Japanese

Beadwork

with
sonoko nozue
25
Jewelry Designs
from a
Master Artist

These exquisitely beautiful jewelry designs capture the

delicacy and grace of the Japanese aesthetic for both
novice and experienced beaders to enjoy.

Diane Fitzgerald

LARK JEWELRY
JEWELRY &
& BEADING
BEADING
LARK

beadweaving master class

JAPANESE
BEADWORK

WITH
SONOKO NOZUE
25
Jewelry Designs
from a
Master Artist

Asheville

C O N T E N T S
introduCtion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
36

109

28
Chapter 1: basiCs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Materials and Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Stitches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

30

33

40

Chapter 2: Casual

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Cheerful Midafternoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Shower of Blossoms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Dripping of the Moon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Waterdrops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Sunflower . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

6
45

50

52

Chapter 3: FeMinine

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Sweet Breeze . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Snow Crystal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45
Sonoko Spiral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Under the Sea . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Sonoko Wave . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

55

60

64
Chapter 4: eleGant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58
Night Dew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Beach at Night . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64
Aurora . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66
Lily . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Breath of Spring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

66

69

72

Milky Way . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

76

82

84

86

22
Chapter 5: noble

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Snow White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

Midnight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Powder Snow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Morning Glow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

88

94

98

102

Chapter 6: GorGeous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92
Sound of Raindrops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94
Stone Pavement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
Crystal Rose . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102
Daisy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
Sonoko Necklace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Author Gallery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
About Sonoko Nozue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

107

Crystal Rose
In this design, I wrap a large crystal bead with a crocheted tube so that it
becomes a flower-shaped form. Its a great way to combine crochet and
beadweaving. I taught this as a class at the Bead Art Show in Yokohama in 2008.

Supplies
Size 15 silver beads, 20 g
Silver 11 Delicas, 0.7g
1 crystal-colored rivoli, 27 mm
(Swarovski Elements 3015, Crystal)
35 clear crystal bicones, 3 mm
(Swarovski Elements 5328, Crystal)
2 silver bead caps
Silver clasp
Gray beading thread
43 yards (40 m) of gray
size 30 crochet thread

102

Size 10 or 12 beading needles

Big eye needle
Crochet hook, size G-6 (4 mm) or
H-8 (5 mm)
Sharp snips

Stitches
Circular Peyote
Netting
Tubular Bead Crochet

Finished Size
19 inches (48.3 cm) long

Thread continues to figure 2

70 size
15 beads

figure 1

Bezel
1 Referring to figures 1 and 2 and using
circular peyote stitch, weave 4 rows with
size 15 beads, 3 rows with Delicaswhen
you finish the third row of Delicas, put in
the rivoli to bezel around itand then
4 rows with size 15 beads. Keep peyote
stitching with size 15 beads while enclosing the rivoli.

Thread continues
to step 3, figure 4
Row 11
Row 10

Delica

27-mm rivoli (put in after

three rows of Delicas)

figure 2

JApANeSe BeADwork wItH SoNoko Nozue

103
Row 4
Row 3
Thread
continued
Row 2
Row 1
from figure 1

With a remaining thread, pass

through all bicones to tighten

3-mm bicone

Row 6 (second
row of Delicas)

figure 3

104

2 Add netting embellishments by passing

through the beads in row 6 (the second
row of Delicas) using 15 beads and bicones,
as shown in figure 3. After completing the
netting, go through all the bicones two or
three times to tighten them.

36 beads
Thread continued
from step 1, figure 2

Loops
3 Make two loops on the back side,
through which youll insert the rope later.
To make the first loop, pick up 36 size 15
beads on the remaining thread, and pass
through the same bead again to make a
loop, as shown in figure 4. Pass through
the same bead path two or three more
times to secure. Weave the working thread
over by going through the beads in rows
10 and 11. Make another loop as previously
described. Set the piece aside.

Row 9
Row 10
Row 11
figure 4

 Tube
4 String 5,500 size 15 beadsthats most of the
20 gramsonto your crochet thread. Stitch tubular
bead crochet with 7 chains in 1 round. Continue crocheting until you have a tube 9 inches (24.8 cm) long.
Intertwine the tube as shown in figure 5, then join both
ends as shown in figure 6. Cut the thread. The remaining
beads on the cut-off thread will be used in step 6.
5 Attach the bezel to the crocheted tube as described
in figure 7.

Where both ends butt together,

join them as described in figure 6
figure 5

Match up both sides and

pass through the beads so
that they line up naturally
figure 6

Instead of hanging your beadwork from a

rope, you can mount it onto a comb for a
stunning hair ornament.

J a p an e s e b e ad w o r k w i t h S o n o k o n o z u e

105

 Rope
6 Make a rope of tubular bead crochet
with 7 stitches per roundthats 17
inches (45.1 cm) long.
If you run out of crochet thread, thread a
new length of crochet thread onto a big
eye needle, then transfer over the beads
that were originally strung.

106

Once you reach the desired length, cut

off the remaining crochet thread. Cut 3
lengths of beading thread (not crochet
thread); attach these to one end of the
rope by zigzagging them through the
tube beads, as shown in the bottom half
of figure 8. Also attach 3 lengths of beading thread to the other end of the rope. On
each end of the rope, pull all the threads
through a bead cap; add 15 beads, half of
the clasp, and more 15 beads (figure 8, top).
Finish off the threads and run the rope
through the loops made in step 3.

Insert the needle from the front.

