Kumihimo Beginners Guide
This wonderful Kumihimo beginners guide (or, to give the book it’s proper title:’ A Beginner’s Guide to Kumihimo’) is by Donna McKean Smith. Published by Search press, it will come as no surprise for...
Author: beadflowers
Beaded Christmas Ornament Pattern Books
Are you looking for some new Christmas ornament ideas? Then really, consider trying beaded Christmas ornament pattern books. For just one payment, you’re going to get lots of projects. What could be better than...
Fiona Pullen: Making and Marketing a Successful Art and Craft Business
This new book by Fiona Pullen is a must-have if you are thinking of selling your beadwork and jewellery. Or, if you already have your own craft business. That may sound like a rather...
Modern Bead Loom Weaving
Modern Bead Loom Weaving, by Caroline French, is a must-have book if you are interested in learning how to use a loom for beading. That’s a pretty bold statement. So, how can I justify...
Carrier Beads
So, what are carrier beads? How do you use them? Why have they become so tied up with Peyote stitch recently? This blog post aims to answer all those questions for you. Plus, get...
How to size a bracelet
Does your jewellery making repertoire include bracelets? If you said ‘yes’, then you need to read this. Sizing bracelets is never as easy as you might think. So, in this article, I am going...
Bracelet sizer: what is it?
Have you ever been asked to make a bracelet for someone else and struggled with the sizing? Or maybe you just struggle with sizing bracelets for yourself. So, what you need is a bracelet...
Which Bead Colours Work Together?
Have you ever sat down with a new beading pattern and wanted to make it in your own colours? Then, your next thought was probably ‘which bead colours work together for this?’ Did you...
Mother’s Day Beading Projects
If beading is your hobby, then what better way to treat your Mum than with a special gift? So, if this sounds like a good idea, here are some fabulous Mothers Day beading projects...
Bead Storage Furniture: how to plan a bead studio
Whether you’re lucky enough to have a full room, or even just a permanent space, dedicated to beading, you will need some bead storage furniture. So, I am going to share some links to...
Bead Storage Ideas for Travelling
I’m coming towards the end of my little series of blogs looking at bead storage ideas. So, although I’m going to be focusing on bead travel cases in this one, you can also find...
Where to buy bead storage
Well, if you’re looking for solutions for storing your bead stash, then I guess where to buy bead storage is pretty fundamental! You probably want to check out my other posts about bead storage...
Bead Storage and Organisation on a Budget
I’ve been writing a little series of blog posts all about bead storage and organisation. Why is that?…well, because you asked me to! So, I’ve already given you some advice about finding the perfect...
Bead Storage: the 3 most important things to look for
The thing about bead storage is it’s very personal to you. So, if you’re new to beading, then finding the perfect bead storage system for you can be great fun. Although you’ll want to...
Perfect beading storage solutions for you
How do you find perfect beading storage solutions? Well, if you’ve come here looking for a quick answer, I might disappoint you. Fact: there is no such thing as perfect beading storage solutions. There...
Jane Austen Beading Kit
Book lovers and Jane Austen fans looking for their next crafting project need look no further! Beadwork designer Chloe Menage ofPinkhot Jewellery has teamed up with Hampshire Cultural Trust to create a brand new...
Connectors for Jewellery Making
Connectors for jewellery making are useful for connecting things. You don’t say? I’m guessing you probably worked that much out already. So, what can you connect and how can you do it? What are...
Rulla Seed Beads
Continuing on my mission to help demystify all the different types of seed bead… So, today, let me talk about Rulla seed beads. Or you may see them just referred to as Rulla beads....
What are Pellet Beads?
If you are new to beading…or even if you’re not…it is so easy to get confused these days. We have so many new beads on the market, that it’s hard to keep pace. So,...
Fall Beading: 5 Best Tutorials
Do you love the Fall? Well, this is a great time of year to celebrate the season. So, I’ve picked out my top five Fall beading tutorials for you. There’s something to try whatever...
Big Book of Jewelry Making
The Big Book of Jewelry Making (GMC Press, September 2017) is fantastic if you are one of these people… Someone who enjoys making jewelry Someone who is always on the lookout for great new...
Working with wire: getting great results wrapping and twisting
My own personal experience of working with wire is mostly for French beading. However, the secrets I am about to share with you are also applicable to other types of wirework. So, even if...
Flat Nose Pliers
When I started beading, I admit to being very confused by all the different types of pliers. So, I have written a series of posts to help you tell the difference. This one focuses...
Beading Projects for Summer
Are you stuck for beading projects? Struggling to find a new idea to inspire you? Summer is the perfect opportunity to get beading. All that daylight is such a help for seeing the beads!...
