CONTEMPORARY GEOMETRIC BEADWORK
an open source architectural beadwork project from Kate McKinnon and a worldwide team of innovators
CGB YouTube: free basic tutorials!
Our YouTube Channel is FREE and comprehensive, and even includes step-by-step animations of four of our most basic forms. Watch our most recent videos below, or go directly to YouTube to subscribe to our channel, so you don’t miss our new series, coming soon.
Credit: CGB & Julia Pretl
See the entire collection of our free YouTube videos
See the Basics Sections from the first two volumes of CGB here on the Book Blog, at this link
See the entire collection of our free YouTube videos
See the collection of free patterns and downloads on the Book Blog
20 comments on “CGB YouTube: free basic tutorials!”
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CONTEMPORARY GEOMETRIC BEADWORK 
I am trying to pay for and download your first book. I have filled in the order form, but there doesn’t seem to be a page that allows you to pay for the book. Please help. I am really looking forward to reading the book.
Hallo Kate, ich wollte dich Fragen ob deine Bücher auf Deutsch erhältlich sind, ich finde sie nur auf englisch? Ich bin seit mehreren Monaten daran zu versuchen ein RickRack Armband zu machen, ich bin eine Anfängerin und ich arbeite nur immer über youtube, ich Danke dir für deine Youtube Anleitungen , aber leider ist nicht die ganze Anleitung bei Youtube , und ich finde trotz Monatelangen suche keine Anleitung bei youtube die mir dieses Armband bis zum Schluss zeigt? Ich bin so traurig das ich kein solches Armband machen kann. Wäre mega lieb wenn du mir weiter helfen könntest 🙂
Liebe Grüsse Andrea
Hello, Andrea – eventually we will have all techniques up on video – but we have a MUCH better way to do Rick-Rack now, and YES, we will have German translations of our new books! Please stay in touch by subscribing to this blog.
Kate
Hallo Kate Ich suche jeden Tag nach Video von dir auf Youtube jedoch finde ich keine Neuen Videos von dir. Ich habe das Rick Rack Armband Deconstruction, Exploding Sets & the PodCast Bead) schon sicher 20 mal gemacht aber ich finde kein Vidio wie es weiter geht mit dem Armband , ich weis nicht wie man die Hörner macht ich bleibe immer gleich weit , nur so weit wie du das auf diesem Video gezeigt hast??? Auch habe ich deine Bücher nicht auf Deutsch gefunden, und die englische version ist unmöglich zu übersetzen mit einem Translater, da versteht man nicht so schlecht sind die Translater, bitte liebe Kate hilf mir doch weiter mit dem Armband , ich bin verzweifelt, ich habe mir schon 2 solche Armbänder bei Etsy Künstlerinnen
anfertigen lassen, aber lieber möchte ich doch selber ein solches Armband machen können. Danke dir im voraus liebe Grüsse Andrea
I read where you said nymo was better for working with ,with
These projects is there any other threads you would suggest ? Thanks again Terry
Hi Kate will you ever do a video on the wing process ? Ive been working on it for a couple of months ,im no quitter lol it would be much appreciated thanks for this great work !
Kate any idea of an actual date for Volume 3? i am so biting at the bit to get my hands on it lol i preordrerd so so excited !!
Thanks for asking, Terry! It will follow in VERY short order.
Hugs
Kate
Hi, I’m having problems with the Golden wrap bracelet. Is there a trick for getting the memory wire into the guide round? I feel like I need 2 extra hands to hold the bracelet and push the memory wire through.
Yes, if you read the text, we recommend putting the memory wire through early on in the process of creation. Putting it through a finished piece is…. challenging. But it’s how Gabriella did the first one, I think, putting it thru at the end.
HI Kate
I have been trying to get the wire in shortly after doing the guide round but it’s still a fight. Like I said before I keep feeling like I need two more hands to hold the everything and still try to get the wire through the guide size 10 beads. I’ll keep working at it. Love all the new creations!
I add memory wire at the end, after I add a round of 6’s as an elegant round. It is challenging and it seems to take forever but I think it takes all of 5-6 minutes. You only have to do it once!
It’s so much easier to put the wire in near the beginning of the piece!
I put the memory in after finishing beading the bracelet. I used size 11 seed bead and 0.025 inch memory wire and it worked fine for my 21 inch bracelet.
I have started 4 different times, all larger and longerr, the Rick-rack bracelet only to find after the 5th row, it is getting too tight and small. I use size 10 delicas and have made by mr aw bands up to 10 inches long now. It seems if I want a nice and tidy bead structure, it ends up pulling itself together tighter and tighter.
I know you are really busy with your new project at the moment but at some point could you address this? I love what you are doing with MIT too.
Thanks Kate.
The Rick-Rack is a form that by the nature of its construction, always starts something like 1.5 -2 times as long as it will finish. There are helpful charts on our web site to guide you, but there are many variables. This is why we have worked to develop starts that are predictable, and they are coming out in the CGB Pattern Book! It wasn’t an easy job.
Here are the charts – and DON’T FORGET that those too-small starts are very valuable- they can be used as CASTING MODELS for larger pieces, or as starts for flower brooches, pendants, or elements.
What you want to do is get involved with all of our newest work… coming so soon. In the meantime, save those too-small starts, and check out the sizing charts lovingly assembled by Cath Thomas, right here on this site.
https://beadmobile.wordpress.com/cgb-free-pattern-library/rick-rack-pattern-graphs/
Thank you Kate. This exchange gives me more perspective for the Rick-Rack bangle. I certainly will keep all my starts and make them into pins. Your words are encouraging to me.
I look forward to the new work coming soon! All the best, Janet
I am really having a problem understanding the directions to the Zigged Parrot Tulips. The bellyband has increases all around, though in the picture on page 157 it looks like it is bending downward (similar to a decrease). then is step 1 continuing the increases. Are the downward looking beads in the picture sticking up?
Hi, Jamie- the Band is a Rick-Rack, so it has both increases and decreases. We have round by round instructions (a full pattern) in the book, pages 156-160. But you need to understand the Zigged Band to make the Tulips.
Excellent video, thank you.