Boreal Beading

About the Course

In this 3 day experience you will learn the fundamentals of flat-stitch beading, one and two needle methods. The beautiful boreal forest will be our inspiration and from it you will decide a design to work on for your finished piece.

We will discuss elements of design, beading across cultures, and creating your own style. We will go for walks, draw our design, talk about choosing colour. We will talk about different ways of finishing pieces and stitch types. It is up to you what you would like to create and how you would like to finish your piece. The materials list will give a breakdown of options for pieces you could choose to create. The level of ambition is up to you, but a reminder that beadwork takes time and patience. All levels welcome, however some experience is an asset.

COST: $595 +GST per course plus materials fees and optional meal plan

Your Instructors:
Vanessa Hyggen

Vanessa is a Canadian artist of Woodlands Cree and Norwegian ancestry. She is a member of the Lac La Ronge Indian Band and her community is nemepith sipihk (Sucker River). She holds her Bachelor of Arts with distinction from the University of Saskatchewan. Vanessa is interested in utilizing memory, tradition and themes of nature in her work. Land conservation and land sovereignty are at the heart of her work, with her painting and beadwork focusing on the richness of the land, and in turn, the threats to the land. Vanessa has work in the Indigenous Art Collection in the Government of Canada, the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Manitoba, and at the Toronto Metropolitan University’s Research Fashion Collection, and designed a MMIWG2S tribute and awareness bus shelter for Saskatoon Transit.

Course Requirements

Prerequisites

Good fine motor skills, the ability to thread a fine needle, be self-motivated and focused. Beading requires long hours of sitting, stretching breaks will be incorporated.

Suitable for all levels, (adult and teen).

What You Need to Bring

Drawing materials: a sketchpad and pencils or pens depending on what your preference is for drawing. You can also bring pencil crayons or markers for colouring in your design
Beading foundation such as pellon, any colour. I prefer white and black. Other foundation options include fabric, hide, suede. If you choose to bring hide, you will want to bring size 11 glover needles and test that your needle is able to pass through the hide relatively easily. If the hide is commercially tanned it is much more difficult to work with.
Good scissors, preferably fabric scissors
Seed beads – your choice for size and colours. I recommend bringing at least 8 colours. My preference is size 11 miyuki seed beads. Czech and Toho are also common types of seed beads. Sizes 10 and 11 are common. If you bring bugle beads, you will want to also bring fireline.
Nymo or Miyuki beading thread
Beading needles – size 11 or 12 (long or short depending on your preference. It’s nice to have both options)
Bead mat
Optional – beeswax, e6000, sinew
Optional: Frame, if you would like to frame your beaded piece
Optional: If you would like to bead something to attach to something such as a popsocket, jacket, purse, etc, bring what you would like to attach it to.
Optional: if you would like to make a pendant bring wire guards, a bail(s), chain and clasps, and needle nose pliers
Optional: Paracord if you would like to incorporate a beaded rope into your piece
Optional: tracing paper, graph paper

What is Provided

Extra beads and general material available for purchase.