Be a Beader

You know, I've never been much of a bead stringer. I love beads. I love what you can do with beads. But I've never been much good at simply stringing a bunch of beads together and calling it a finished piece. For me, it needs to be much more complex than that to be truly satisfying.


I am a beadweaver at heart. What really attracts me are methods that creates beautifully detailed images out of seemingly simple processes. Circular netting, right angle weave, brick stitch, square stitch, peyote stitch....I could go on and on. These are processes that take a great deal longer than simply stringing beads together, but are immensely satisfying when completed. There is simply nothing to rival the feel of a sheet of woven glass beads as it passes over your skin. It's absolutely magical! Place it in sunlight and it dances like water.


My current project has been a pair of beaded doilies that appeared in the February 2007 and June 2007 of Bead & Button magazine. The patterns were developed by Meghana Kamat and are done in circular netting. (Check out her website at beadsymphony.com) Her work is absolutely stunning if only for the intricate patterns they create (her color choices don't always thrill me). I have completed one doily closely based on the June doily (but in different colors) and am currently working on another doily loosely based on the February doily. (Same pattern but will reveal a completely different interpretation.) I will post the images of each shortly.


I highly recommend Bead & Button and BeadStyle magazines as sources of inspiration. Particularly Bead & Button, as it tends to have more intricately detailed work in it. You can also find some great ideas on their website at beadandbutton.com.