scubagirl200
Ex-Bluelighter
Here is my kandi bikini tutorial:
*Note: I had to take pictures with my computer and cell phone…I hope the quality is good enough!
This is the top I am going to attempt to make (with the colors I have). My friend found the picture online and wants it for NYE. (I apologize at how confusing the pattern is. I think a good tutorial would teach you how to do it with a solid color, but this will have to do).
I am going to start by building the right triangle of the top. Notice the beads I have highlighted with a dot on the right side of the top. This is going to serve as the skeleton to the triangle. In other words, I will show you how to string the highlighted part (and then how to build the rest of the triangle using this skeleton).
Also notice how this “skeleton” consists of 26 rows. This is for a C cup. The skeleton will always start with 1 bead on top, and end with 2 on the bottom.
If you have a specific pattern for your top in mind, I suggest downloading BeadTool4 (it’s free) from Beadtool.net. Make sure you have the stitch set to “Brick” under “Pattern Properties.” This will allow you to make a template of the pattern you want.
A Cup - 22 rows
B Cup - 24 rows
C Cup – 26 rows
D Cup – 28 rows
To start:
You will need 2 long pieces of string. I use 1mm Stretch Magic (you can find this particular brand at Michaels or Joanns). You don’t want to buy anything smaller than 1mm (like 0.5 mm) because you increase the chance of the elastic breaking.
Take the string and measure 3 full arm widths. Then cut another piece to match. You should now have 2 long pieces of string (15 ft each).
*Note: You do NOT have to make the string lengths so long. I like to have them this long so I can create the entire triangle without having to tie on more string. You should do whatever makes you comfortable.
Next, find a surface you will feel comfortable working at. I like to tie my strings to a counter and have the beads and string hang from the edge. This may not be the best way, but it works for me.
Keep the two pieces of string together, and tape the string so that around 10 inches is hanging off the edge. See picture. We will string the skeleton onto this 10 inch section. In the picture you can see how I taped my string to the counter. (Leave the longer edges up near the top on the counter out of the way).
Once you have your pattern figured out, go ahead and lay out the skeleton section on your surface (It should match the middle section of the triangle. It is the section covered in black dots above).
Here is mine:
*Note: Make sure you have the correct amount of rows for what cup size you’re aiming to make. My friend is a C cup, which is why I have 26 rows of beads (the top having 1 bead, and the bottom having 2 beads). No matter what cup size you are making, you MUST have 1 bead at the top and end with 2 at the bottom (as shown).
Now it’s time to string on the first bead (located at the top of your skeleton).
Keep BOTH strings together to string on this bead.
For the next row (2 beads), you want to separate the 2 strings and put one bead on each. See picture below.
Continue stringing on your skeleton (as shown).
*Note: I always have my friend or boyfriend help me with this part. I feel like someone should be holding the beads tight while someone else strings the beads on. Otherwise, the skeleton becomes loose or crooked. As you can imagine, this isn’t good as the skeleton is the most important part of the triangles! My point is, this is the hardest part of making the tops IMO, so be careful and TAKE YOUR TIME!
This is what it should look like when you have strung the entire skeleton. It should look the same as when you had the beads laid out on your surface. Make sure you tape the end securely as shown in the pictures.
So now we have completed the section of the top that was highlighted with black dots.
Next we will build down the sides of the triangle (one side at a time).
I like to start with the right side. Go ahead and remove the right string from the taped section at the top of your skeleton. We are now going to work with this long ass beast of string. Keep the left string out of the way at the top (and taped down) so it doesn’t become tangled with the right side. Here is a pic to describe what I mean:
Basically all you do from this point on is weave on beads. The trick to getting the triangle shape is to thread through the bead at the top but not on the bottom. Let me explain in pictures…
Notice how the right side of my skeleton starts with a yellow glow bead, then a yellow bead, then a pink glow bead, then an orange bead, then a pink bead, then a magenta bead, and so on…all the way until a yellow glow bead at the bottom. These are the beads we will string through.
You want to string THROUGH THE FIRST BEAD (in my case the first yellow glow bead) WITHOUT stringing another bead on. See picture.
Now my string is coming through the yellow glow bead. Pull tightly.
It’s time to start adding more beads! Make sure you follow your pattern correctly. Mine will follow the picture at the start of the tutorial. Therefore I will string on a yellow glow bead first and string through the yellow solid bead. Pull tightly. See pictures.
String on a bead first:
Then pull it through the yellow solid bead:
Next, I will string a yellow solid bead and string through the pink glow bead. Pull tightly. See pictures.
String on a bead first:
Then pull it through the pink glow bead:
Next, I will string a pink glow bead through the solid orange bead. Pull tightly. See pictures.
You will repeat this process for the rest of the column. When you get to the bottom, just string through the last bead as usual.
*Note: It is very important to remember to pull tightly after stringing on each bead. That way your top is even all the way around.
This is what mine looks like now (my string is coming out of the yellow glow bead at the bottom right):
Now, we are going to weave back up the skeleton. Instead of weaving through the first bead (like we did at the top), we want to add a bead first. See pictures. Also, make sure you are following your pattern! I need a green solid bead that I will string up through the green solid bead sticking out.
String a bead FIRST:
PULL TIGHTLY through the green bead:
Now you will repeat the same process, stringing beads all the way until you get back up to the top.
Here is mine when I have reached the top again:
To start the next column, make sure you string through the first bead (mine is again a yellow glow bead) before stringing on a bead. This will ensure you keep the triangle shape at the top. Notice how the bottom is flat. Yay! See picture.
Make sure you string through the first bead BEFORE adding more beads:
Continue this process until you have one half of the triangle complete. Make sure you pull tightly at each step. Only string through the first bead at the top not at the bottom (to keep the triangle shape at the top, and flat at the bottom.)
Here is what it should look like when done:
Unfortunately, I ran out of yellow glow beads right now! I’ll add more to the tutorial after I go buy some later!
Hope it makes sense so far. Basically you build that side down until you have like 4 rows left. Then switch to the other side of the triangle. Just take off the tape for the other long string and repeat the entire process down that side.
ANNNNNNND after looking at what my friend wanted and looking at what I've finished so far....I don't like it. I think I'd prefer if it went SPARKLE, YELLOW, SPARKLE, ORANGE, SPARKLE, PINK and so on instead of what I did.
SIGH

