This put up has been a stinker. I unintentionally revealed it early and needed to re-set its publish date to the tip of March. Nevertheless it nonetheless wasn’t prepared when it posted once more! Lesson discovered. Subsequent time simply delete the previous put up and begin a brand new one. :p Right now we’re protecting all of the birds, from cockatoos to hummingbirds to roosters. Simply taking a look at all these photographs makes me itch to play with seed beads once more. I want a time turner so I can sustain with all my hobbies. LOL
Beading Supplies
It has occurred to me that I ought to be together with some data on the supplies I take advantage of to make these.
My primary provides for all bead critters are 11/0 seed beads and 32-34 gauge wire. I make an observation once I use further supplies. The 32-34 gauge wire is fairly widespread in craft shops and is available in silver, gold, and copper colours.
In case your native retailer doesn’t have any, I hear good issues about ParaWire from the French beaded flower communities, they usually do have numerous completely different gauges in several colours. I’m not affiliated with them nor have I bought from them earlier than so please maintain that in thoughts and do your individual analysis. I’ve sometimes been in a position to salvage copper wire from previous electronics (like an previous flashlight you may “shake” to cost), however this wire tends to be softer which suggests your critters gained’t maintain their form as effectively.
Bead stoppers are additionally actually nice. Nothing is sadder than having all of your beads fall off your wire since you paused to take a sip out of your drink.
As for seed beads, I desire the barely cheaper uneven beads on the 11/0 and up sizes as a result of then you’ve gotten just a little selection in bead thickness to select from which might actually enhance the form of your critter. Utilizing the extra uniform Toho, Miyuki, and so forth. beads will give much less character so I prevented them till I couldn’t discover the colour elsewhere. This doesn’t apply at 15/0 as a result of they’re so small. Most of my beads are from previous Blue Moon seed bead tubes that Michael’s discontinued and Pastime Foyer, which, I know :(, however they’ve the correct amount of dimension variability. On the whole, I feel Czech seed beads could also be your greatest guess. They even are available in hanks so they’re pre-strung. Very handy.
Additionally remember that pearl/ceylon finishes are sprayed onto the bead after they’re made and such beads can be barely thicker than common beads of the identical dimension.
Keep away from actually low-cost seed beads as a result of they fluctuate an excessive amount of in dimension and form and you’ll find yourself not with the ability to use loads of them. This contains beads from Walmart or the actually low-cost hanks/tubes from bead exhibits since they’re typically painted and the colour will come off. I communicate from expertise there…
Let’s get to the bead critters, eh?
The positioning is previous (2013), in frames (yuck), in French (Oui!), and gone from the energetic net (😢) however the patterns are all accessible for free.
An expensive buddy loves and owns Citron-crested Cockatoos and they’re actually stunning birds. I made one among these for her. Matte Toho beads have been used for the crest. It’s just a little exhausting to see since they’re so gentle, however they’re slightly sq. in form.
This little Mallard duck may be very cute, however its legs simply by no means labored for me. They do stability out his form just a little so he can stand, however I don’t actually like their form.
I really like this pencil topper and it’s very unhappy that she solely made one pencil topper sample. I’d not advocate this for a pencil that’s going to be out and in of a pencil case or bag (the wire will ultimately bend too many instances and begin breaking), however for a pencil that staysat your desk, that is cute. It’s doable you may make this with string/elastic so it’s extra sturdy/usable, however I’ve not tried that. As I recall, I altered the sample to make his base larger so he’d match on my pencils. Maintain that in thoughts as you bead and have your pencil/pen readily available so you may check for match.
I made a pencil topper dragon, however we haven’t gotten to that class but. 😉
Given my earlier experiences with getting issues to face up, I knew this flamingo wouldn’t have the ability to stand until I made some adjustments. I caught a thicker piece of wire up his legs and made them with stacked 10/0 beads as an alternative of the same old seed bead weaving. I do want I’d made his toes with 15/0 beads since that may be extra aesthetic, however I in all probability didn’t have them on the time. He nonetheless doesn’t stand nice as a result of he’s prime heavy. I additionally folded his beak underneath since Marilyne’s design has a protracted beak extra within the line of a sand piper than a flamingo.
I had partially beaded this peacock earlier than life moved me away from creating bead critters. As a substitute of following Marilyn’s sample with seed beads, I used 3mm bugle beads on the shaft of the practice feathers and made the feathers longer as they reached the center of the hen. My intention was so as to add a second row of even longer practice feathers. Marilyne’s sample has eight strands which can be two feathers lengthy in all seed beads. This hen is nearly as massive because the swan (see additional down), so it’s just a little squishy given the supplies, however very cute. I could but return and fill within the practice extra…
I don’t have a favourite bead hen, however this rooster tugs at my rainbow-loving coronary heart strings probably the most. He’s so fairly! Marilyne’s sample makes use of completely different colours, however as with all belongings you make your self, you resolve what the tip outcome can be. Roosters are so fairly. If solely they have been extra quiet!
This Scarlet Macaw is so fairly. I had just a little debate with myself over utilizing clear or opaque purple beads, however he’ll be fairly both manner you make him. I all the time meant to place collectively just a little palm tree stand for him to perch on, however I haven’t gotten to it but. He’s nonetheless with me, so it’s nonetheless a chance. Let me know within the feedback should you’re concerned about seeing that little undertaking. I’m positive I’d doc my course of and share it. 🙂
Marilyne additionally had a cool, scarf-wearing penguin that I by no means made. She additionally has a sample for a hen and an eagle whose head I stole to make a hippogryph (we’ll get to the fantasy class ultimately).
Anja Freese
Subsequent Anja Freese’s e book Lovable Beaded Creatures, which comprises the patterns for the creatures beneath…
This swan is kind of massive and exquisite. And that’s a part of the issue! It’s in all probability one of many largest bead critters I ever made and it suffers rather a lot from droop as a result of it’s so heavy. I’d use a thicker wire every time doable when making this one.
Anja’s e book additionally has patterns for a tacky duck, a Nice Blue Turaco, a Marvelous Spatuletail, a (sensible) owl, a penguin and its child, and a track hen that I by no means made.
Unknown
I discovered a picture of a beaded rubber hen over a decade in the past. It had no watermark and I used to be unable to picture search it again to the unique designer. I liked it a lot I made a few of my very own. Nevertheless, I by no means wore these earrings as a result of I knew they’d be torn into items by my lengthy hair inside a day. I actually need to look into making these with string as a result of I’d love a rubber hen bracelet…
Me (Lisa ;))
When it got here to beading my first hummingbird, I needed to make one which jogged my memory of dwelling. My dad maintains two hummingbird feeders and we solely get the ruby-throated hummingbirds in them (until you rely the occasional wasp). Since nobody else had a sample for my explicit breed of hummer, I discovered just a little from their patterns and made my very own with much more flare for the wings and tail. Then I ended up giving this little man to my dad. I maintain taking part in with the concept of constructing extra patterns for different hummingbird breeds, however the time for that hasn’t come but.
What Subsequent?
That is the third group of bead animals I’ve restored to the location (see: ocean/water and misc. mammals). We nonetheless have bugs/butterflies, fantasy/legendary, and my bead spiders to go! In case you have been interested in my nail artwork, listed below are 4 favorites that embody a number of the animals we checked out as we speak. Or you may take a look at the hen tag.
