 | Beginner Kits: $30-$200 |
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| Whether the style is African, Middle Eastern, Asian, European, Native American or your own interpretation, beadwork is the craft of stitching beads to each other or onto cloth using either a needle and thread (or wire) or a beading loom. Usually beadwork is used to create jewelry or some other type of personal ornamentation, but it can also be part of a sculpture or wall hanging -- the possibilities are as broad as your imagination. Beadecked.com hosts a gallery of advanced beading projects . | | |
| Typical costs: | - Bead companies offer beginning kits from $30 -$200; the less expensive ones include few or no beads, which you can buy separately. Many kits include some basic tools, such as needle nose pliers, that you may already own. Beading-Software.com gives a quick list of basic supplies and tools needed to get started, from needle-nose pliers to clasps and a beading board. A basic beading book ($10 -$30) or other guide is important, and may be included in a kit. GuideToBeadwork.com offers a free how-to book online.
- Obviously, beads are the crucial material for beadmaking, and enough for a simple bracelet can run anywhere from $10 -$50 to hundreds or thousands of dollars. (Some beaders joke that beadwork is the most expensive hobby.) Beads can be plastic, clay, glass, wood, metal, semi-precious gemstones, cloisonn? or just about any material. Start with simple plastic beads in colors you enjoy (around $15 -$25 for a basic supply), and graduate to more expensive beads as you develop your beading techniques.
- Tiny beads can be woven together into cloth-like intricate patterns using a bead loom. The Illinois State Museum provides a weaving lesson and instructions for making a simple cardboard bead loom, while BeadieFriends.com gives simple bead loom instructions, plus a photo of a loom made from a cardboard box. Small metal looms (for narrow projects) are usually $5 -$15; adjustable, more durable wooden looms are $20 -$40, but can run $80 -$100 for a large, high-quality loom on a floor stand.
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Additional costs: | - Classes can run $25 -$100, depending on length and the materials and tools supplied.
- You'll need storage containers to organize your supplies. This can be as simple as zip-it baggies and empty baby food jars, or run $20 -$100 and up for specialized containers.
Discounts: | - You can often buy beading supplies inexpensively at flea markets and garage sales; taking apart old jewelry can be a good source of antique beads.
Shopping for beadwork: | |
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Article updated August 2008 |
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