Until July 28th, you can download a free tutorial from Beading Arts for this wire and bead necklace designed by Paul Bishop. Called Midnight in the Garden of Good and Medieval, this tutorial will be available for sale at Paul’s Etsy shop after July 28, 2012.
Comments
Trackbacks
[…] Midnight in the Garden of Good and Medieval – 1 freebie(s)? […]
Have you read?
Beaded Halloween Skeleton Craft – A Spooky-Cute Bead Project For Halloween Decorating

If you like your Halloween crafts with a little bit of spooky charm and a whole lot of handmade personality, this Beaded Halloween Skeleton from CraftBits is a fun little project to add to your October crafting list.
This project uses simple supplies — white seed beads, black seed beads, 24-gauge wire or beading thread, scissors, and wire cutters — to create a small beaded skeleton that can be used for Halloween decorations, charms, party favors, or even spooky handmade jewelry. The original tutorial walks you through building the skeleton row by row, starting with a black bead at the top and working through the skull, body, arms, hands, legs, and feet.
What I like about this project is that it has that lovely “old-school craft book” feel. It is not overly complicated, but it does ask you to slow down and follow the bead pattern carefully. This is the sort of Halloween bead craft that is perfect for a quiet afternoon when you want something seasonal but not messy. No glue gun strings across the table, no glitter stuck to the dog, just beads, wire, and a little bit of patience.
The finished skeleton would be cute added to a Halloween keyring, made into a zipper pull, tied onto a treat bag, or hung from a mini Halloween tree. You could also make a batch of them for party decorations or classroom craft swaps. If you enjoy tiny seasonal makes, you might also like browsing the Halloween Crafts section on CraftBits for more spooky little projects to pair with it.
This is a good project for confident beginners who have used seed beads before. Younger crafters may need help with the wire ends and keeping the rows tight, but older kids, teens, and adults who enjoy bead crafts should find it very satisfying. I would suggest using a bead mat or a shallow tray, because seed beads have a special talent for rolling into the one place you cannot reach. Ask me how I know.
For supplies, small packs of black and white seed beads are easy to find, and Amazon is handy for basic beading wire, bead mats, and small jewelry pliers if you are building up a Halloween craft kit. If you prefer more unusual beads or want tiny skull charms to add alongside your skeleton, Etsy can also be a fun place to look for Halloween beading supplies.
This little skeleton is proof that Halloween crafting does not need to be huge or expensive to be fun. Sometimes the best seasonal projects are the small ones you can make in multiples, tuck into gift bags, or hang around the house for a bit of handmade Halloween mischief.
Best for: Halloween bead crafts, spooky handmade charms, beginner-friendly wire bead projects, Halloween party favors, and small seasonal decorations.
This is my design. I’m glad you liked it enough to post it!
The link in this cross-post does not show the link to the tutorial on my website, and the link is not available via any page on my website. The link to the tutorial is available only if you read the Beading Art’s post in which it appears because it was supposed to be a Beading Arts exclusive:
http://www.beading-arts.com/2012/05/midnight-in-garden-of-good-and-medieval.html
The tutorial is free until July 28th.
This tutorial is available on Beading Arts until Paul puts it on sale on Etsy. You can find the tutorial at
http://www.beading-arts.com/2012/05/midnight-in-garden-of-good-and-medieval.html
Thanks Cyndi! I forgot to add the link in my post. I’ve added it now. 🙂 Best regards! Stacie
Thank you, Paul. Your design is beautiful! Please send me the link to your necklace on Etsy when it is available and I’ll add it to the post. Thanks again! Stacie