Any advice on Beadweaving for kids?

My daughter's art teacher and I are working on possibly doing some
beadweaving with the kids for an Indian Crafts class. (They're going to
make little leather amulet bags and then decorate them with some kind of
beadweaving.) She's not a beader, but tried making a weave, where you do it
by hand, without a loom. I think starting these looks too difficult for the
kids. (You string the 1st row. Then start the 2nd row, attaching it to the
first row at every 3rd bead.) I also don't like it because it just doesn't
lie flat as nicely.

I remember making a loom with a shoebox lid, when I was about 11, so I
suggested trying this with the kids. The art teacher wanted to go home and
try it. I came home and made one and DD and I graphed out her name and she
did the weaving. I started the first row for her, but she did fine after
that. Since I haven't done this in about 30 years, I have no idea how to
finish the bracelet. I'm thinking of weaving in some of the loose threads
and then using some of them to sew on hooks for clasps. My other thought
was to gather all the threads into one big knot and hide the ends with
cones. Any suggestions?

DD went to town on this weaving, and I was having some fun with it, too.
Why do I think I'm going to be asking for a loom next Christmas?

Also, does anyone know of any sites about the history of Indian beading.
(This art class ties into their history class.) I'd love to find some
interesting things to share with the kids about Native American beading.
Next class, I'm going to wear my beaded amulet bag that Arondelle made. I
think the kids and the art teacher will really enjoy seeing it.

Lastly, what's a good book about weaving with a loom?

THANKS!!! This group is such a good resource!

--
Jerri
www.beadbimbo.com

Ive been thinking about how to end the warp too, because at some point I
want to do loom work too. If all the elements are safe to put in the oven
how about this? Take a couple of sheets of Polymer clay and sandwich the
ends of the threads in between. Perhaps knotting the ends would help secure
this too. Press well. Use stamps to create lovely designs, make holes in the
none beaded side of the rectangles of clay and use those to attach findings?
I'm still tossing this idea around but if its help to you, please use it.
Diana

--
Weird people need beads, too
"Beadbimbo" wrote in message
...
My daughter's art teacher and I are working on possibly doing some
beadweaving with the kids for an Indian Crafts class. (They're going to
make little leather amulet bags and then decorate them with some kind of
beadweaving.) She's not a beader, but tried making a weave, where you do
it
by hand, without a loom. I think starting these looks too difficult for
the
kids. (You string the 1st row. Then start the 2nd row, attaching it to
the
first row at every 3rd bead.) I also don't like it because it just
doesn't
lie flat as nicely.

I remember making a loom with a shoebox lid, when I was about 11, so I
suggested trying this with the kids. The art teacher wanted to go home
and
try it. I came home and made one and DD and I graphed out her name and
she
did the weaving. I started the first row for her, but she did fine after
that. Since I haven't done this in about 30 years, I have no idea how to
finish the bracelet. I'm thinking of weaving in some of the loose threads
and then using some of them to sew on hooks for clasps. My other thought
was to gather all the threads into one big knot and hide the ends with
cones. Any suggestions?

DD went to town on this weaving, and I was having some fun with it, too.
Why do I think I'm going to be asking for a loom next Christmas?

Also, does anyone know of any sites about the history of Indian beading.
(This art class ties into their history class.) I'd love to find some
interesting things to share with the kids about Native American beading.
Next class, I'm going to wear my beaded amulet bag that Arondelle made. I
think the kids and the art teacher will really enjoy seeing it.

Lastly, what's a good book about weaving with a loom?

THANKS!!! This group is such a good resource!

--
Jerri
www.beadbimbo.com

On Fri, 28 Jan 2005 17:23:09 -0500, Beadbimbo wrote
(in message ):

My daughter's art teacher and I are working on possibly doing some
beadweaving with the kids for an Indian Crafts class. (They're going to
make little leather amulet bags and then decorate them with some kind of
beadweaving.) She's not a beader, but tried making a weave, where you do it
by hand, without a loom. I think starting these looks too difficult for the
kids. (You string the 1st row. Then start the 2nd row, attaching it to the
first row at every 3rd bead.) I also don't like it because it just doesn't
lie flat as nicely.

And its ungodly hard for kids to do, and requires needles, and isn't
authentic to any Indian beadweaving that I've ever heard of. I've
been doing a lot of studying for my world bead tour project, and
Having the kids make a loom would be more than worthwhile.

