Claire's blog

Beading links

I’m forever forwarding links to people, but I don’t keep a record of them anywhere.  So I’m going to try and build this page up as I come across things…

General bead sites

• About.com:Beadwork – useful site with articles, projects, a forum and tons of links.
• Beadelicious links – a great site to explore, but I’ve put it in this section especially for its extensive links.

UK Bead shops

• Bead Merchant – based in Essex, great range of kits.
• Creative Beadcraft – mail order and a shop in London.
• GJ Beads - mail order and a shop in Cornwall, very nice people, I buy most of my seed beads from them.
• Spangles – based in Cambridge, great range of beading books on their website.
• Stitch ‘n’ Craft – mail order and a shop in Dorset, they also organise beading classes and bead fairs.
• Witch Beads – based in Milton Keynes, also runs workshops.

Semi-precious minerals suppliers

• Manchester Minerals – Shop in Manchester, and online ordering.
• PJ Minerals – Mail order and online shop.  Also sells beads and findings.
• Stone Corner – Shop in East Sussex, and online ordering.

Beading instructions

3-D

• Beaded heart – The instructions are in Japanese, but you can see the website in english here.  There’s a second heart on the same site here.

General instructions

• Alexis – instructions for a range of projects including beaded beads, necklaces and braclets.  All instructions in English, German and French. 
• Ruby’s beadwork – instructions for a range of projects.

Beading around a cab

•  Beadnik – a method that doesn’t use a fabric backing

Nepal/Biva stitch

• Holly Bracelet
• Biva (Nepal) chain instructions

St. Petersburg chain

• Petersburg chain – a wider variation by Alexis

Patterns and kits

• Bead knitting
• The Knitting Zone 
• Bead Crochet
• Tapestry crochet – instructions for tapestry crochet and links to some projects including beaded bags and baskets