3d beading is easy. Even kids can do it.
Here's what you need to get started:
Beads
in all possible colours.I usually use seed beeds to make the 3d bead animals. The size of the beads may wary a bit depending on the producer, and if you buy the cheapest ones, as I do, then you’ll see that the bead size may wary quite a lot even in the same batch. Just try to pick out the beads with the most similar size, mix and match, and, most importantly, have fun.
The bead size I use is around 2,5mm, but if it’s the first animal you’re making, you might want to use 4mm beads. These are easier to handle, especially if you’re making 3d bead animals with younger kids.
Just make sure you double the length of the fishing line you use for your bead project, because the length given here will be for the 2,5mm beads.
You may also need pony beads for some projects. These are much bigger than seed beads, and round. I use pony beads for pompons of the hats (some of my 3d bead animals wear hats), heads (bead angels, for example) or rabbit tails. Or sometimes I use big round seeds. I have no idea what they’re called.
String
I always use fishing string. Make sure that your string is not too thick. 0,25mm proved to be perfect for me. You can use a thinner one if you like.
Pattern
3d beading patterns may seem weird at the first look, but take just a minute and they’ll become so clear. Just check out the bead crocodile pattern with all explanations and photos, and the technique used for all the 3d bead animals and all the 3d bead creatures on this website will be clear to you.
Beads
in all possible colours.I usually use seed beeds to make the 3d bead animals. The size of the beads may wary a bit depending on the producer, and if you buy the cheapest ones, as I do, then you’ll see that the bead size may wary quite a lot even in the same batch. Just try to pick out the beads with the most similar size, mix and match, and, most importantly, have fun.
The bead size I use is around 2,5mm, but if it’s the first animal you’re making, you might want to use 4mm beads. These are easier to handle, especially if you’re making 3d bead animals with younger kids.
Just make sure you double the length of the fishing line you use for your bead project, because the length given here will be for the 2,5mm beads.
You may also need pony beads for some projects. These are much bigger than seed beads, and round. I use pony beads for pompons of the hats (some of my 3d bead animals wear hats), heads (bead angels, for example) or rabbit tails. Or sometimes I use big round seeds. I have no idea what they’re called.
String
I always use fishing string. Make sure that your string is not too thick. 0,25mm proved to be perfect for me. You can use a thinner one if you like.
Pattern
3d beading patterns may seem weird at the first look, but take just a minute and they’ll become so clear. Just check out the bead crocodile pattern with all explanations and photos, and the technique used for all the 3d bead animals and all the 3d bead creatures on this website will be clear to you.
Let's get started?
Meet the crocodile you'll be making. :)
I chose a crocodile for the tutorial, because that's how i was initiated into 3d beading. Juliana a friend of mine who, by the way, is a founder of a wonderful non-profit organization Makikita Quiquway (www.volunteeringinperu.com) in Peru, taught me how to do it, so that i could teach the kids there. After learning how to do bead crocodile, i could easily do other animals as well. I even created some bead patterns of my own - you'll find those in Free Patterns page.
You'll need 70cm of string, and seed beads in four colours. 2 black beads for the eyes, 12 beads for the feet (I used pink beads, so that they would stand out, and would be easier to spot in the photos), beads of one colour (green, for example) for the back (top) of the crocodile and beads of a different colour for it's belly.
I chose a crocodile for the tutorial, because that's how i was initiated into 3d beading. Juliana a friend of mine who, by the way, is a founder of a wonderful non-profit organization Makikita Quiquway (www.volunteeringinperu.com) in Peru, taught me how to do it, so that i could teach the kids there. After learning how to do bead crocodile, i could easily do other animals as well. I even created some bead patterns of my own - you'll find those in Free Patterns page.
You'll need 70cm of string, and seed beads in four colours. 2 black beads for the eyes, 12 beads for the feet (I used pink beads, so that they would stand out, and would be easier to spot in the photos), beads of one colour (green, for example) for the back (top) of the crocodile and beads of a different colour for it's belly.
Pretty simple, right? That's the whole beading technique. You can see the number of beads you need for each row in the pattern.
As you see, the rows of beads in the pattern are separated by grey lines two by two. The first one of the two is the top row, and the second one is the bottom row.
In our crocodile pattern all the number 1 rows (green circles) will be on the top, and all the number 2 (yellow circles) will be at the bottom, they will form the belly of the crocodile.
If you look at your bead crocodile from the side it looks like the rows are zigzagging.
As you see, the rows of beads in the pattern are separated by grey lines two by two. The first one of the two is the top row, and the second one is the bottom row.
In our crocodile pattern all the number 1 rows (green circles) will be on the top, and all the number 2 (yellow circles) will be at the bottom, they will form the belly of the crocodile.
If you look at your bead crocodile from the side it looks like the rows are zigzagging.
Now, how to make legs?
And now you're already an expert of making 3d bead crocodiles. Just one more last tip: how to do that circle on crocodile's tail, which will make your crocodile perfect for a key chain.
Now you know the beading technique, so just set your creativity free. Crocodile is one most fun 3d bead animals to make, because you can improvise so much: make the tail or the body longer or shorter (just skip or add a few rows), or give it a nice pattern on it's back.