Pick up the thread between the
beads of the sixth row (second
row of Delicas) and come out
from the back. Go through 2 or
3 adjacent size 15 beads of the
tube, then come out from the
front again. Repeat all around
the bezel.

Clasp

9 size 15 beads

Bead cap

Bezel
Crocheted tube
figure 7

figure 8

E
RK

nd

LARK Jewelry & Beading

beadweaving master class

An Essential Library of Books for Beaders

Diane Fitzgerald

Marcia DeCoster

Laura McCabe

Sherry Serafini

Maggie Meister

Rachel Nelson-Smith

128

$27.95 | Can. $33.95

Praise for

Japanese Beadwork with Sonoko Nozue

Rachel Nelson-Smith has one of the most unique creative voices in beading. She cleverly relates her method of designing jewelry to her experience as a jazz vocalist, drawing
comparisons between the two art forms. Youll be treated to a series of beautifully designed
projects with multiple color variations to entice your imagination. Rachel possesses exciting
skills in design, a sophisticated color palette, and an eye for detailed illustrationall of which
make this book a visual treat as well as an invaluable learning resource! Marcia DeCoster
This is an incredible book! Ill say that again: This is an incredible book! From the moment
I saw her bracelet Swing Time, I knew Rachel was an especially talented bead artist with
a unique creative vision, but, oh my! These constructions are solid and sensational, a true
reflection of their creator. We can all learn a great deal from this young genius. Look through
the book, indulge your wonder, and then have a blast with the projects. Alice Korach
What a refreshing take on beadwork! You will love Rachel Nelson-Smiths unique point of
view. Its pleasing to the eye and will make you long to hear her sing while you bead the
projects in this innovative book. Jeannette Cook

SABINE LIPPERTS

JAPANESE
BEADWORK

BEADED
FANTASIES

WITH
SONOKO NOZUE

30 Romantic
Jewelry Projects

25
Jewelry Designs
from a
Master Artist

As a visual and performing artist, I celebrate Rachel Nelson-Smiths new addition to the
beaders arsenal. This well-written, beautifully photographed, and easy-to-understand primer
not only serves as a text for inventive projects but gives insight into Rachels process and her
creative gift. The improvisational spirit of the jazz singer and the aesthetic accomplishments
of this jeweler have created a worthy read for all beaders. Joyce Scott

ht

Sonoko Nozue, Japans leading

beader, began teaching at
Bead&Button in 2005; three
years later, she was the first
international instructor invited
to teach a Master class at
that event.

ng Co., Inc.

m.

Sonoko Nozue

Sabine Lippert

$27.95 | Can. $33.95

WITH
SONOKO NOZUE

Learn to create an assortment of exquisite jewelry in the style of world-renowned

beader Sonoko Nozue in this fantastic entry in Lark Jewelry & Beadings acclaimed
Beadweaving Master Class series. Japanese Beadwork with Sonoko Nozue gives
you an introduction to the materials, tools, techniques, and stitches youll use.
Twenty-five beautiful, sleek, and sophisticated, yet still simple and wearable, project
designs are included, from Lilya pair of earrings inspired by the shape of a lily
flowerto Night Dew, a reversible bracelet featuring shimmering bicones.

Praise for

Japanese Beadwork with Sonoko Nozue

I was one of the fortunate workshop participants who studied with Sonoko, the preeminent Japanese
master instructor, at her 2005 Bead&Button debut. Her teaching style is beautifully presented with
clear and concise illustrations in this comprehensive book. Sonokos brilliantly designed and refined
work reflects the Japanese aesthetic beautifully. This is a must-have book for any beader from
beginner to advanced. Nancy Cain
Sonoko is a national asset for Japan and a treasure for the beading field. Her expertise and masterful skill in seed beadweaving is extraordinary, and these projects beautifully showcase her remarkable
talent. The distinctive blend of classic design incorporated into contemporary style makes this book
highly relevant to all readers. The unique techniques, as well as the inspirational gallery of work by
this gracious artist, will stimulate my own creative endeavors. Melanie Potter
Many will recognize Sonoko from Bead&Button shows as the elegant lady in a lavish Japanese
kimono. Now you can enjoy all she has offered in her classes through the pages of this book. Each
project takes a fresh approach to a familiar technique, resulting in classic wearable adornments that
will stand the test of time and can even become family heirlooms. Diane Fitzgerald

Sonoko Nozue, Japans leading

beader, began teaching at
Bead&Button in 2005. Three
years later, she was the first
international instructor invited
to teach a Master Class at
that event.

JAPANESE BEADWORK with Sonoko Nozue

JAPANESE
BEADWORK

JEWELRY | DESIGN

JAPANESE
BEADWORK
WITH
SONOKO NOZUE
25
Jewelry Designs
from a
Master Artist

Sonoko Nozue is a master of graceful design. Her projects tantalize with lush texture, fine details,
and layers of interest. Her elegant color palettes evoke a classical and timeless age. She manages
to take the simplest stitch and elevate it to a new level by making a seemingly minor change,
creating a whole new world to explore. Each time I pick up this book, I find more to absorb and
delight in. Jill Wiseman

ISBN 978-1-4547-0278-8
Please connect with Lark Jewelry & Beading on Facebook:

Asheville
larkcrafts.com

facebook.com/LarkJewelryBeading

These exquisitely beautiful jewelry designs capture the

delicacy and grace of the Japanese aesthetic for both
novice and experienced beaders to enjoy.

Diane Fitzgerald