Classes
From beginner to advanced we have the jewelry making classes you're looking for!
Here are a few of our favorites:
Stringing Basics
Our Weekend Basics Class Series starts with Stringing Basics. This is an introduction to simple jewelry construction and is a great entry point for new beaders to get a feel for jewelry making.
This Basics Class focuses on STRINGING - methods and tools for putting together basic bracelets or necklaces. There are many stringing materials available, and we'll discuss several in class. One of the easiest to use and most durable is 'beading wire', which is really a tiny steel cable.
Students will string beads on flexible miniature cable and learn to finish a small sample bracelet with a clasp and folded crimps. This simple technique works for necklaces, bracelets and pretty much any other flexible beaded project. This is a foundation technique and worth knowing if you want to construct beaded jewelry!
Please note that while we'll be making sample pieces throughout, students will not be making any finished jewelry - this is purely a techniques class. Loaner tools and practice materials are provided.
Depending on how quickly the group progresses, we may be able to discuss more advanced techniques. If you've got questions, please ask away!
Wireworks Basics
Our Weekend Basics Class Series continues with Wireworks Basics. This is an introduction to simple jewelry construction and is a great entry point for new beaders to get a feel for jewelry making.
This Basics Class focuses on WIREWORKING, learning about the tools and techniques used to manipulate wire for jewelry making.
Students start with simple wire wrap technique, working with copper wire, round-nosed and chain-nose pliers to create wired links. This basic link is the foundation for dozens of beading projects, particularly earrings.
Please note that while we'll be making sample pieces throughout, students will not be making any finished jewelry - this is purely a techniques class. Loaner tools and practice materials are provided.
Depending on how quickly the group progresses, we may be able to discuss more advanced techniques. If you've got questions, please ask away!
Basic Beaded Earrings
This is a morning session starting at 11am.
Basic wire technique shines in this project. Using headpins and an assortment of fun and funky glass beads from Nomad's collection, we'll assemble a series of lightweight dangle earrings and finish them off with wrapped wire loops.
The wrapped wire loop is a foundational beading technique - students will learn about tools, findings and wire as we work through the process.
Class fee includes materials for three pairs of earrings.
Zigzag Beaded Bracelet
This is a morning session starting at 10am.
Wan Norby will be teaching. These flexible little bracelets work up with fine thread, seed beads and 5-6mm stone rounds for a ton of visual interest in a compact package. Button-and-loop closures integrate seamlessly into the design.
This is a superb introduction to bead stitching, with larger beads and a simpler design than Wan's classic tila weave bracelet. If you've been itching to try something beyond stringing on cable or knotting, this is the perfect project.
Woven Tila Bead Earrings
This is a morning session starting at 10am. Wan Norby will be teaching.
Regulars at Nomad are probably familiar with Wan Norby's tila bead yellow-brick-road bracelets. This miniaturized version creates a tiny, textured postage-stamp square of beads for the ear, complete with a wrapped briolette dangle and slim chains.
If you've been shy about diving into the full-on bracelet class, this is a great way to dip your toes and try out the technique in a smaller format. Class includes materials for one pair of earrings.
Fairyland Three-Strand Necklace
This is an afternoon session starting at noon. Catherine Phillips will be teaching.
Play with color and texture with these bright little three-strand necklaces. The technique is simple: design, string and crimp. All the fun is in choosing from a selection of glass beads - faceted crystal, seed beads in many sizes and finishes, droplets, fancy Miyukis - to create something unique.
The finished necklaces in our photo are in cheerful ice cream colors, but plenty of other choices in crystal, metallics and jewel tones will be available.
Come make something fun and relax among the ebb and flow of Nomad's creative community!
Class price includes materials for one necklace.
Trapeze Gemstone Earrings
This is a morning session starting at 10am. Wan Norby will be teaching.
This elegant design is easier than it looks and can be made in dozens of variations! Create 'trapeze' frames for the top of these earrings, then the 'swing' out of an oval gemstone, and a swag from tiny jewel beads and a briolette.
