I've known about this site for several years; in fact, if you look in my archives and see several projects that use a red/purple mix of seed beads, those beads are a BeadWrangler mix. I chose them to push outside of my comfort zone.
In browsing the BeadWrangler's extensive, thorough, and organized collection of subjects and web pages, I peremptorily skimmed through a few bits and pages about bead stitch samplers.
I was intrigued, but I had other goals on my mind, such as deciding which of the LOVELY seed bead mixes which the Beadwrangler (Lydia Borin) creates, to purchase for my creations!
Not giving the sampler much more thought, I'd run into it every couple of months, reading a bit more each time. About the project, one of the things they say is this:
Well, finally I took a deeper look at this bead stitch sampler project, and I am blown away by the scope of the project that these two ladies are engaged in! Rather than put alot of pressure or deadlines on themselves though, they are creating samples in a logical order, over however long of a period it takes to finish up a particular sort of "category" of stitches, before moving on to the next. I quote:
They have completed some marvelous samples already; see HERE, as well as HERE (scroll down to the bottom, which isn't far), the latter link showing several types of beadwork samples mounted/affixed to an evencount fabric.
As you explore these web pages, take a look at the history pages for each of the stitches such as peyote, brick, bead crochet, et. al as I found them to be highly fascinating, rather educational, and very informative. I have not read them all as of yet, as I'd prefer to absorb the information in a manner that allows me contemplation, time, and mental space for thinking about and appreciating each technique's often ancient as well as often complex history, as well as for understanding and appreciating the aesthetic and architectural aspects of each of these ways of putting beads together.
That said, the best way to do so is to dive right in and begin creating a beadwork sampler of my own; they invite and encourage you to do so, and provide a bounty of information, tips, diagrams, and instruction towards helping anyone so inclined.* They also reference, for each technique, a listing of books that they report as having clear illustration and technique, as well as including books in these listings that are inspirational in regards to beading, beadwork, artists thereof, or in some other related way or subject.
Their intention is much broader, and much more culturally significant, than the absolutely personal and creative satisfaction of producing a beadwork sampler for their own reference. Besides the extensive educational potential of such a sampler, they also are endeavoring to gather in knowledge from any source that may have such knowledge, especially of types of beadwork and any and all names under which they may be known, in or from various cultures or communities around the world. I quote:
This is a very laudable effort, I believe, in order to preserve the rich traditions and techniques of such a creatively satisfying and artistically expressive medium that is this working with beads, using varying methods to bring them together and construct an expression of each artist or craftsperson's personal aesthetic sense and vision.
As well, how can one truly appreciate the creative adaptation of the old, the innovative use of traditional techniques in new and unusual ways, the creation of new techniques or of hybrids of methods historically used, the combining of traditional with the unexpected, or the "happy accidents" of serendipity that result in a pleasing and interesting new bead stitch; how can one truly appreciate these things going on in the world of beadwork today, without having a foundational understanding of the techniques, methods, and cultural associations of beadwork as it has existed, been created, and been utilized in the past, up to and through the present time?
How can we appreciate and understand these things, without a preservation and even conservation of, meaningful and/or representational artifacts of the past, as well as representations of the techniques that our craft, art, hobby - whatever your involvement may be - are based upon today?
That, I feel, is what these two ladies are trying to accomplish, and is summed up in this final invitation and quote I bring to you:
We, the beadworkers, ARE the preservers, and we need to actively take part in preserving the history of a pasttime, activity, creative process that we love, if we are to really understand and appreciate where the craft IS, and where it can go!
*Note: There are many more types of stitches with instructions than are linked to in this sentence; just click on any particular sample shown in the main sampler area to discover more.
In browsing the BeadWrangler's extensive, thorough, and organized collection of subjects and web pages, I peremptorily skimmed through a few bits and pages about bead stitch samplers.
My goal is to make up several pages of beadwork samplers and incorporate them into books. Barbara Grainger is making one set of samples for The Bead Museum in Arizona. I am making a sampler book to use as educational tools when speaking.
