Using Beading Templates in Procreate: Design Your Own Patterns Digitally
If you've ever wanted to design your own beading pattern but weren't sure where to start, this tutorial is for you. I'll show you how to use beading templates in Procreate, so you can sketch out, color, and plan your own original bead weaving designs digitally, before you ever pick up a needle and thread.
Whether you're dreaming up your own earring pattern or just want an easier way to experiment with color combinations, this is a great skill to have in your beading toolkit.
Why Design in Procreate?
Beading templates are essentially blank grids shaped to match specific stitches and project shapes (brick stitch, peyote stitch, diamonds, teardrops, and more), with each cell representing a single bead. Traditionally, beaders color these in with pencils or markers to plan out a pattern before stitching. Using Procreate to do this digitally comes with some real advantages:
- You can experiment with as many color combinations as you like, without wasting paper or starting over from scratch each time.
- It's easy to duplicate a design and make small variations to compare side by side.
- Digital files are simple to save, organize, and reference later, right from your iPad.
- You get access to a huge range of colors, far beyond what you might have on hand in pencils or markers.
Why This Is a Great Skill to Learn
- Plan before you bead — working out your color placement digitally means fewer surprises (and less frogging) once you start stitching with real beads.
- Design your own patterns — once you're comfortable with this process, you're not limited to using patterns other people have created. You can design your own from scratch.
- Experiment freely — because it costs nothing to try a new color combination, you can be much more playful and exploratory with your designs.
- Build a personal library — save your favorite templates and finished designs so you always have new project ideas ready to go.
What You'll Need
(Adjust this to match your exact supply list from the video.)
- The Procreate app (available on iPad)
- Apple Pencil or compatible stylus
- A beading template file in the shape/stitch you want to design for (you can find a full collection of these on my site!)
What to Expect in the Tutorial
This tutorial walks through the full process of using a beading template inside Procreate, including:
- How to import a beading template into Procreate
- How to use layers to experiment with different color combinations
- Tips for selecting and filling in individual "bead" cells accurately
- How to save and export your finished design so you can reference it while beading
- Ideas for organizing your templates and designs as your collection grows
By the end, you'll have a new digital design workflow that makes planning your own beading patterns so much easier — and a lot more fun.
Ready to Try It?
Grab your iPad, download a template, and let's start designing! This is a wonderful skill to build if you've ever wanted to move beyond following other people's patterns and start creating your own.
👉 Watch "Using Beading Templates in Procreate" on YouTube
You can find the full collection of beading templates, in a variety of shapes and sizes, over on the Beading Templates and Tutorials page — perfect for use in Procreate or to print and color in by hand.
Looking for more ways to build your beading skills? Check out the free beading pattern downloads page, or browse the full shop for more designs. And if you'd like exclusive monthly tutorials and patterns, come join Bead Camp!
If you design your own pattern using this method, I'd love to see it — tag me or drop a photo in the comments. Happy beading!
~ Darcy