beading techniques & projects |
African Helix:
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A highly textured
spiral tube connected only by thread loops. You
can make a triple, quadruple or quintuple helix!
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Apache
Leaf
Chain: |
A two-color (or more) chain of leaves,
strong and suitable for use as an amulet bag. |
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| Basic
Beading: |
Instruction on stringing materials,
findings and making simple jewelry. |
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Basic
Flat Peyote: |
One of the most universal of beadweaving
techniques. Used by the ancient Egyptians
before Native Americans thought of it! |
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| Basic
Wirework: |
Instruction on the use of wire in
jewelry assembly; making wrapped loops and your
own headpins. |
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| Bead Night: |
Every Thursday. If no workshop or
other activity is planned, a freeform evening to
enjoy the company of beading friends. |
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| Beaded
Cube: |
Right angle weave makes these "cubes"
very stable and ready to display or embellish. |
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Brick
Stitch Earrings: |
Those classic triangular earrings
with long fringes. Learn Brick and Ladder
Stitch! |
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| Chevron
Chain: |
Lacy, narrow version of netting.
Make it long and wear it as a lariat or belt! |
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| Daisy
Chain: |
Make a string of flowers for that
flower-child still in you or join widths of the
chain to compose more complicated patterns. |
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Double
Chevron
Chain: |
A wider version of Chevron Chain.
Can be made to use as a belt, a tie or a bracelet. |
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| Double
Spiral Rope: |
Once you've learned the Spiral Rope
Chain, try out this variation with two columns of
spiraling beads. |
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| Dutch
Spiral: |
A hollow undulating tube with endless
variations. Named so because the technique
was first described in a Dutch publication. |
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| Flat Ndebele/Herringbone: |
A Zulu technique using pairs of beads;
each orients itself into a V-shape, nestling into
the pair below. |
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| Flowerette
Chain: |
Beautiful three-dimensional chain
invented in Africa. |
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Freeform
Brick
Stitch: |
Brick Stitch in three dimensions?
You bet! Encircle a large bead with
stacks and rows of coordinating and contracting
seed beads. |
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| Freeform
Peyote: |
Thought Peyote was just for rectangles?
Watch your piece ruffle and spiral while making
use of several sizes and shapes of beads |
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Fringed Elastic
Bracelet: |
Work a fun, spiky fringe onto a netted
elastic bracelet. |
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| Hearts
Chain: |
For your valentine or just for wearing
your heart "on your sleeve." |
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Kinky
Fringe
Earrings: |
Versatile stitch with a freeform
look. The technique can be used in numerous
ways - a trim, a textural interest or as it's own
entity as in these earrings. |
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| Ladder
Stitch: |
A foundation row for Brick Stitch.
May also be used to start Ndebele or stand on it's
own. |
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| Lakota
Chain: |
A Native American chain, very stable
and suitable for use in a bracelet or necklace |
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| Loom Weaving: |
Using a simple framework, bands of
seed beads can depict intricate patterns or realistic
images. |
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| Netting:
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Several beads are added at one time,
so netting works up quickly. Variations include:
- Bugle Netting: Using
bugle beads with seed beads allows numerous
design possibilities, as straight lines and
curves meet and contract in the same piece.
- Five-Bead Netting: A
very open weave and flexible technique with
little sculptural potential due to its nature.
- Hexagon Netting: An
unusual six-sided technique often seen in Zulu
beadwork.
- Three-Bead Netting: An
open weave that may be used in color patters
or to implement texture and dimension just by
changing bead sizes.
- Ukraine Necklace: A
vertical form of netting whose asymmetrical
nature often forms a curve. Colorful patterning
is often employed.
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| Oglalla
Butterfly: |
A Native American technique suitable
for a fluffy freeform bracelet or necklace. |
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| Pearl
Knotting: |
Not just for pearls! Most beads
look their best when you make the effort to knot
between them, but it’s an essential for stringing
pearls. |
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| Petersburg
Chain: |
A flat, decorative chain of Russion
origin which is very flexible and drapey. |
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Peyote
Amulet Bag: |
Work a small bag while learning to
follow a charted pattern. |
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Peyote
Wave
Bracelet: |
It twists and turns without increasing
or decreasing - an easy way to bring dimension to
your beadwork. |
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Picot
and Bauble
Chains: |
Easy chains that can make a visual
impact with the addition of single or multiple seed
beads! |
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Right
Angle Weave, Single and Multiple: |
Four-sided units make a stable bead
"fabric" to accent or leave undecorated. |
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Russian
Flower
Chain: |
Stable linear chain that can display
intricate patterning when used in multiple rows. |
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Russian
Netting with Drops:
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A narrow chain that may be doubled
for a very decorative bracelet. |
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| Russian
Spiral: |
This hollow tubular form looks completely
different if you change bead sizes. This technique
may use seed beads or a combination of seeds and
bugles. You can graduate its size or make the hollow
tube all one diameter. Bold or delicate depending
on your choice. |
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| Snowflake: |
Make snowflakes to decorate your
windows - or your earlobes. |
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| Sphere/Dodecahedron: |
Use apherical or bicone beads to
make this self=supporting, three-dimensional sculpture. |
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| Spiral
Peyote: |
A tubular form of peyote stitch,
with sculptural possibilities. |
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| Spiral
Rope Chain: |
A wonderfully versatile technique
where stacks of beads arrange themselves in a helical
pattern around a strand of "core" beads. |
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Spiral
Robe
Variations: |
You can learn even more ways to build
a spiral Rope and create surface texture as well. |
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| Square
Stitch: |
A very stable stitch that mimics
loomwork in the way the beads align themselves.
Great for small pieces. |
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| Tubular
Ndebele: |
A silky-feeling tube; it can twist
or be color-patterned. |
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Twisted
Ndebele Tube: |
The twist in this tube in induced
by the inclusion of one larger bead in every row. |
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| Ukraine
Necklace: |
Work a beautiful necklace with vertical
netting! |
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| Zig-No-Zag
Chain: |
A flexible chain that can incorporate
drops. Drapes well around curves. |
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| Zig-Zag
Chain: |
A simple chain that is strong enough
to use as straps yet quick to construct. |
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