Bring a favorite North Shore image to class: four-legged, scaled, winged, rooted, or creepy crawler. You’ll use that image as the subject of your bead embroidery and make your own unique beadwork on felted wool (material provided). Your piece can be made into a pin for a wearable work of art, or framed for display. Bead artist Jo Wood will introduce you to her favorite techniques for “painting” with beads. Her goal is to demystify the basic materials and process of bead embroidery. While working with bead colors and textures, you also will learn some simple principles of composition, pattern transfer techniques, and how to add depth and dimension to your work. This workshop is for all skill levels—those new to beading on fabric as well as those wishing to explore innovative uses of beads in their needle arts. The use of beads has spanned cultures across the globe for more than 6000 years. Come join us for an enjoyable, relaxed, and creative experience and learn a new skill for your future projects.

You will need the following tools for this class:

1    A flower or fauna image to use for your bead embroidery design. You can bring a few  but you’ll have to choose one. A printed photograph, picture from a magazine, or drawing will do. Electronic images do not work well for this class. 

2    Beads- seed beads in size 10 to 15 . Bring 8 or more colors. Choose a variety of surface finishes (opaque, matte, transparent, silver-lined, etc.) that work with your image. Smaller and larger of the same color is also helpful but not required.

3   Scissors (small, sharp) (available for purchase @ North House School Store 888-387-9762)

4   Reading glasses if you need them or magnification if that helps

5   Bead Tray or beading blanket

6   Samples of your needle art that you would like to share with the group

Feel free to bring your favorite tools and whatever materials you might feel appropriate for this course.