Or, this page shows some techniques without a loom, although they
seem rather difficult:

http://snipurl.com/cdl3


Also, does anyone know of any sites about the history of Indian beading.
(This art class ties into their history class.) I'd love to find some
interesting things to share with the kids about Native American beading.

This site is second to none, and the webmistress is very, very
knowledgable about her people.

http://www.nativetech.org/

For kids, I would talk about Wampum, and how it was valued and why.
(It's not what white people think it is) The kids could make Wampum
belts (rather bracelets) that tell a story, using blue/purple/black
and white beads - depending on the age of the kids, I'd probably use
9 mm glass pony beads, or even make "Wampum" with polymer clay.

If that's what your class decides to do, I just got a book called
"Wampum Belts of the Iroquois" which is an incredible resource. I'm
mailing a bunch of stuff tomorrow anyway, and would be happy to lend
it to you. It's a terrific learning tool for grade 6 and up.

Next class, I'm going to wear my beaded amulet bag that Arondelle made. I
think the kids and the art teacher will really enjoy seeing it.

Lastly, what's a good book about weaving with a loom?

Nothing better than Don Pierce's "Out on a Loom."


Let me know via email ASAP about the book. Heaven knows when I'll
get out again, and I'd hate to have you need the book and not get it
in time.

Kathy N-V

Jeri-- what age(s) are the kids?

I did a peyote st neckercheif slide project with a Boy Scout (jr
high/high school, plus a couple of younger siblings of same) group,
using 6/0 seed beads. Those that actually worked on the project (as
opposed to those throwing beads at each other, or poking the guys
seated nearby with the needle) did OK with it. There were a couple who
had NO problems-- both boys had parents active in crafting of some sort
and/or SCA connections, and were used to the idea of following step by
step directions. I have the "lesson plan" in my Yahoo group files, if
you're interested.
Kaytee http://www.eclecticbeadery.com/simplexities.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/simplexities/
http://www.mallofcrafters.com/Crafte...umidaCN011.htm
http://craftersbuzz.com/gallery.cgi?KAYTEE
http://www.artbyus.com/auctions.php?a=6&b=1343

Hi Kathy,

I looked at Amazon and the Don Pierce book was called something like
Beading on a Loom. There was a book called Out on a Loom, but it's by
Margie Deeb. Which one did you mean?

Thanks so much for the sites. I'm going to check them out. I sent you
my snail mail privately.

--
Jerri
www.beadbimbo.com

Thanks Diana! That sounds like a cool idea!

--
Jerri
www.beadbimbo.com

"Diana Curtis" wrote in message
...
Ive been thinking about how to end the warp too, because at some point I
want to do loom work too. If all the elements are safe to put in the oven
how about this? Take a couple of sheets of Polymer clay and sandwich the
ends of the threads in between. Perhaps knotting the ends would help
secure
this too. Press well. Use stamps to create lovely designs, make holes in
the
none beaded side of the rectangles of clay and use those to attach
findings?
I'm still tossing this idea around but if its help to you, please use it.
Diana

--
Weird people need beads, too

Hi Kaytee,

The kids are from about 10-14. I'm a little worried about a couple of
the 10 yr. olds, but my daughter's 11 and loved the beadweaving. It's a
couple of the boys I'm not so sure about.

--
Jerri
www.beadbimbo.com

"Kaytee" wrote in message
oups.com...
Jeri-- what age(s) are the kids?

I did a peyote st neckercheif slide project with a Boy Scout (jr
high/high school, plus a couple of younger siblings of same) group,
using 6/0 seed beads. Those that actually worked on the project (as
opposed to those throwing beads at each other, or poking the guys
seated nearby with the needle) did OK with it. There were a couple who
had NO problems-- both boys had parents active in crafting of some sort
and/or SCA connections, and were used to the idea of following step by
step directions. I have the "lesson plan" in my Yahoo group files, if
you're interested.
Kaytee http://www.eclecticbeadery.com/simplexities.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/simplexities/
http://www.mallofcrafters.com/Crafte...umidaCN011.htm
http://craftersbuzz.com/gallery.cgi?KAYTEE
http://www.artbyus.com/auctions.php?a=6&b=1343

It's a
couple of the boys I'm not so sure about.

If you can, seat them next to you or another adult-- and put a shy girl
on the other side of them.
Don't let them sit next to their best buddies....

Kaytee
http://www.eclecticbeadery.com/simplexities.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/simplexities/
http://www.mallofcrafters.com/Crafte...umidaCN011.htm
http://craftersbuzz.com/gallery.cgi?KAYTEE
http://www.artbyus.com/auctions.php?a=6&b=1343