Making Paper Beads

Date: July 20th, 2024

Time: 12:30-3:30pm

Location: Route 22 Gallery & Gift Shop

Audience: Family friendly* Ages 6+ (children under 10 must have caregiver present)

Cost: $50 (plus GST & registration fees)

Description:

Learn the basics of cutting out, rolling up and gluing strips of paper into beautiful beads!

It’s eco-friendly crafting fun. Any sorts of scrap or stash paper that can be rolled tightly and glued can be reused as paper bead material.

(Note: Plasticized, greased or waxed papers don’t work well and tissue/very thin paper is hard to handle.)

Paper beads can be made in many shapes, of any size and can be strung for jewelry or used in many bead-work crafting techniques; printed, patterned and picture papers from stationary, wrapping and wall papers, scrap-booking stash, old magazines or newspapers-plain papers used for solid colours or coloured to make patterns for bead strips.

It’s easy to learn! Start simple and get craftier as you go. Beginners can use markers to colour a letter-size piece of paper pre-printed with the one of the most basic bead shapes, then use scissors, glue sticks, rollers and bamboo skewers to cut out and roll up enough beads for a bracelet string. Participants may want to explore more, and can try out some different papers, learn how to draw and lay out bead-strips shapes, try using other cutting tools, and design a bracelet or necklace string with their beads once completed.

All supplies and tools are provided for this workshop - but please feel free to contribute any scrap paper/magazines/books that you have at home.

Instructor will also prepare and supply a Student Kit (to be taken home) which includes:

-stash sketch-pad paper, letter size, pre-printed for cutting out 21 isosceles bead strips

-stash and scrap papers

-bamboo skewers

-beading string

-stash beads (plastic, wood, glass) for spacers/design

Instructor Bio:

Pam Atkinson is an artist from Bragg Creek, Alberta. She draws and paints with pencil, pastels, watercolours and acrylics, and works in fibre-arts with felting, sewing, knitting and crocheting. People and nature are her favourite “subject matters” and portraits, landscapes, hats and puppets are her favourite projects. She has a BFA In developmental art, has worked in programs for children and people with special needs, and has a wide range of crafting skills. It all comes from a love of learning and sharing and teaching how to do and make and create art.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Route 22 Artist Collective Gallery, 312 Fifth Avenue, Cochrane, Canada