Stitchboard Admin message #2
Re: Beginner beadweaver here, what patterns did you start with for each different types of bead weav
October 5, 2017 at 4:26:12 AM  (in response to Kortniemcdaniel message #1)
 
Kortnie,

Welcome!

When I first started beadweaving I used a tiny flat peyote pattern that I don't see around anymore...but that was a loooong time ago! When I say tiny, I mean it was something like a beaded strap of no more than 4 or so beads wide that I used as a bracelet.

One resource I found invaluable at the time was a book called "Creative Bead Weaving" by Carol Wilcox Wells. This is THE beginner's resource! It's sadly out of print, but there are still copies to be found; I've located the book on Amazon (several fairly inexpensive "used" options, many in decent condition) and if you don't want to invest in the book or want to check it out before buying, see if your local library either has a copy or can get one through Interlibrary Loan.

The book has great explanations, projects for each stitch and goes through peyote (even count, odd count, flat, tubular, etc), brick stitch, square stitch, netting and a few others, along with plenty of variations! For peyote in particular there are small beaded beads that can be made flat and then "zipped" together, so you get the idea of how to work in peyote with a simple project that gives you plenty of practice before you get into bigger, more complex things.

There are even notes about how to weave in your threads when finishing or starting a new thread!

As a beginner (before buying the book) I also went to netting, which I probably didn't realize was netting at the time. I'd seen a netted item at a store and wanted to duplicate it, so had bought some really horrible, cheap beads and netted a headband. Then soon after I tried square stitch and brick stitch, again, before finding the book, so I really didn't know what I was doing! But once I found the book everything fell into place. I made several of the patterns and thought they really applied to the lessons...and they looked great!

YouTube is a wonderful resource which didn't exist when I first started, but IMO there's nothing better than having an actual book with specific instructions geared to beginners. So even with YouTube available, I'd still highly recommend Creative Bead Weaving! And if you like it, she then wrote a second book with other stitches, called "The Art & Elegance of Beadweaving." It's also long out of print (also available pretty inexpensively on Amazon or can be found through a library), but another invaluable resource!

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