Students will learn and apply a variety of techniques including hammering, fine wire coiling and briolette wrapping.
Choose from among Wan's collection of wild and wonderful high-quality gemstones for this project. Class includes materials - micro-faceted gemstones, larger oval stone beads and gold or silver plated wire - for one pair of earrings.
Gemstone Swag Brick Stitch Earrings
This is a morning session starting at 10am. Wan Norby will be teaching.
Friends of Nomad are familiar with our resident artist Wan Norby's delicate seed bead work. These dainty earrings are made with freehand brick stitch using tiny glass 15/0 Miyuki delica beads. Wire-wrapped gemstone briolettes are suspended from faceted micro-gemstone swags.
Prepare for a small-scale challenge and learn skills that can be applied to all sorts of future projects! This is a great combination of intermediate techniques, both seed bead stitching and small-scale wirework.
Sterling silver and gold fill wire and earring findings are included in the class price, along with glass and gemstone beads. Class price includes materials for one pair of earrings.
Triangle Peyote Stitch Earrings
This is a morning class starting at 10am. Wan Norby will be teaching.
How do you persuade squared tube Delica beads to take on triangle shape? Learn how in this peyote stitch class. Working optical-illusion patterns in a small scale with shimmering Japanese seed beads and lengths of fine chain.
Follow Wan Norby through this introduction to seed bead weaving that finishes up in under three hours, a compact project that's endlessly adaptable to different color schemes.
Gemstone Briolette Earrings
This is an afternoon class starting at 12pm.
Prerequisite - You need to take Wireworks Basics, Basic Beaded Earrings or have previous wire working experience before taking this class.
Have you ever looked at a briolette, those sparkly teardrop-shaped stones with the hole drilled at the tip, and wondered what to do with it? This class offers an introduction to using these tricky-yet-exquisite beads.
Simple yet glamorous, briolette earrings are a perennial favorite. Dip into an assortment of glass and gemstone jewels and learn this endlessly adaptable wirework technique. Materials for two pairs are included.
Tree Of Life Pendant
This is a morning session starting at 10am! Wan Norby will be teaching this class.
Prerequisite - You need to take Wireworks Basics or have previous wire working experience before taking this class.
The 'tree of life' pendant is one of the enduring classics of wirework. Students will shape and hammer the frames, then anchor, twist and finish roots and branches made of fine wire. Choose from a collection of tiny gemstone chips to finish off the leaves.
Every one of these is unique! Organic wire wrapping is a challenge and this is a fantastic introduction.
Briolette Tassel Station Necklace
This is a morning session starting at 10am. Wan Norby will be teaching.
Prerequisite - You need to take Wireworks Basics or have previous wire working experience before taking this class.
Every jeweler finds themselves with interesting remnants - a few quality gemstone rondelles from some completed project, mismatched briolettes too small to make into pendants, short bits of chain.
This project takes full advantage of these gourmet leftovers to create delicate 'station chain' necklaces. Learn to precision-wrap briolettes and links, choosing from among Wan's collection of sparkling gemstones and a variety of textured (or simple!) chain styles.
This is a beginner-to-intermediate wire project. Bring reading glasses if you need them!
Knotted Mala Workshop
This is an afternoon session starting at 12pm. Beads are not included in the class price - please see below!
108-bead malas are rooted in Buddhist tradition and are used for meditation, counting mantras and simply as adornment. These long, knotted necklaces have become popular as a fashion statement and are a great way to pick up this intermediate beading skill.
Students will learn to knot snugly and accurately between beads using Griffin beading thread and knotting tweezers. This project calls for a lot of patience, but no other technique flows like a knotted piece - and the knots will prevent loss of multiple beads should the thread give way under wear.
Nomad's malas are simply finished, using a single center bead and a tassel or charm. Choose from among our vast selection of centerpieces!
Beads are not included in the class price! Students will need to bring their own or purchase beads at Nomad. We suggest that class attendees come in on a prior day to choose beads if not bringing their own. Both 8mm and 6mm beads work well for this project.