feel free to ask whatever questions you have
This is obviously just a start to the tutorial, I will add the rest when I have more time.
And yeah I think I'm going to scrap what I did and change it to what I think would look prettier =)
EDIT: I have made the new triangle and added a little bit more to the tutorial below. Enjoy!
plurr
*Note: I had to take pictures with my computer and cell phone…I hope the quality is good enough!
This is the top I am going to attempt to make (with the colors I have). My friend found the picture online and wants it for NYE. (I apologize at how confusing the pattern is. I think a good tutorial would teach you how to do it with a solid color, but this will have to do).

I am going to start by building the right triangle of the top. Notice the beads I have highlighted with a dot on the right side of the top. This is going to serve as the skeleton to the triangle. In other words, I will show you how to string the highlighted part (and then how to build the rest of the triangle using this skeleton).
Also notice how this “skeleton” consists of 26 rows. This is for a C cup. The skeleton will always start with 1 bead on top, and end with 2 on the bottom.
If you have a specific pattern for your top in mind, I suggest downloading BeadTool4 (it’s free) from Beadtool.net. Make sure you have the stitch set to “Brick” under “Pattern Properties.” This will allow you to make a template of the pattern you want.
A Cup - 22 rows
B Cup - 24 rows
C Cup – 26 rows
D Cup – 28 rows
To start:
You will need 2 long pieces of string. I use 1mm Stretch Magic (you can find this particular brand at Michaels or Joanns). You don’t want to buy anything smaller than 1mm (like 0.5 mm) because you increase the chance of the elastic breaking.

Take the string and measure 3 full arm widths. Then cut another piece to match. You should now have 2 long pieces of string (15 ft each).

*Note: You do NOT have to make the string lengths so long. I like to have them this long so I can create the entire triangle without having to tie on more string. You should do whatever makes you comfortable.
Next, find a surface you will feel comfortable working at. I like to tie my strings to a counter and have the beads and string hang from the edge. This may not be the best way, but it works for me.
Keep the two pieces of string together, and tape the string so that around 10 inches is hanging off the edge. See picture. We will string the skeleton onto this 10 inch section. In the picture you can see how I taped my string to the counter. (Leave the longer edges up near the top on the counter out of the way).

