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Mary Kay Whelan
I have done many crafts over the years. I started sewing for myself at the age of 12 years old. Even before that I was doing handwork. I learned to embroider at the age of 8. I knitted my first sweater when I was 10 years old. Over the years I have given up more crafts then I can remember. After I inundated my family and friends with my projects, I would move on to another end ever. I learned new things with each new project I started.
About 3 years ago, I took my first beading class at A & A Beadery in Washington, North Carolina. I was hooked. I had finally found something that allowed me to work outside the box. All the other endeavors required a pattern or directions of some type. Beading allows me to develop a more artistic approach to my work. Even though I learned new stitches I was able to take those stitches and make my own designs.
I read an article by Sherry Serafini in the Bead & Button, December, 2003, on embroidering a beaded collar. I found I couldn’t wait to start a necklace. As usually, I did not start with something small but went right into a big project. The first necklace was designed around an obsidian arrow head. I call it Earth. Earth will be featured in the February, 2007, Bead & Button Magazine in the section, Your Work. I don’t really have a clear design when I bead. I start with a form for the necklace. I place the cabochons. I pick the color of beads to use and as I bead the pattern emerges. My friend, Alice, claims I bead faster then most people. The reason I work so fast is because I can’t wait to see how the necklace looks when finished. I really don’t have any idea where the beads will take me.
I find working outside the box gives me a wider range to creativity. I admit I do make some mistakes with the design but luckily I can tell early on if something is not going right. I do tend to make large necklaces but have started looking at smaller styles too. My husband challenged me to make something small but still creative. It’s a new challenge to meet in my beading.
When I bead an animal or bird collar, I try to find a picture of an interesting subject. The outline of the subject is sketched on the foundation. I try to match beads a close to the animals color as possible. The first area I bead is the eyes. Using the picture as a guide, I then start beading. It’s interesting how the animal or bird take shape. Each necklace I try to develop different techniques.
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About 3 years ago, I took my first beading class at A & A Beadery in Washington, North Carolina. I was hooked. I had finally found something that allowed me to work outside the box. All the other endeavors required a pattern or directions of some type. Beading allows me to develop a more artistic approach to my work. Even though I learned new stitches I was able to take those stitches and make my own designs.
I read an article by Sherry Serafini in the Bead & Button, December, 2003, on embroidering a beaded collar. I found I couldn’t wait to start a necklace. As usually, I did not start with something small but went right into a big project. The first necklace was designed around an obsidian arrow head. I call it Earth. Earth will be featured in the February, 2007, Bead & Button Magazine in the section, Your Work. I don’t really have a clear design when I bead. I start with a form for the necklace. I place the cabochons. I pick the color of beads to use and as I bead the pattern emerges. My friend, Alice, claims I bead faster then most people. The reason I work so fast is because I can’t wait to see how the necklace looks when finished. I really don’t have any idea where the beads will take me.
I find working outside the box gives me a wider range to creativity. I admit I do make some mistakes with the design but luckily I can tell early on if something is not going right. I do tend to make large necklaces but have started looking at smaller styles too. My husband challenged me to make something small but still creative. It’s a new challenge to meet in my beading.
When I bead an animal or bird collar, I try to find a picture of an interesting subject. The outline of the subject is sketched on the foundation. I try to match beads a close to the animals color as possible. The first area I bead is the eyes. Using the picture as a guide, I then start beading. It’s interesting how the animal or bird take shape. Each necklace I try to develop different techniques.
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