Bead Craft and the Importance of Patterning
Patterning is probably the toughest part of beadcraft to do well. Our brains are hard-wired to seek out patterns in the world around us, and to organize data into small bits that are easy to recognize. This is the reason, for example, that things like phone numbers and social security numbers are broken down into small segments, separated by dashes. Simply put, they are easier to remember that way.
Oftentimes, a novice to the world of beadwork will be tempted to simply use whatever is on hand, and the results will be haphazard randomness. Now, it is true that this approach can sometimes yield attractive results. There is, however, a growing body of evidence indicating that symmetry and identifiable patterns are one of the keys to defining what we see and understand as “beauty.” A student of bead craft would do well to take these lessons to heart, which brings us back ‘round to the importance of patterning.
By all means, feel free to experiment! Part of the fun of the hobby lies in trying new and unusual things and messing around with unusual bead craft ideas! But even if you dabble in chaos and randomness, DO, at some point, give serious consideration to studying the art of patterning. When you do, you might find yourself spending hours, if not days pouring over and experimenting with the possibilities till you hit upon something that’s really striking and memorable. Do not, however, mistake complexity for a good design. At the end of the day, the most elegant answer is often the simplest. Consider for instance, the classic strand of pearls. That’s about the simplest pattern you could ask for, and yet it is timeless!
Some people (both novices and veterans in the bead craft world) spend hours upon hours experimenting with arrangements until they hit upon something that is truly compelling. More common though, especially to those new to beadwork, is a sense of intimidation. This is unfortunate, but the overwhelming majority of hobbyists will outgrow that fear as they gain more bead craft experience. Still, if you have recently taken up beadwork as a hobby and find yourself struggling with the difficulty of developing your own patterns, you can find a number of sites on the web offering free beading projects and pattern ideas and examples. Make use of these in your designs, and before very long, you’ll probably find yourself thinking, “I like this pattern, but wouldn’t it be neat if…” and almost before you know it, you’ll be on your way to creating your own, wholly unique bead craft design.
The mechanics of bead craft are simple. The patterning…less so. It’s a learned skill and it can be a little intimidating. Do yourself a favor though, and if you’re not coming up with ideas on your own, or if you’re a little intimidated by the though of having to, check out on or offline resources for inspirations for beading ideas. You’ll be glad you did, and from there, well on your way to mastering the fine art of patterning!