Step by Step Beads

Re: Projects: education or Inspiration?

Kokopelli Design — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 07:36:10 GMT

I look to books and magazines only for inspiration. One reason is that I have so many beads in my stash and just don't want to buy new ones. So I go with what I have. Another reason is that following instructions step by step would bar my creative juices from flowing free. And I'm often sidetracked by considerations like "Oh, I can do that, but in another color." or "......with other beads!". Mostly I look for techniques and how they are used and create my own things. That keeps me from stealing a design from a fellow beader, which is something I absolutely try to avoid, even more when selling the pieces.

Re: Projects: education or Inspiration?

beadmaster — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 04:46:36 GMT

In my opinion, The skill is important for beginners. step-by step following is kind of training. So, the right way to make instruction is important for beginner. After they know the technique they can make variation from there.

Inspiration is next step. I think it's difficult part. I read beadwork for many years from Korea. At the first time it was text book for me about step-by step skill learning but now it's inspiration for me.

Anyway great question and vauable replies. I was enjoy it.

Re: Projects: education or Inspiration?

CrystalCubeBead. — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:36:52 GMT

When I am learing something, my first effort is often an exact copy, except I may change bead sizes and colors.

I think step by step guides are important, if only for that reason -- I like them for learning a technique, not for the whole project! [sometimes the technique is the project.]

Stan B.

Re: Projects: education or Inspiration?

LoisB — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:38:49 GMT

I am a long time beader, and I still LOVE Step-by-step Beads and Stringing magazines because they are loaded with stringing projects. I'm not really into all the stitches much, never have been in my 20+ years of makeing jewelry. I DO like the basic wireworking techinques as they can really enhance strung items, so these magazines are perfect for me. I myself am a designer, so I don't generally copy anothers designs, even when it's "allowed" like a step-by-step project. I MIGHT copy the design, but use my own beads if I REALLY like something, but I usually use them for inspiration. I LOVE to see how people use different components, so I will learn a new way in which to use an unusual bead, say those corn-flake looking pearls I think are called Kashi pearls... I've NEVER known what do do with them, but a project used them and now I'd LOVE to try them in something else! I am planning on copying a design from the winter issue of Stringing, though with what supplies I myself have, because it is a design I would NEVER in my life think of, and I really like it, so while I'm copying the steps, I'm using my own supplies, which automatically means it will be different.

I would love to see a magazine that offered LOADS of inspiration pieces, and perhaps tutorials on unique techniques used in that piece, but not a total step-by-step guide... dont' know if that makes any sense.

Lois

Re: Projects: education or Inspiration?

A.M — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 20:59:20 GMT

No matter how much I like a photo, I am never tempted to copy the pictured piece. I don't think I've ever followed any pattern, even when I was a beginner. I think it's a matter of character rather than skill.

Re: Projects: education or Inspiration?

Karenra — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:23:19 GMT

As a beginner, I look to the projects for Bead ideas, color combinations, and technique how tos. I have yet to copy a patteren but have used parts of them to learn.

Re: Projects: education or Inspiration?

Elizabeth — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:24:49 GMT

Hi,

When I just started out beading, I followed any project to a T, and if I couldn't find exactly the same materials listed, I wouldn't make it! That was because I was afraid of what might happen if I used or did "something different".

Now when i look through magazines or books, I look for inspiration, but still use them for some techniques,

for example, a project might incorporate a material or mix of techniques I hadnt thought of, or tried before, so I will learn from that, but mostly things like a colour combination or beads & findings I had not seen before will inspire me!

Re: Projects: education or Inspiration?

CrystalCubeBead. — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 16:27:07 GMT

When I starteds doing brick stitch, I followed the directions in the book, but was totall dissatiusfied with the appearance of the project. Now I follow just enough to learn the stitch, or technhiuque, and then Off I go on my own adventure.

Stan B.

[I finally figured out this site, and now I'm reading posts I hadn't seen before, 'cause I didn't know how to find it all.]

Re: Projects: education or Inspiration?

