And the Bead Goes On...

Sandy Snowden from Bracknell, UK is creating daily in a project she calls And the Bead Goes On




She explains, "I am doing a daily project using beads. Every other month I stitch beads onto fabric beads which I make (by wrapping a fabric strip with fusible web round a knitting needle, then sticking the layers together with heat).  On alternate months I stitch beads onto something different. I have stitched onto star washers, ribbons and fabric-covered small playing cards. This month I am adding beads to springs.

Rules: Anything with a hole in it can be a bead. If you can put a hole in something, it can be a bead. Every day is a different combination of colours or beads, even if there are one or more constants these are built around."





Why did you decide to do this project? I had been following a couple blogs with daily projects and then saw Jeanne Crockett’s 365 Dresses project. I really liked the idea of using something like this as creativity prompt to get me in my studio. I chose beads because I enjoy stitching beads onto something – quite meditative.  If I could succeed for the year, I would have unique embellishments I could use in my wearable art garments. I tried it out for a week in the previous year to see how I got on. One blog commenter gave me the idea for a project title which I think fits just right. ‘And the Bead Goes On…’
 



How has doing a yearlong/daily project affected your life? I am nearly 2/3rds of the way through the year. I thought I would get bored  just doing fabric beads, so added the option of having a different ‘item’ to bead onto for alternate months. However, I think I could possibly do another year of just fabric beads.

I am the sort of person who puts my all into a project. However, I was increasingly getting discouraged about some health issues that made it difficult to proceed like I wanted. With this daily bead project, I have the benefit of knowing that even when I have been too unwell for other projects, I have produced something.

I have experimented by using unusual items and unusual methods I would never have attempted otherwise. Most of those methods work well enough to choose to do again. Also, I have been discovering things about colour combinations that I may go on to use in larger projects. And new things about using tools and materials that I can use in my other work.

Even if you have a large drawer and a large size plastic container full of a variety of containers of beads, you never have enough of the colours you have chosen to work with!

I am already considering continuing this project for 2014 because I have more ideas than I have months left in 2013! I have had some interest from others in teaching workshops based on my bead project. I am looking at the idea of presentations or exhibitions and possibly submitting to publications.



See all of Sandy's beads HERE.

2 comments:

Sandy said...

Thanks Noah!
Sandy

365 Dresses said...

What wonderful and creative beads! Each one is a little treasure!