My Love Affair with Bugle Beads

How lucky are we?  Stephanie Eddy is sharing the darling bugle bead heart and she's given us lot's of design inspiration in the samples she has shown us.  Thank you Stephanie!  Marcia









I’ve had a love/hate relationship with bugle beads dating back to the 60’s.

Some of my very first beading projects were earrings using bugle beads.

Back then, I only had access to the sharp-edged Czech bugles, which shredded the thread in just about every project I made.

I quit them...for awhile. I was sure the affair was over.

Steph & Nancy, Japan

Then, in the 90’s, I was fortunate to 

travel to Kobe, Japan, to teach. 

During that time I toured the Miyuki bead factory in Hiroshima, and later visited an incredible bead store, with my partner in crime, Nancy Cain.

While there, I discovered that these beautifully refined little bugles had undergone some magnificent changes through the advances in Japanese technology. 

Not only were the edges smoother, but they were available in a brilliant variety of colors— some even had lovely spirals and twists in the glass.

Row upon row, jar upon jar, color upon color of those lovely adversaries.

I was in love and hooked...again.

I hope you to will give these little gems a chance to share a little love in your heart. 

In addition to instructions to create the Art Heart, I’ve included some photos of other projects I’ve designed using my beloved bugle beads.

Art Heart tutorial: http://stephanieeddy.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/EDDYArtHeart021216.pdf

One of the first creations I designed following the trip to Japan was the “go-EN Necklace”. Once I had completed the piece I could not decide on the proper closure. I found a go-En (5 yen Japanese coin) in my bag. I used the coin for the closure. Go-EN means “good luck” so that seemed appropriate.

Other designs utilizing bugle beads.