Katie Dean Beadwork
I began beading in 2003, quite by accident. I was experiencing a tough period in life, bed-bound with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. For my birthday that year, my parents gave me a book about French beading. And that’s how it all began…
…That French beading book, Beads in Bloom, opened my eyes to a whole new world, and proved to be the start of Katie Dean Beadwork. I ended up naming my new venture Beadflowers, in honour of its original roots.
Small beginnings
The book introduced the basic techniques for French beading and shared some beautiful tutorials for making flowers. I was bowled over by the idea of being able to create something 3D from beads and I couldn’t wait to get started. Unfortunately, my body had other ideas. I vivdly remember being particularly ill on my actual birthday. So, it took a few days before I had enough energy to sit up and try to make my first flower.
That first flower took me an hour to make (it was only tiny!), but it also changed the course of my life. At a time when life was feeling pretty bleak (making that flower literally took all the energy my body possessed that day), I gained a little spark of purpose. I had something tangible to show for my day!
(I don’t have a photo of that first flower, but the photo shows one of the arrangements I went on to design as my skills grew).
Gradual Evolution
That tiny little flower led to me mastering all the French beading techniques and then designing my own versions of my favourite flowers. Before long, people had started to see my work and I gained some commissions for wedding bouquets. That was really the first seeds of any idea of a beading business.
Alongside the French beading, I learned that there are many other ways of using beads to create. I taught myself all the major bead-weaving techniques, starting with Peyote stitch (still my favourite today!). And soon discovered that those techniques also leant themselves to dimensional work!
The evolution from hobby to Katie Dean Beading business, was very gradual and completely unplanned. I entered some beading competitions for the sheer fun of it, and my work was spotted in those. I was invited to design a project for publication in a UK beading magazine, and more followed on from that.
In 2012, I published my first book, Sweet Treats, and that really marked the beginning of my business, which I called Beadflowers.
That book was a joy to create. I filled it with designs for jewellery and ornaments with a cake or sweet theme. And it gained me a reputation for working in 3D and for creating things that were just a little bit unusual!
Prolific!
By 2024, when I changed my focus away from beading as my main income, I had created over 500 tutorials, more than 40 online classes, written over ten books and been published in just about all of the major beading magazines around the world. I also met many wonderful people who supported my work, inspired me and helped my beading business to grow and flourish.
I had the most incredible time creating with beads. Every day I felt blessed to be doing something that was technically “a job”, but seldom felt like “work”. What’s more, it turned out that beading is very therapeutic. So, quite by accident (or maybe not…I sense some divine intervention there!), the hobby that became a career also supported me in recovering from chronic fatigue.
I may not be creating new designs any more, but I still love my beads and still have one or two epic projects of my own to complete…! So, I invite you to choose from the options below to explore and enjoy the beadwork tutorials, classes and books that are still available to purchase.
Explore Katie Dean Beading
Beading Patterns on Etsy
If you are looking for my beading tutorials, they are currently available in my Etsy store at this link…
Beadflowers
To find out more about Beadflowers, which is where you can purchase beading books, follow this link…
Online Classes
If you wish to check out and enrol in any of my current online beading classes, please follow this link…
My World of Beads
Between 2014 and 2024, the My World of Beads website shared my beading knowledge to help beaders of all levels improve their skills.
I have now turned the (hundreds) of blog posts from that site into a fabulous three-volume book series which you can purchase on Amazon. Or click on the button below to find out more.
Testimonials from happy beading customers
Halloween Lantern
“The pattern instructions are very well written and I am enjoying making this.”
Diane
Pastrami on Rye Beaded Box
“This looks absolutely incredible! Thank you for an adorable pattern!”
Ashley
Sea Turtle Beaded Beads
“I’ve never used a written pattern before and this exceeded by expectations – all clear wording and diagrams. I’m so pleased!“
Georgia