Favorite Beads: Seed Beads

For many beaders, there is no greater joy than a long and luxurious hank of tiny seed beads. They’re pretty, versatile, and abundant - and they can be transformed into almost anything a beader can imagine. Today’s guest, Jenny Lawson, combines seed beads with a variety of techniques and mediums.

Inspirational Beading: What is your all-time favorite bead?

Jenny: Seed beads. I love the versatility of seed beads, there’s just so much you can do with them; from three-dimensional objects and flowers, to intricate jewellery. And there are so very many different kinds of bead-weaving techniques to use.

Inspirational Beading: What is your favorite technique or method to use them?

Jenny: I love doing right angle weave and making the 3d objects with them. Strangely enough, this was the bead-weaving technique that took me the longest time to master.

Inspirational Beading: Of all the creations you’ve made with these beads, which one is your favorite?

Jenny: I love so many, but there is something special about the beaded fuchsias.

Inspirational Beading: Do you have any tips for making the most of seed beads?

Jenny: Learn the different bead-weaving techniques, there are so many of them, and they all give such wonderful different looks to your work.

Inspirational Beading: What’s your favorite method for storing seed beads?

Jenny: I store them in ziplock bags in old music cassette drawers. They’re ordered by size and like colours.

Inspirational Beading: What is your favorite bead or material to pair them with?

Jenny: Most of the time, I prefer them just on their own. Having said that I also love crocheting, so I find doing Turkish crochet or crochet rope is a great way to have two of my favourite crafts going at once. For this I usually use crochet cotton.

Inspirational Beading: If you were stranded on the moon, and you could have only one kind of bead with you, would you choose these?

Jenny: Yes. I could spend forever doing different beadweaving stitches, and making incredibly different things with them. I can even make my own beads with them.

Inspirational Beading: Do you have a brand preference?

Jenny: I’ll work with any types. Different brands and places have differents colours and types, they all have their uses for me.

Jenny makes a wide variety of designs - you can see many of her beaded pieces on Craft Cove and Flower Cove.

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading and Jenny Lawson
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