Beading Resolutions

What do you want to achieve next year? What would you be proud of accomplishing? What is more realistic and doable? No matter how serious you are about your craft hobby, you want to have some goals set for the nearest future.

“Yeah, right!” Resolutions

• I promise not to hoard
• I promise to sort beads as soon as I bring them home
• I promise to buy only the beads I need
• I promise to finish all my UFOs (UnFinished Objects)
• I promise not to buy beads just because they are on sale

Now that we all laughed at these soon-to-be-broken New Year’s resolutions let’s have a cookie and look at what bead artists and enthusiasts usually want to achieve in a new year.

Common Beading Resolutions

Organizing beads seems to be the most important among many different beaders. I agree, without organized bead collection, one might never know what components are available and what beads to buy. Bead chaos affects both: creativity and the wallet.

Finishing up projects is another most common wish many of us express often. However, something always goes in the way of solving this problem. What? Laziness? Impatience? Or maybe the project doesn’t seem as attractive, and not as impressive as you initially thought. In this particular case I suggest to take it apart; a hard-thing-to-do for some of us but totally achievable. Taking apart or finishing up, one or the other will surely help keep all beadwork organized.

Learning and mastering a new skill or technique is on most resolutions lists, and it is entirely obvious why. There is an artist, and an explorer lives in most of us. Artists need skills; explorers desire adventure.

Planning ahead is a boring phrase to pronounce when we talk about creativity, but it is crucial for a successful art project. You need to know your supplies, materials, and tools; you need to have necessary skills, and you have to create a step-by-step description of your project. Don’t forget the sketch or even more detailed design layout if we are talking about a complex piece of jewelry.

My New Year’s Beading Resolutions

Some of my own resolutions are more specific than others. I feel that being specific makes them more realistic. Besides, I like to reflect on an ending year before I make serious promises to myself and you.

Since I am a self-taught artist, I feel the need to add to the list of my skills. While it might sound like I am hoarding skills, I can assure you it is not. My ideas demand various methods of implication. I never stop learning because I never stop coming up with new ideas. Would you think it is a blessing? I am not so sure. Having too many ideas might also be frustrating and stressful. Here is what one of the artists suggest for too many ideas “syndrome”.

• Learn at least a couple of new bead embroidery techniques
• Learn and master a new beading stitch. My last year stitches were CRAW and Albion. I learned CRAW using online tutorials. I learned Albion stitch with the help of a book.
• And this is why I would love to make another project from Introducing Albion Stitch: 20 Beaded Jewelry Projects
• Make at least one project from one of my new beading books. The bookworm in me persuaded me to buy these excellent collections of beading projects:

Timeless Beadwork Designs
Mastering Peyote Stitch: 15 Inspiring Projects
Bead Metamorphosis: Exquisite Jewelry from Custom Components
How could I resist? If I could, I would bead 24/7. Are you with me?

• Make time to create another Christmas Ornament pattern. This year it was Crystallina, which can also be a year round beading fun once you get to experiment with colors.
• Create more bead embroidery with lapidary stones and glass beads from local and other US artists.
• Work on larger projects. Publishing patterns is fun, and it lets me keep my website going, but I still love to experiment. In this upcoming year, I would like to invest more of my time into creative experiments.
• Learn how to make videos! While all Svetlana.Gallery friends are happy with colorful diagrams I draw; I want to ease your creative process and provide videos for some steps of my tutorials. Do you think it is a good idea?

Your Beading Resolutions

What could be your beading resolutions for the New Year? It all depends on how serious you are about beading. Whether you are a designer, want to become a designer or just want to bead for pleasure, you might find these questions important to answer.

• What beadwork projects have I completed during the past year?
• Am I happy with the outcome?
• Do I or somebody else wear jewelry beaded by me with pleasure?
• Did I learn anything new?

Beading for fun doesn’t even require learning anything new every year. However, I would still suggest getting new skills under your belt – your healthier brain might thank you later.

Or, maybe you already made so many earrings, bracelets, and necklaces that you are ready to sell your beadwork. Then a more detailed plan is a better solution.

Or, if you are more ambitious and eager to become the top designer, your list might consist of books, classes and lots of practicing sessions. You might also want to include the whole list of common resolutions (see above). Yes, achieving more requires more.


Some of us started beading because we wanted to have more jewelry in our collection. If you are one of those people, your resolution might include several beaded creations that will complement your outfits. Selecting your colors and becoming better at creating color palettes might be your thing next year.

One of the New Year beading resolutions might suit all kinds of beaders. It is re-purposing! As you might already know, I test almost all my designs on the market before I offer them to you. Not all sample pieces get to sell. During past couple of years, I started taking them apart to use the beads again, but life got in a way, and a box with half-taken-apart bracelets got forgotten. Reading these resolutions reminded me of that box.

How about you? Do you also have a vast collection of handcrafted jewelry that you don’t care about anymore? Do you think you could use those beads again?

These are my thoughts of realistic beading resolutions for the upcoming year that will make me and you successful, organized and happy artists. I wish you all the best, and I ask you to remember: it is never too late to start a year from scratch. Time is an abstract measure created by our minds. Great art exists beyond measures!