What's your best advice for new beaders?

Don't buy economy seed beads if you intend to beadweave. Spending a bit more on quality seed beads will make the task easier and you will get much better results. Enjoy and experiment, even if you end up cutting your work up, all you lose is the thread - and learn new skills in the process.

Looking at cars driving by outside always helps me come up with color mixes and combinations; also some colors you think might not look good together but, if they were in a different shade it can be a whole different story.

Read, read read!  Read everything you can get your hands on about beading.  I always says that I'm a "self-taught" beader, and that's kind of true.  But it's more true to say that I've read so many books by such wonderful beaders that I've really had great 'teachers" without ever taking a class!

My best advice is:  ONLY buy what you need for your upcoming project.  Buying just because you like the beads only results in accumulating beads that never seem to be the "right" ones for the project you want to make.  And, I agree with kth, do no buy cheap seed beads.  Even the best ones are not perfect!

from:  Judy in FL

when trying peyote or any bead weave stitch for that matter...don't give up...when you think that you will never get it, persevere, you will get it and you will be glad you stayed with it!

My first suggestion is:  Subscribe to Bead & Button magazine.  There is a wealth of design ideas in this mag.  Second, buy good quality beads or you are wasting your time.  And Third, NEVER tell your husband how much you spend on beads and books.  When you go shopping (and he knows you did) always show him one or two items that you bought - the rest is in hiding in your purse.

Oh how I wish I had some of this advice when I first started.  I have way too many beads because they are "pretty", and I've also found out the hard way what cheap beads look like after working so hard on something - a mess of cheap beads!

I suggest that you buy beads you love whether you have a project in mind at the moment or not. Those purchases will inspire the best ideas yet. Yes, you will have to buy other beads to fill in, often, but without those idea starters, where are you?

If you don't get what you like when you see, when inspiration hits, they're gone, or you've forgotten the source. I can't tell you the number of times that simply going through my stash of collected beads has inspired me to make wonderful pieces, just because they're there.

If your budget is limited (and whose isn't?) then buy small amounts, and challenge yourself to use the beads you purchase within a certain time, say 3-6 months. But don't pass up something really great, you'll regret having missed it.

My advice would be to buy size 8 delicas to learn bead weaving then progress onto 11s, followed by 15s - and get a good magnifying glass with daylight bulb also! Save your eyes, you only get 1 pair in a lifetime.

1-Carry a canning ring with you.  When you see fabric that you are drawn to, move that ring around until it centers on the combination you LOVE.  Either buy a little of the fabric or write down the colors or take a photo.  These people are well trained in colors and put them together just perfectly.

2-Keep records of your purchases so that if and when you start to sell, you can figure out the money you have invested in the parts. (normally: parts x 3)

3-Keep your beads ORGANIZED...either by type or by color.  I tend to go with color because if I am making a piece, I know what colors I need and just pull out that container.

4-Look at finished pieces and try to follow the thread path.  Try to see what the beader did to create what has caught your attention.  Then go home and try to do something similar, but with YOUR twist.

ENJOY !  marilyn peters