Mastering Wirework Jewelry
If you have come across Rachel Norris’ stunning jewellery, then you are in for a treat with this book. ‘Mastering Wirework Jewelry’ teaches you so many wirework techniques and shows you how to make...
Festive Beading Three
It might seem a little strange to publish a book of Christmas decorations in the summer. However, if you are a crafter, you know how much time it takes to make your festive creations....
Soutache by Donatella Ciotti
I can’t remember when I first saw Soutache used with beads, but the idea has always fascinated me. I think it has taken too long for this technique to appear in books. For a...
Free French Beading Tools: do you know about them?
If you’re reading this because you already love French beading, then you probably know about the basic tools. But, did you know there is a whole set of free French beading tools? I use...
Using Pinterest for Beading: 3 Top Tips
When I started using Pinterest, I never realised how critical it would become for my beading. I work a lot as a designer and Pinterest is a brilliant tool for helping me there. However,...
How to Follow a Peyote Stitch Chart
Have you been mystified by a beading pattern in which you needed to follow a Peyote stitch chart? Do you even know what a Peyote stitch chart is? If you answered ‘no’ and ‘yes’...
Free Beading Patterns
Did you know that free beading patterns can be a really bad idea? I’m going to tell you why. Then show you how to find great free beading patterns. If you get through that,...
How to get good beading tension
How to get good beading tension is a question that often comes up in my classes. I am constantly thinking about how to help people improve. My thoughts led me to consider how different...
Easter Beading Projects for Everyone
I love beading and frankly, any excuse for a new beading project is a good excuse, I think! So, as Lent arrived and the shops started filling up with Easter eggs, I began to...
How to Design Beaded Flowers: Five Easy Rules
In case you don’t already know me, I have been designing and making French beaded flowers for 15 years. I have recently published my second book on the subject, so I thought it was...
Starting Tubular Peyote
I came up with this idea after watching so many people struggle with starting Tubular Peyote. If you have ever tried this, you will understand what I mean. If you haven’t, then I do...
Arcos Beads
Arcos beads are made by the same manufacturer as the Kheops. In this article, I am going to be talking about the Arcos alongside their design fellow: Minos beads. These are two distinct types...
DiamonDuo Beads
What are DiamonDuo Beads? As soon as you hear this name, you must surely think of Superduos and Miniduos, so once again, the clue is in the name. DiamonDuo beads are a little larger...
Beading Patterns for Food
There are all kinds of areas of inspiration for beading, so I have been trying to take a look at some themes for you. In this blog I am focusing on beading patterns for...
Bugle Beads
It could be argued that Bugle beads are some of the oldest ‘shaped seed beads’ around. I have classified them as seed beads since they fit into the sizing pattern that means they can be...
Copying Beadwork: Another Perspective
I hadn’t planned to write this post, but yesterday’s post generated so much interest and discussion, some here, some on my Facebook page, that I found myself with more to say! So, I want to...
Copying Beading Patterns: 3 Reasons Not To
Copying beading patterns is a topic that creates a lot of passion amongst bead designers. In fact, a long and passionate debate within the Beadsmith Inspiration Squad inspired me to write this blog. The...
Men’s Beading Patterns
When I talk about Men’s beading patterns I could take two different angles. I might want to consider beading patterns that are perfect for men to make. Or I might want to consider beading...
Beaded Spiral Rope Variations
One of the first beading techniques I learned was one of the beaded spiral rope variations, known as a Spiral Staircase. Since then, I have learned a lot more different types of beaded spiral...
Superduo Duets
Superduo Duets are exclusive to the Beadsmith. If you are already familiar with Superduo beads, then you are going to love these. The bead shape and size is identical, but the appearance is defined...
Ava Beads
Ava Beads are another type of seed bead, the brainchild of the Potomac Bead Company. These beads are made in the Czech Republic, using the top quality Czech glass that all us beaders love!...
French Beaded Flower Tutorials
If you enjoy French beading, then it occurred to me that it would be really useful to have a single place where you can get links to loads of French Beaded flower tutorials. So...
Strictly Inspiration: Sparkling Bead Projects to Download
That’s right…Strictly Come Dancing is back on TV and Strictly fever is here once more for the Autumn. Every year I marvel at the gorgeous costumes. Just how many crystals must be stitched onto...
Buying Seed Beads
With an overwhelming number of types and colours of seed beads on the market today, it can be really confusing when you set out to a bead shop or bead fair. However intent I...
How to write a beading tutorial
Ok, so you’ve created a great beading design and you want to share it with the world. Whether you plan to teach it in a class or sell it as a pattern or kit,...
How to price handmade jewellery
The question of how to price handmade jewellery is one with which I have grappled for years. I have already written a couple of posts on this subject to give you the basics in...
