Back to Beaded Flower Basics • 05.11.09
Always a great place to start! Going back to the basics is hardly a new idea, but it makes sense. In learning any craft, I think it’s important to build a firm foundation … I’ve always believed that we must learn the basic process before we can get creative with it and venture out of the box.
This is especially true of French beaded flowers and Ganutell. To make the basic petal is really quite simple and is similar with both these crafts. I’ll be giving you some instruction for making these basic petals soon. Once you feel comfortable in making these, it’s great fun to venture into different colors, textures and even a few creative shapes!
Wire and beads and floss … a grand selection of materials is available. Beaded flowers are made by stringing beads onto wire, and Ganutell uses a thread made by spinning together a strand of wire and floss. Both require permanently colored copper wire, and I’ve discovered one that I find is the easiest to work with. I always get too enthusiastic with this subject, but will try to keep the post to a reasonable length – I do want to share some resources for these supplies as well.
A variety of tools is required, and you will already have many of these if you do any beading, such as wire nippers and bent nose pliers. Most of the tools needed are readily available … a few not so much …. but I will tell you about my favorite online sites for all of them.
I will also talk about workspace! Many of us don’t pay much attention to 
our workspace (I know I sure didn’t) until we start having backaches and carpal tunnel syndrome. Yikes! I’ve also discovered some great tips for better ways to organize tools and materials that I want to tell you about – like the inexpensive cork square shown here to keep your items from sliding around.
our workspace (I know I sure didn’t) until we start having backaches and carpal tunnel syndrome. Yikes! I’ve also discovered some great tips for better ways to organize tools and materials that I want to tell you about – like the inexpensive cork square shown here to keep your items from sliding around.Looks like I have some work to do putting all this together. For the person who didn’t want to do a blog, I must tell you I’m having a great time!
accounts it’s been around for centuries. As with most crafts, the art was passed from generation to generation without any written record of how it’s done. The technique may have become extinct were it not for the local artists on the island of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea. Here these flowers are a tradition, and are still being made to decorate churches and for headresses and wedding favors. The craft is now generally known as Maltese.
And so, from the start I challenged myself to seek out these resources and to not only learn the basic technique, but to work to do it well. I must admit, though, I’m not speaking of dull or boring practice here. It’s great fun to play with incorporating lots of different beads and pearls and experimenting with wires of various shapes and colors.
flowers imported from Europe, but it wasn’t until the 1960′s that the technique itself became popular. With the publication of instructional books by Virginia Nathanson, Virginia Osterland and others, crafters learned to create French beaded flowers, and the technique flourished through the 1970′s. Patterns found in these books are still used extensively today.
