1. WOODEN STICK/S OF ANY SHAPE UP TO 10 INCHES LONG. The stick itself or its branches must be sturdy enough to embellish. Find a stick that “speaks to you.” You are looking for a stick that has some unusual feature/s to it whether the feature is the shape of the stick itself or how it bends, twists, splits into two or more branches. Perhaps it has an interesting texture, holes, or knots. You may perceive a figure (human, animal, or imaginary) when you look at the stick. Better yet, look for a stick that has interesting facets so that when you turn the stick you see something completely different. If you find a stick in which your perception of what you see changes as you turn or move the stick, then you have found THE STICK for you. You may also consider something other than a traditional stick. Perhaps you are drawn to a root or some other material. Materials that come from the ocean usually do not hold up for our purposes.

Here are a few suggestions for preparing your stick before coming to the workshop:

THE FOLLOWING ITEMS CAN BE FOUND IN MOST BEAD STORES OR ON THE INTERNET. Please contact me if you are having difficulty finding these items.

ON TO THE BEADS! Please note that my materials list is more a list of suggestions than requirements. Choosing your seed bead colors probably evokes more anxiety than anything else you bring to the workshop. My basic philosophy is, if in doubt, bring it with you. Ship the beads ahead if necessary.

2. SIZE 11 AND SIZE 14/15 JAPANESE SEED BEADS: You will use size 11 and/or size 14/15 seed beads for most of the beadwork. Choose a palette of colors that you love, including subtle shading and high-contrast selections. Please include both shiny and matte BLACK seed beads in both sizes 11 and 15. Choose a variety of bead finishes as well as a range of colors. It is very useful to have the same seed bead color in both sizes: 11s and 15s. Bring as many colors as you wish. The more colors you bring, the more choices you will have. The quantity of seed beads that you bring will depend on the size of your stick. If in doubt, bring more than you think you will need. You may also include Japanese “one cut” (also called true cuts or Charlottes), “three cut” and triangle seed beads in these two sizes. If in doubt, bring it.

3. SIZE 8 AND SIZE 6 SEED BEADS. You probably won’t use as many of these as the smaller beads. You will need three high-contrast colors of size 8 seed beads to use while learning free-form right-angle weave.

4. OTHER BEADS: lentils, teardrops, daggers, off-center hole beads such as fringe beads, 2mm, 3mm and/or 4mm firepolish, 2mm, 3mm and/or 4mm crystals (use crystals carefully as they tend to cut your thread), pressed glass beads such as flowers, leaves, etc. If you are bringing pearls or gemstones please make sure they have holes large enough to use with right-angle weave, as few do. In other words, any bead you wish that works with right-angle weave.

5. BEADING THREAD/S of your choice.

6. BEADING NEEDLES. Two packages each of sizes 11 and 12. These can be regular or short, whichever you prefer.

7. TACKY TAPE, which is a brand name of a very strong double-sided tape and can be found in bead stores or on the Internet. It comes in three widths. It doesn’t matter what width you buy, as you will be cutting it into small strips anyway.

8. SMALL SCISSORS

9. BEES WAX OR MICROCRYSTALLINE WAX

10. BEADING SURFACE (beading mat)

11. TASK LIGHT

12. MAGNIFYING GLASSES OR VISOR

13. FLAT-NOSE PLIERS for pulling stubborn needles through a bead

14. SAFETY GOGGLES

Optional:

• Dremel tool with accessories
• Dust mask
• Pocket knife
• Small vise

© 2010 NanC Meinhardt Studio LLC