Once you have your pattern figured out, go ahead and lay out the skeleton section on your surface (It should match the middle section of the triangle. It is the section covered in black dots above).
Here is mine:

*Note: Make sure you have the correct amount of rows for what cup size you’re aiming to make. My friend is a C cup, which is why I have 26 rows of beads (the top having 1 bead, and the bottom having 2 beads). No matter what cup size you are making, you MUST have 1 bead at the top and end with 2 at the bottom (as shown).
Now it’s time to string on the first bead (located at the top of your skeleton).
Keep BOTH strings together to string on this bead.

For the next row (2 beads), you want to separate the 2 strings and put one bead on each. See picture below.

Continue stringing on your skeleton (as shown).

*Note: I always have my friend or boyfriend help me with this part. I feel like someone should be holding the beads tight while someone else strings the beads on. Otherwise, the skeleton becomes loose or crooked. As you can imagine, this isn’t good as the skeleton is the most important part of the triangles! My point is, this is the hardest part of making the tops IMO, so be careful and TAKE YOUR TIME!
This is what it should look like when you have strung the entire skeleton. It should look the same as when you had the beads laid out on your surface. Make sure you tape the end securely as shown in the pictures.


So now we have completed the section of the top that was highlighted with black dots.
Next we will build down the sides of the triangle (one side at a time).
I like to start with the right side. Go ahead and remove the right string from the taped section at the top of your skeleton. We are now going to work with this long ass beast of string. Keep the left string out of the way at the top (and taped down) so it doesn’t become tangled with the right side. Here is a pic to describe what I mean:

Basically all you do from this point on is weave on beads. The trick to getting the triangle shape is to thread through the bead at the top but not on the bottom. Let me explain in pictures…
Notice how the right side of my skeleton starts with a yellow glow bead, then a yellow bead, then a pink glow bead, then an orange bead, then a pink bead, then a magenta bead, and so on…all the way until a yellow glow bead at the bottom. These are the beads we will string through.
You want to string THROUGH THE FIRST BEAD (in my case the first yellow glow bead) WITHOUT stringing another bead on. See picture.

Now my string is coming through the yellow glow bead. Pull tightly.
It’s time to start adding more beads! Make sure you follow your pattern correctly. Mine will follow the picture at the start of the tutorial. Therefore I will string on a yellow glow bead first and string through the yellow solid bead. Pull tightly. See pictures.
String on a bead first:

Then pull it through the yellow solid bead:

Next, I will string a yellow solid bead and string through the pink glow bead. Pull tightly. See pictures.
String on a bead first:

Then pull it through the pink glow bead:

Next, I will string a pink glow bead through the solid orange bead. Pull tightly. See pictures.


You will repeat this process for the rest of the column. When you get to the bottom, just string through the last bead as usual.
*Note: It is very important to remember to pull tightly after stringing on each bead. That way your top is even all the way around.
This is what mine looks like now (my string is coming out of the yellow glow bead at the bottom right):

Now, we are going to weave back up the skeleton. Instead of weaving through the first bead (like we did at the top), we want to add a bead first. See pictures. Also, make sure you are following your pattern! I need a green solid bead that I will string up through the green solid bead sticking out.
String a bead FIRST:

PULL TIGHTLY through the green bead:

Now you will repeat the same process, stringing beads all the way until you get back up to the top.
Here is mine when I have reached the top again:

To start the next column, make sure you string through the first bead (mine is again a yellow glow bead) before stringing on a bead. This will ensure you keep the triangle shape at the top. Notice how the bottom is flat. Yay! See picture.
Make sure you string through the first bead BEFORE adding more beads:

Continue this process until you have one half of the triangle complete. Make sure you pull tightly at each step. Only string through the first bead at the top not at the bottom (to keep the triangle shape at the top, and flat at the bottom.)
Here is what it should look like when done:

Unfortunately, I ran out of yellow glow beads right now! I’ll add more to the tutorial after I go buy some later!
Hope it makes sense so far. Basically you build that side down until you have like 4 rows left. Then switch to the other side of the triangle. Just take off the tape for the other long string and repeat the entire process down that side.
ANNNNNNND after looking at what my friend wanted and looking at what I've finished so far....I don't like it. I think I'd prefer if it went SPARKLE, YELLOW, SPARKLE, ORANGE, SPARKLE, PINK and so on instead of what I did.
SIGH

feel free to ask whatever questions you have
This is obviously just a start to the tutorial, I will add the rest when I have more time.
And yeah I think I'm going to scrap what I did and change it to what I think would look prettier =)
EDIT: I have made the new triangle and added a little bit more to the tutorial below. Enjoy!
plurr
Last edited: