I’m excited to announce that we’ll be starting a new bead-along series called "Shapes of Summer" on Monday, July 14th, which will continue throughout the summer. Each week, we will focus on learning a different 3D shape. I ran a similar series back in 2016, and it was incredibly popular. Recently, at one of my retreats, several attendees mentioned that they had never worked with 3D shapes before, so I knew I needed to address that gap! That’s how the "Summer of Shapes" was born. I’ve created a schedule for the series, which has undergone some adjustments since the sneak peek I shared with those who placed orders during my Free Shipping Friday. If you saw the original schedule, please note that this one will look a little different.
July 14 – 3D Circle
Start with the basics and get comfy with 3D peyote! Perfect for beginners learning structure and tension. You will need 11/0 Delica Beads, 15/0 Miyuki Seed Beads or 15/0 Miyuki Delica beads, 11/0 Miyuki Seed Beads, Size 12 Needle, and your favorite beading thread.
July 21 – 3D Square
Let’s build on the circle by adding angles and flat edges. Ideal for exploring dimensional corners and zipping! You'll need two colors of 11/0 Delica Beads, Size 12 Beading Needle, and your favorite beading thread.
July 28 – 3D Triangle
Time to sharpen those corners! Learn to add increases and handle tight corners gracefully. You'll need two colors of 11/0 Delica Beads, Size 12 Beading Needle, and your favorite beading thread.
August 4 – 3D Hexagon
More sides, more fun! Practice balance and repeat shaping. You'll need two colors of 11/0 Delica Beads, Size 12 Beading Needle, and your favorite beading thread.
August 11 – Elongated Hexagon
Step it up with a funky twist on a classic. Great for statement pieces! You'll need two colors of 11/0 Delica Beads, Size 12 Beading Needle, and your favorite beading thread.
August 18– 3D Pointed Oval
A beautiful shape with flair—looks great in earring form! Emphasizes tension and long curves. You'll need two colors of 11/0 Delica Beads, Size 12 Beading Needle, and your favorite beading thread.
August 25 – 3D Embellished Triangle Earrings
Let’s glam it up! Build on triangle skills and add sparkle with fire polish beads.
September 1 – Falling Off the Edge Pendant
A masterful combo of squares and a chaton—perfect for a showstopper. Mix your shapes and showcase everything you’ve learned!
Each week a new video will release on Monday. These videos will not be live. They will be recorded so you can go back and watch the video at your leisure. These videos will be similar but also different than the one's I published in 2016 because I've leaned a lot about 3D shapes since those videos released. During the videos I'll be referring to my 3D Shapes book that released digitally in 2016. July 14th-21st 2025, use the coupon code Shape3D to get 50% off the cost of the 3D Shapes workbook
https://offthebeadedpathbeadstore.com/3d-shapes-instant-download-e-book/
In addition to the 3D Shapes e-book I'll also be releasing some new patterns with projects from the bead-along. These new project patterns will release on Mondays as well. At this time, I can't give you exact materials needed for these new projects because some have not been created yet.
Recommended Books:
Throughout the years there have been some great books written on Shaped Beadwork. Unfortunately since Covid, many bead books are no longer published. Below is a list of books that would be great refrences for you to use as we go through the bead-along. These books are mainly out of print but you can check with sites like thriftbooks.com and amazon to see if you can find used copies of the books. You can also find The Geometric Beadwork books at https://beadmobile.wordpress.com/specials-for-pre-orders/
I hope you'll join in for the Shapes of Summer. If your summer is full and you don't have time to join in, come back in the fall and do it on your own time table.