Around Our Community: The Beading Group at the Villages

Our friends over at the beading group at the Villages have written us, and we'd love to share their story!

The Villages is an active retirement community located in the heart of central Florida, full of sunshine, golf courses and shopping. Among their many recreational activities, they have a group of lovely, creative women who love to bead. 

Beading began at The Villages about 10 years ago in the home of Nancy Weiler.  Nancy, along with 15 other women, gathered together on a regular basis to make jewelry and beaded purses. Before they knew it, the group grew too large for Nancy's home and an official beading group at The Villages was born.  Now the group meets twice a month in a large hall in the central part of the community.  Nancy scours the web and magazines for projects that might be of interest to the group and she then makes patterns and supply lists for the beaders to use.

Together they have done wire wrapping, chain mail (which is Nancy's favorite), lots of bead weaving, kumihimo, bead crochet and braiding.  These days, Nancy is away for the summer months, but she encouraged her beading friends, headed by Barbara Haegele, to take reign of the group.  The beaders are still very active and the group is continuously growing.  Along with a great summary of their beading group, Nancy has also attached some wonderful photos of the beaders in action!
 
Many of the photos show the women with tension chords attached to chairs, working the four strand braid to make Beadaholique's Unisex Anchor Bracelet. They attach string to chairs and then work the cord from there to get good tension.  What a great idea!


Some members have been with the beading group at The Villages for 10 years and counting!  Their knowledge and experience is a helpful source for those new members joining the beading group. As with everything new, flexibility, patience and enthusiasm make for a good learning and teaching atmosphere.


The team at Beadaholique would like to thank the lovely ladies at The Villages for their support.  We are so glad that our instructional videos offer inspiration to your beading group and hope to continue to inspire your creativity.  Thank you for reaching out Nancy, and to the group: Keep Beading!

- Karlin