When my friend came over to bead the other day, she asked me a very
good question:
How do I get to be fluent in a lot of different beadweaving stitches?
She asked me a great question. It's nice to be comfortable
enough with all of the major beadweaving stitches to be able to sit down and
create a beading project or piece of beaded jewelry without really having to
worry about the mechanics of the stitch.
So how do you become fluent in beadweaving stitches? Here
are a few ideas to get you started:
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| A good beading reference book can go a long way in helping you master off-loom beadweaving stitches. |
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1. Find
a good book. My first beading book was the classic Creative Bead Weaving by Carol Wilcox Wells. It was used as a textbook
for the classes I took when I was learning peyote stitch, and I still have my
much-used and much-loved copy handy every time I sit down to bead. Another
great book that I keep handy is Carol Huber Cypher's Mastering Beadwork, with its encyclopedia of popular beadweaving
stitches.
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Making little projects like earrings is a great way to master new beadweaving stitches and techniques. |
2. Make
little projects at first. One of the reasons why I love
Mastering Beadwork so much is that most of the projects in it
aren't very complicated and are perfect examples of how to master the mechanics
of each beadweaving stitch. Don't feel like you have to do a large-scale
beadweaving project to really master a stitch - little projects work just as
well! Beaded earrings and simple bracelets are my favorite beading projects for
learning a new beadweaving stitch. (Or even just refreshing my skills in that
particular stitch!)
3. Bead
every day. Even if you can only find ten minutes in your day to bead, sit down
and do it. Picking up your beads every day will help keep newly learned
beadweaving stitches fresh in your mind.
4. Bead
with friends. One of the great things about beading with friends is the way you
can learn new things! I was never interested in Viking knit until my beading
friend told me about how much fun she was having with it. This same beading
friend is now threatening to get me hooked on kumihimo, too. In return, I'm
helping her brush up on her basic beadweaving skills.
Don't expect to master every single beadweaving stitch in
just a few sessions. Like anything else worth knowing, beadweaving is an art
and a skill that takes patience and practice. But that's okay, because we all
love doing beadwork, right?
Do you have any tips for someone looking to master a new
beadweaving stitch? Leave a comment and share your thoughts here on the blog!
Bead Happy,
Jennifer
Filed under: Wire Jewelry, Bead-weaving, Peyote Stitch, Beaded Beads, Bead Making, How to Bead, Kumihimo, Jewelry Making, Beading Daily, Beaded Jewelry Design, Beads, Earring Making