Introduction

Let’s make more beadwork!

In the last lesson, you learned about bead embroidery. In this lesson, you will try bead weaving! Bead weaving can be done with or without a loom and is typically used to create bracelets and necklaces. Weaving creates a flattened “fabric” that is made from beads. Most of the time, bead weaving is done with very small beads. It takes a lot of time and concentration to do it well. Artists use tiny needles and thread to weave the small beads into beautiful patterns and designs. This craft has been popular for centuries in various cultures, from the people of Ukraine to the Native peoples of the Americas.

Today, you are going to learn a type of bead weaving that does not use a loom. You will create a creature out of beads. Bead buddies have been popular for a long time. Ask a parent or another adult if they ever made a bead buddy when they were a kid. This lesson will show you how to make a dragonfly and a dinosaur. Click through the steps to decide which one you want to make.