Woven Tile Bracelet
This style has rapidly become a popular standard at Nomad! Tilas and the 15/0 seed beads used in this project are available in a broad selection of colors and finishes, offering endless possibilities for design variations. Class fee includes a follow-up session with Wan to get the last bits of the bracelet completed.
Friendship Stretch Bracelets
This is an afternoon session starting at 12 noon.
Quick and easy, elastic bracelets are fun to make and to wear. No clasps! No findings! No tools beyond a pair of small, sharp scissors! We'll cover the basics of all the different types of elastic, how to do Nomad's favorite compact knot, and the use of crimp covers to conceal and protect the knot.
For this class, we'll be using colorful glass and plastic beads, including a huge assortment of alphabet beads so a student can create any phrase or name that will fit on a wrist. This is a perfect intro project for kids - create a custom piece in the colors and style of your choice!
Class fee covers instruction and materials for three bracelets.
Playful Stretch Bracelets
Upscale Stretch Bracelets - beads not included!
This is an afternoon session starting at 12 noon. Please note: simple glass beads for a practice bracelet are included in the class price, but the stone beads pictured are NOT. See below for more info.
Stretch bracelets are fantastic - easy to wear, easy to stack. Because the technique is so simple we've always run this as a $15-$20 class with basic materials, but this time we want to offer more possibilities with better beads and help students create a bunch of gifts in a brief span.
$15 covers instruction, elastic and a handful of basic glass beads to make a practice bracelet.
Want to make more bracelets? Choose from a selection of half-strands from Nomad's vast collection of 6mm, 8mm and 10mm beads. Prices run from about $7.50-$50.00 per strand, with most in the $16-$18 range, and half a strand is sufficient for a bracelet. Students can explore Nomad's vast collection of stone and glass beads to find their perfect match.
These bracelets can be finished in several ways - by drilling out one bead to hide the knot for a seamless look, or with a contrasting bead in stone or metal. Nomad offers dozens of options priced by the piece.
The mala class we run at Nomad every month or so uses a similar concept, since everyone's got a different idea about how much they want to spend on materials. Come explore our selection and enjoy a technically easy class with some beautiful beads!
Bits & Bobs Multi-strand Bracelet
Shadowbox Mosaic Pendants
This is a morning session starting at 10am. Wan Norby will be teaching.
Experiment with miniature mosaics in this fun and fiddly class. These playful pendants use an epoxy clay base set into a cast metal frame to create patterns in glass and metal beads. The technique is simple - lay out your design, then nestle each element into place with fingertips or tweezers. We have lots of frame options available - ovals, circles, squares, rectangles, in brass or black or silver plate.
Materials for two pendants are included, and students may choose a finished leather cord for each from Wan's collection.
Wire Bezel Wrap Pendant
This is a morning session starting at 10am. Wan Norby will be teaching.
Step up to the challenge of one of the classic wire workers' projects, the bezel wrapped pendant. This technique creates a custom-shaped frame around the outside edge of a cabochon or flat-backed stone. Square and half-round wire combine for a sleek, elegant design.
Materials are included. Students will use copper-based wire available in a variety of finishes - silver or gold plated, bronze, and more. Choose a stone from Wan's vast collection of cabochons to create something unique.
Long Knotted Wrap Bracelet
These lightweight gemstone necklaces are endlessly adaptable. Wear it long, doubled, or twined around the wrist - Cathrine's sample is about 32" long and wraps five times. These can be custom fitted to the creator or may include a bit of chain to make them adjustable.
Choose from among a selection of little gemstone beads. The largest beads on the pictured piece are about 4mm. This technique will work on almost all smaller stone beads, and Nomad offers a vast variety in a rainbow of colors and textures.
Learn a bead-skipping knotting technique that allows these necklaces to be worked up in a reasonable time frame. These graceful, slim strands of color make perfect accessories.
Click the link below to see our upcoming classes and sign up: