra beads before cutting the excess. This makes the connection invisible and keeps the knots from coming loose.

To give my bag a stylish and professional finish, I designed a custom V-shaped flap and a wide, sturdy handle base.

Step 1: Shaping the V-Flap

I wanted my bag to have a unique look, so I created a tapered flap that closes over the front.

1. The Foundation: I started by growing the flap directly from the back of the bag, making it 5 units wide to match the body.
2. Building the Height: I wove 4 straight rows of the Right-Angle Weave (RAW) to create the main rectangular part of the flap.
3. Creating the "V" Shape: To get the pointed effect on the 5th row, I didn't weave all the way across. I skipped the first and last units of the row and decreased the number of beads as I moved toward the center. This created a beautiful, angled taper that points exactly toward the center of the bag.

Attaching the Magnetic Clasp:

1. Preparing the Magnet: First, I took the magnetic clasp and used my hands to carefully bend its two metal fork edges so they were flat to fit the shape of the beads.
2. Finding the Center: I counted my beads to find the exact middle bead on the third row of both the flap and the front body of the bag. This ensures the bag closes perfectly straight.
3. Threading the Clasp: I inserted a fresh piece of fishing line through the middle bead. Then, I passed the ends of that line through the small holes in the metal clasp.
4. Weaving for Strength: To make it permanent, I didn't just tie a knot. I wove the line back and forth through the clasp holes and the surrounding beads multiple times. By "sewing" the metal directly into the beadwork, the magnet stays firm and won't pull out when I open the bag.
5. Final Knot: I finished by tying a very tight knot on the inside of the bag and weaving the remaining line into the body to hide it.

For Materials:

1. Choose High-Quality Line: Always use 0.80mm line for big bags; it makes the bag stand up on its own without needing support.
2. Bead Check: Buy more beads than you think you need! Two large packs are better than one and a half.
3. Good Lighting: Take your materials photo near a window so the beads "pop" and look shiny.

For The Mat:

4. The "Tug" Rule: After every single "cross," give both lines a firm tug. If one unit is loose, the whole bag will be "soft."

5. Consistency is Key: Try to finish a whole row in one sitting so your tension stays the same throughout.

6. Watch the Line: If your fishing line gets a "kink" or a fold, cut that part off. A kinked line can snap later.

7. Counting Twice: Before starting the next row, count your beads. It’s easier to fix a mistake in Row 3 than in Row 21!

8. Managing Long Lines: If your line is too long and gets tangled, wrap the ends around a small piece of cardboard while you work.

For The Sides & V-Flap:

9. Direct Weaving: Growing the sides directly from the body (like we did) makes the bag 10x stronger than sewing them on later.

10. The Symmetry Secret: When making the V-flap, use a marker to lightly dot the center bead so you know exactly where to start your decrease.

For The Handle & Magnet:

11. Reinforce the Joints: The place where the handle meets the bag is the "stress point." Weave through these beads at least 3 or 4 times.

12. Double Knotting: When you finish the handle, tie a surgeon’s knot (a double-wrap knot) so the slippery fishing line never unties.

13. Hide the "Tail": Never cut the line right at the knot. Weave at least 5cm of the "tail" back into the beads before trimming.

14. Snap Testing: Open and close the magnetic snap 10 times after attaching it to make sure your beadwork doesn't stretch or pull.

15. The Final Polish: Once the bag is done, wipe the beads with a soft cloth to remove the oils from your hands so it shines for the final photo!