BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Beadwork Hello Fellow Beaders!

Currently I'm working on a bracelet that says Pirate Girl for International Talk Like a Pirate day, what are you beading?

Right now I am working on a hat band. I ran out of a color and need to order some more beads.

I'm starting a new freeform necklace today. I've gathered some great pieces to put together while I was on vacation this summer.

Bead and Button I think had a great article this month on combining stitches into freeform. I've done freeform peyote for years and love it as I don't like following patterns much. This time I want to combine more stitches than peyote.

I like doing freeform too, it's really relaxing. I like following my own patterns sometimes, but a lot of time, I just don't have the patience. Freeform doesn't take the same sort of patience, because if you get bored, you can do something different in the same piece.

ConnieM, I hope you post a picture when you're done! I'd love to see it when it's finished!

ShalasBeads, I agree completely about freeform! I mix different techiniques in one piece, add different colors, whatever, to keep from it's getting boring.

I have a couple amulet bags I started using patterns and never finished because I got bored.

However, I made a couple amulet bags dumping beads into a dish and randomly working them into the design. I have one that is earthy tones, one that's in pinks and purples. Lots more fun!

I've done a couple quick netted bags in mixed beads, completely random, just stuff I swept off the tray I use for beading, they turned out super colorful and carnival-ish looking. A lot of fun!
I get bored beading some patterns, but others, I just can't wait to see finished. This morning I graphed a Dark Mark bracelet I plan to make for myself at some point. I do love graphing stuff (does it show much?). I just don't always get it made!

This is the hat band I finished


My newest project
]

My dad made the loom for me

Conniem, I see you are from Oklahoma. Do you ever do Native American type beadwork? My husband's family is part Cherokee and I love the beautiful beadwork.

this past August we went to the Smithsonian's new museum on Native Americans and the beadwork section was wonderful!

I am making progress on my freeform necklace but haven't had much time to work on it lately.

Hi Joanj...We have a nice display of Native American artifacts at our museum and it is amazing how beautiful their work is (lack of materials) and how wonderful it has held up after all this time. My favorite thing they have is a pair of childs moccasins and they are covered in beads. Lately I have been making a lot of peyote stitch bracelets with delicas. They have a flower motif and bicones. They turn out really pretty.

I had started doing hat bands because my dad is involved in Single Action Shooting and they all dress up authentic 1880s style and I wanted to make him something home made to wear. I had went to a junk store and dug throught their button cache and was able to find really old buttons for his shirt my mom made.

You will have to post some photos of your work. I love seeing other people's work!

I've been to some of the Shooting events where they dress up in authentic style and they are lots of fun. Everywhere I go, of course, I look at beadwork.

Yes, it is amazing how well it has stood up over time.

I haven't figured out how to post photos-lol I do have some tho.

My sister and I went to the Bead Market over the weekend. I actually won a beautiful lampwork bead in the hourly drawing and my sister won a set of pliers. We had a great time and bought lots of beads!

My mom and I were in an antique store a while back and she kept pointing out beaded purses. Talk about a lot of work! I have yet to buy one though. They are pretty pricey. I think it would be something you could put in a frame and hang and maybe it would last longer.

I've always wanted to make a crocheted bead bag but it seems like so much work! I'd like the crocheting but not the stringing of the beads before hand. They are beautiful tho.

I adore bid artwork. Congrats to those brilliant hands. Right now, I bidding a charmed bracelet as a gift to my best friend, Amy.

I have always admired beadwork, and played around with making some simple necklaces in the past. Finally I got up the nerve to try something a little more ambitious, got a book out of the library, ("Getting started with seed beads" by Dustin Wedekind) and spent this afternoon covering a little wooden box with beads. I am SO happy with the results! As soon as my neck stops aching I will try something else. What fun!

Hi, I'm Beth from Florida. Looking forward to reading what everyone is doing in beading.

Does anyone have some favorite beading sites? Do you belong to a bead society?

Hello Joan,

I love the Native American and Southwest look too. I have designed and published many pieces. I think my favorite is the holidays.

Bead happy and bead often,
Marie
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Claybird here again.
I'm now on my 4th beaded box, they are so much fun and so beautiful! I found out one thing, though...the book told me to cover the box with double sided sticky craft paper and the beads would stick just fine. They did, but I gave my first box to my DD in Key West while I was visiting her, and after a few days of 80 degrees the sticky softened and the beads began to sag, so I had to spray the box with multiple layers of varnish to get them to stick again. After that mishap I have been using a transparent glue that sets up fast and stays put.

As long as I'm just using one color, or mixed colors are okay, no pattern necessary in the bead anyway, I just buy beads on a hank, then pull strings free from the hank and slip off a couple beads then tie the end of the string to my perle cotton or crochet thread, and then slide the beads off the hank down the thread. I also use a beadspinner sometimes, but I like the hanks a lot better.