Beautiful Brick Stitch at Bead Fest with Laura Zeiner

Bead Fest Santa Fe artist-instructor Laura Zeiner has been beading and teaching beadwork for about thirteen years and has a passion for putting a contemporary spin on traditional stitches. Nature is a constant theme in her beading and she loves to incorporate uncommon objects and old things into her work.

We were excited to welcome Laura back to Bead Fest and learn a little bit about what makes her tick, why she loves to teach, and what exciting new skills and projects she'll be bringing to Bead Fest Santa Fe next March:

Q: What is your favorite technique to teach and why?

A:  I love teaching brick stitch! There are two steps per stitch and I LOVE that second step with the satisfying the-bead-pulls-into-place. It helps the technique make sense and usually elicits a smile from a first-time student.

Q: What is the number one thing you try to leave your students with after each class?

A: I want my students to leave wanting to do more and expand on what they've learned in class. I love it when someone sends me an email after class with a picture of a cool variation on what we've covered.

Q: What prompted you to want to teach others about jewelry-making?

A: The best thing about teaching is watching someone "get it" for the first time. I started working for a bead store years ago, and that light bulb over the head moment when someone understood a stitch or discovered a new direction in beadwork always gave me a beading "high" that prompted me to want to get serious about teaching.

Learn to use concentric circular brick stitch to create the feel of open lace in Laura's "Geometric Lace Necklace" workshop or play with brick stitch, bead embroidery, wire, and color in her "Coin Fan Necklace" workshop.

But hurry-seating is limited and Laura's workshops fill up fast. Register now to be part of Laura's fun, friendly workshops.