Hexagonal Pillow Beads

Description:

This workshop is currently full.

In this class we will learn a technique that Valerie found in China, which creates a kind of hollow, 3-dimensional netted structure similar in shape to a hexagonal pillow. Although this structure may look difficult to make it is actually fairly easy, but it does require an average of 1-3 hours of work to produce a single pillow, depending on the sizes of the beads being used.

Students of all experience levels are welcome. The main prerequisite is an abundance of patience, but familiarity with what Laura Shea calls “Plato” and “Archimedes” beads would also be helpful. Instructions for these beads can be found in Valerie’s book, The Art of Beadwork.

About The Tutor:

Valerie Hector is an award-winning jewelry designer whose primary materials are beads of glass, precious metals, resin, and other materials. She opened her studio in Chicago in 1988 and since then has participated in several hundred juried fine craft shows in major cities in the United States. She has exhibited at the prestigious Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington, DC. Her work has been featured in publications such as American Craft, Ornament, Metalsmith, Fibre Arts, and Smithsonian.