NitzaA — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:41:26 GMT

I use the magazines for learn new techniques but I use them in new ways or with other components. I use them for inspiration too.

Re: Projects: education or Inspiration?

Carolina Mermaid — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:46:02 GMT

In the beginning--before I had any clue what I was doing,or even knew what I wanted to do--I liked step-by-step beads for the technical instructions and to learn the names for things I was interested in. Now, many,many beads later, I like to browse for color combinations, new ways to connect things, and do a little on-line research using the ads. It's funny, because with most other magazines, I find all those ads annoying. Not so when it comes to jewelry making and beading! I see "all those ads" as a network of new goodies to help me pull together my own designs!

Re: Projects: education or Inspiration?

Sheila H — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 22:27:15 GMT

I do stringing so for me this may be a little different...

If it is a new technique ( how to string and come back through etc ) that I am not familiar with since I am fairly new, I may follow the pattern technique exact but use whatever beads I prefer whether it would be color size etc. So like the others have stated it looks completely different.

Usually I will take an idea and do my own thing as well. I also will look at pictures and find inspiration, sometimes from a specific technique within the instructions.

I like the idea of a simple/basic pattern with additional difficulty levels. Perhaps a basic with inserts for medium or difficult. I like that idea and would subscribe. I think we all have a tendency to learn from everything, even if it is not in our specific area, or we can find a color combination etc that could be a inspiration.

One magazine with give instructions and have the base price ( under $10 ) then they will have inserts with more expensive options with prices for that. I like that as we all have different budgets or access. Sometimes I cannot find the beads they use even if I wanted to but can find something in one of the other options. So I end up mixing things up.

Just my thoughts...

Re: Projects: education or Inspiration?

Anonymous — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:25:40 GMT

Good example Lynn. I always read the step by step articles even if I think I know exactly how it was put together, because you never know when someone will have a tip or a different way of doing something that gives you an "aha" moment. It can be the simplest thing and it may make all the difference.

Re: Projects: education or Inspiration?

Nemeton — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 19:19:54 GMT

Great question - and some fascinating replies here! I contribute projects to magazines and am always keen to hear what readers and beaders really want - I love the idea of writing a project that starts really simple but has lots and lots of different potential variations, you've got me thinking now (dangerous... I'm already working on at least six other things)... I had already got the impression that few beaders ever make the exact project they see in a magazine, but they like to put their own spin on it, choose their own colours, use beads they already have in their stash. That's certainly what I do on the rare occasions I ever have time to tackle a project, so I try to design pieces that lend themselves to different interpretations and have potential to be customized in lots of different ways.

I buy far too many beading magazines and I read them all, over and over - not just to look at the pictures and be inspired (though that is a very important part of it) but to check out the detail of how other designers tackle a particular stitch, or how someone has solved a tricky bit of engineering or come up with a neat way of doing something I've been struggling with. There is always something to be learned, something that can be applied to my own work to improve it, or something that sparks a 'what-if...' kind of idea. I hope my designs may spark their own 'what-ifs' for other beaders and inspire them to create something totally new!

Re: Projects: education or Inspiration?

Anonymous — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 06:54:40 GMT

I think that would be an interesting idea for a magazine. I'm relatively well versed in all the basic stitches, but I enjoy seeing projects where one stitch leads into another, or if you like this version, try doing this for variation...

I do keep an inspiration book, and I doodle on any scrap of paper that's handy when inspiration stikes. I have a pen and pad in my purse, in my nightstand, around the house...you never know. Whether I get around to making them is another thing entirely.

I subscribe to several mags because I always like what they have, and others I scan through on the news stand and if a few things strike me as interesting, color combos I like, or oh! I have a bead like that, I'll buy it.

Re: Projects: education or Inspiration?

CareensCreations — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 14:51:46 GMT

Leslie:

So, would you enjoy a magazine that showed, say, several variations on a project, and simple basic stitch technique tutorials rather than a whole step-by-step?

Personally, I would be quite interested in a magazine like that, yes.