Where to find free beadweaving patterns

So you’re into beading and beadweaving, but you’re out of ideas? You've found the right place! Here are a variety of resources for free and for-purchase beadweaving patterns.

If you know of others I’ve not included, please let me know so I can keep the list fresh and current. Enjoy, and happy beading!

• Check out your local library for books and magazines with patterns and instructions.
• Artist Deborah Roberti offers several free patterns along with many for sale on her site, Around the Beading Table. Her instructions are extremely easy to follow.
• Bead Infinitum has some free patterns available as well as patterns and kits for sale. Try searching for the word “free” in your browser from the kits page to find the free items.
• Beading Daily is published by Interweave, the publisher of Beadwork Magazine. Free membership to the site includes an e-newsletter and the site also includes (always free) beadweaving tutorial and patterns on this page: www.beadingdaily.com/Beadweaving-Patterns-Free/. Interweave is home to information for other creative arts as well, including crochet and knitting. Definitely worth a visit.
• Sandra D. Halpenny is an award-winning bead artist. She offers several free patterns and many for sale on her site. Sandy’s instructions are well-written with great illustrations.
• 3d Beading offers instructions for 3-dimensional beading projects, ranging from fairly simple to very complex patterns.
• Fusion Beads showcases new Inspiration Projects every month. Instructions are available on the website as free downloads for many of these projects. Each project’s start page also offers the ability to order project-specific supplies from Fusion Beads.
• Fire Mountain Gems offers free online instructions and patterns for a variety of jewelry-making techniques.
• FreePatterns.com is free to join. Once you’re a member, you have access to thousands of patterns in all sorts of crafts. FYI, during the membership joining process, you will have to accept or click “no thank you” to at least a couple of offers. Also offers patterns for sale.
• The Beadwork community at About.com offers a number of free patterns for beginning beaders to advanced crafters.
• Ruby’s Beadwork has several tutorials available. One caveat… the site prints well from Internet Explorer only.
• Robyn’s Bead Page has a number of free tutorials available with photographic illustrations. Click the icon to the left of the tutorial name to access the instructions.
• Guide to Beadwork listed a bunch of great patterns and tutorials in May 2013 and here..
• Czech bead producer Preciosa Ornela has a multitude of free, downloadable tutorials with illustrations. The projects are organized by difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced, and experienced

Of course, if you feel like you’ve exhausted the free pattern venues, there are also many places from which you can purchase patterns and tutorials.