Making Bead People

The first time I experienced bead people, it was at a booth at our local farmer’s market with my youngest daughter.  Not only were they selling them, but they let people sit down and learn how to make one.  You could buy the one you made, or leave it there and they would sell it, giving a percentage of the sale to a good cause.  The bead people booth at the farmers market is always very busy and popular, the lady that runs it is super gracious and her kids are great at walking through the process of how to make a bead person.

  My daughter had a great time making a bead person, and that very day we ran to Walmart to buy supplies to make our own at home.  Boy, am I glad I did!  It is amazing how many hours my kids have spent making these this summer.  It is a quiet project that takes some concentration, but even my 7 year old can do it with no help.  We have had every neighbour kid we know come over and make one, and even my adult friends are drawn to the table when the supplies are sitting out, and start making one.

I had to laugh when my sister, Kathy, started to make a bead person one evening when visiting.  She is so NOT the crafty type, but there she sat making a bead person.  The minute I saw her pick up a bead, I knew her person would have some sort of funny twist, and I also knew there was a good chance that twist would be in questionable taste, especially when she would not show anyone until she was finished.  I was right.  She somehow figured out how to make “bead bosom’s” on her bead person, which made my girls giggle.  Hmm, I wonder what she did with it…it is probably on her key chain.:)

We have done all  kinds of things with these little bead people.  We have made necklaces with chain or ribbon.  We have made key chains, bookmarks, and bead people earrings.  They are cute sitting on top of a gift box that is wrapped in brown kraft paper, and embellished with a bead person tied on with raffia.

How To Make A Bead Person
Here is what you will need:
~Large, medium and small beads
~Findings (see below)
~Round nosed pliers

These are at Walmart in the jewelry making/craft area.  They are $1.99.

This particular tool has a wire cutter feature.  You will need to take that little flat head off the 2 findings that look like straight pins.  You could just use scissors.

Take one of the straight findings, hold it in the center with the round nose pliers, and use fingers to gently push down, making an upside down “v” for the legs.

 Add small neck bead (not pictured above), head and hat bead above the arms.