Classes offered in 2025

  Sea Textures

 

Sea Textures is an all day- 6 hour class during which you will create a textural, fun bracelet that combines organic, unruly, barnacle like textures with orderly lines, juxtaposing the natural and the man made world. 

The project comes in two colorways: teal and purple. In the center of the composition there is a polymer clay focal handmade by me, portraying bubbly, coral-esque surfaces. The bracelet features a unique closure which makes this ergonomic piece easy to adjust to any size wrist.

Riverrun

Riverrun is a back to the roots type of bead embroidery project: it's a large cuff with beautifully color coordinated segments that have the look and feel of a river running around sediment. From a technical perspective only the most basic stitches are used, but the way they are used yields one of a kind results. Students will design the segments and thereby  design their own cuff with guidance throughout this class. The beads in the kits can be used in a multitude of ways to achieve differing results too. Besides rivers flowing, the abstract pattern is also reminiscent of cells under a microscope. A world within a world. 

Riverrun is named after the first word in James Joyce's classic, Finnegan's Wake. It hopes to inspire creativity, out of the box thinking and joy in the form of painting with beads.

During class, we will talk about composition, layout and all the things that will allow you to make this bracelet your own. After class you will have permanent access to a  pre-recorded, detailed and organized online video course to make sure no matter when you are picking your project up, you can keep on working on it right where you left off.

The kit comes with all the Japanese seed beads, crystals, focal, foundation, leather and buttons to complete the bracelet as shown, no matter what size your wrist may be. From your own stash you will need size 11 beading needles and a thread of your choice in a color that goes with the project in your chosen colorway. You will also need scissors, a white gel pen, E6000 and a beading surface.

This project is suitable for beaders with some bead embroidery experience. 

Serenity

A trendy, fun, summery beautiful design that celebrates warm breezes, sand between the toes and tasty drinks with small umbrellas. It's as well balanced and harmonious as a mandala and while it may look very simple, to achieve the results of perfect balance there are definitely unusual steps to take that will tickle the mind of the accomplished bead embroidery connoisseur and will empower them to use these new skills in their own designs. This is a full day class and it is suitable for intermediate and experienced bead embroiderers. 

The idea of using silk ribbons as ties came to me quite a few years ago, but I haven't explored the possibilities in designs till recently. The ribbons make for a functional, attractive and versatile bracelet that will fit all wrist sizes without having to worry about resizing anything.

Delft Blue

Delft Blue follows a long line of  signature pendant projects I have taught during the last decade. The finished piece is small and really wearable and quite precious: Besides the unique  artist made acrylic component that looks like a china shard, there is a set of two beautiful druzies surrounded by 2mm  mother of pearl and lapis  rondelles. Two sodalite beads and two delft blue ceramic beads painted with windmills add more detail and visual interest and for some sparkle, there are Swarovski bicones. The cord is a bespoken velvet cord, manufactured in the EU and the closure is a Green Girl Studios mermaid button. As usual, the backing is beautiful Italian lambskin in a matching color.

This is a full day class suitable to all but absolute beginners.

Kai

 Description: Kai means sea in Hawaiian. This bracelet is a tribute to the lush, playful colors of the islands and the water surrounding them. In the center of the composition there is a dichroic glass focal. It has an elongated shape which is really eye catching but it's a shape people tend to have a hard time incorporating into their bead embroidery. Because of the unique construction of the bracelet base stabilizing and supporting the long rectangle, this simple bracelet is a bit of an engineering marvel that will fit anyone's wrist perfectly. Given the nature of the focals being handmade, all will be slightly different in pattern and size. This is a half day class suitable to intermediate and experienced beaders.

Miette

Miette means crumb in French. Since this is an itty bitty sweet little bracelet, I think Miette is just the perfect name for it. This class is great for all skill levels: we will be working with really soft Italian lambskin to create this light, ethereal composition. The undulating curves of vines are directly bead embroidered onto the leather. The freshwater pearls look like berries. The overall effect is sort of Art Nouveau-esque  while the fit is dreamy soft and comfy. The closure is a Czech button.Due to the importance of matching the thread to the project, this kit will come with a matching spool of OneG and a glover's needle for those who love the look of leather but feel like working on this would be too hard on their hand.  The only problem I foresee with this design is getting addicted to making these in every color of the rainbow. 

Seven

A full day class for intermediate and expert bead embroiderers. An intricate, back to the roots of bead embroidery type of project; a mediation with beads. The version pictured here is covered in itty bitty lapis lazuli beads but in class you will have other gemstone and glass bead options. There is a longer description of this project here: 

http://crimsonfrogdesigns.blogspot.com/2025/02/seven.html