I was intrigued, but I had other goals on my mind, such as deciding which of the LOVELY seed bead mixes which the Beadwrangler (Lydia Borin) creates, to purchase for my creations!
Not giving the sampler much more thought, I'd run into it every couple of months, reading a bit more each time. About the project, one of the things they say is this:
Our goal is to make beadwork samples and then stitch them to counted cloth, creating samplers that preserve beadwork and are also references for making individual stitches. Keeping a copy of the how-to instructions with your samplers will make it easier to make these stitches again in future beadwork.
Well, finally I took a deeper look at this bead stitch sampler project, and I am blown away by the scope of the project that these two ladies are engaged in! Rather than put alot of pressure or deadlines on themselves though, they are creating samples in a logical order, over however long of a period it takes to finish up a particular sort of "category" of stitches, before moving on to the next. I quote:
When we have finished all known stitches in 2-D, we will begin new samples in 3-D. Once those are finished, we will make samples that combine stitches together. When we have finished those, we will make samples of beadwork from various countries. This will not be the whole item, rather a portion of the motif in the item as a sample.
They have completed some marvelous samples already; see HERE, as well as HERE (scroll down to the bottom, which isn't far), the latter link showing several types of beadwork samples mounted/affixed to an evencount fabric.
As you explore these web pages, take a look at the history pages for each of the stitches such as peyote, brick, bead crochet, et. al as I found them to be highly fascinating, rather educational, and very informative. I have not read them all as of yet, as I'd prefer to absorb the information in a manner that allows me contemplation, time, and mental space for thinking about and appreciating each technique's often ancient as well as often complex history, as well as for understanding and appreciating the aesthetic and architectural aspects of each of these ways of putting beads together.
That said, the best way to do so is to dive right in and begin creating a beadwork sampler of my own; they invite and encourage you to do so, and provide a bounty of information, tips, diagrams, and instruction towards helping anyone so inclined.* They also reference, for each technique, a listing of books that they report as having clear illustration and technique, as well as including books in these listings that are inspirational in regards to beading, beadwork, artists thereof, or in some other related way or subject.
Their intention is much broader, and much more culturally significant, than the absolutely personal and creative satisfaction of producing a beadwork sampler for their own reference. Besides the extensive educational potential of such a sampler, they also are endeavoring to gather in knowledge from any source that may have such knowledge, especially of types of beadwork and any and all names under which they may be known, in or from various cultures or communities around the world. I quote:
Each time a new sample is put up, please let us know if you have heard the beading stitch identified by any names we do not have listed. We plan to create a cross reference of all the known names that identify each stitch. We invite bead/beadwork research organizations and experts to join our program and support our efforts.
This is a very laudable effort, I believe, in order to preserve the rich traditions and techniques of such a creatively satisfying and artistically expressive medium that is this working with beads, using varying methods to bring them together and construct an expression of each artist or craftsperson's personal aesthetic sense and vision.
As well, how can one truly appreciate the creative adaptation of the old, the innovative use of traditional techniques in new and unusual ways, the creation of new techniques or of hybrids of methods historically used, the combining of traditional with the unexpected, or the "happy accidents" of serendipity that result in a pleasing and interesting new bead stitch; how can one truly appreciate these things going on in the world of beadwork today, without having a foundational understanding of the techniques, methods, and cultural associations of beadwork as it has existed, been created, and been utilized in the past, up to and through the present time?
How can we appreciate and understand these things, without a preservation and even conservation of, meaningful and/or representational artifacts of the past, as well as representations of the techniques that our craft, art, hobby - whatever your involvement may be - are based upon today?
That, I feel, is what these two ladies are trying to accomplish, and is summed up in this final invitation and quote I bring to you:
This is a historical journey that will be chock full of techniques, information and lots of fun. Join me and Barbara Grainger in this monumental effort to preserve beadwork.
We, the beadworkers, ARE the preservers, and we need to actively take part in preserving the history of a pasttime, activity, creative process that we love, if we are to really understand and appreciate where the craft IS, and where it can go!
*Note: There are many more types of stitches with instructions than are linked to in this sentence; just click on any particular sample shown in the main sampler area to discover more.
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