Bead Animals: Your First Project Ideas and Materials Checklist

Bead Animals are a great way to introduce crafts that teach fine motor skills to all ages. If you’re looking for projects that don’t involve screen time are low mess and can be done in a classroom or you are a new crafter looking for a new hobby beading is a great option.

Getting Started

Bead Animals are very easy to start. You will need a few basics to get going. You will want larger beads to begin with so we recommend pony beads. They are a bit easier to grasp. You can introduce small seed beads for detailing after you get the hang of the craft.

Beading string is important. You can try plastic lacing elastic cord or fishing line. We recommend plastic lacing to start as it is stiffer and easier to thread.

Don’t forget to pick up some scissors. You will want some sort of container to help you organize your beads. Lastly grab some patterns to help you get started on your first projects.

Crafting with Confidence

Bead Animals get you used to stringing beads in a pattern. One of the first things you will want to practice is stringing a pattern and keeping a string with no slack.

Bead Animals also require you to secure your string to keep your beads in place. For this you will want to practice some double knots and check your work after a few beaded rows.

Learning basic beading techniques and practicing over time helps you gain confidence with patterning and coordinating colors, Before you know it you will be able to tackle more advanced projects!

Five Bead Animal Designs to Try

These bead animal patterns are easy enough for kids and folks just starting out From these examples bead animals can be made from just a few colors and simple shapes.

• Lizard keychains
• Turtles
• Butterflies
• Fish
• Ladybugs

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Some mistakes can be score different results: beading string that isn’t the right thickness too much tension with the string or beading out of order by counting incorrectly. These mistakes and others can change your patterns. Work carefully and systematically: sort your beads and check your next steps.

Store Your Finished Projects

Bead animals can get damaged. make sure to have a container bag or organizer to keep your projects from tangling. It can also be helpful to keep your instructions nearby, It saves time for your next project.

This hobby is fun and easy to learn with a few materials and a little practice bead animal designs can be made from simple materials.