Frequently Asked Questions

Ordering and Shipping

What are your shipping fees?

Visit my Shipping Policies page for more information.

I just ordered a kit. When will it arrive?

Kits usually ship within 1 week of purchase, and will usually arrive within 3-7 days after that. International order arrival times vary by the destination; please allow up to four weeks for your international order to arrive.

 

Pattern Information

Can you explain your pattern difficulty levels?

I offer patterns at the following four difficulty levels:

  • Beginner patterns are appropriate for everyone. No previous beading experience is required.
  • Advanced Beginner patterns are appropriate for students with some beading experience. Students should be able to thread a beading needle, and should be familiar with reading and following general beading diagrams.
  • Intermediate patterns require a basic understanding of the core beading techniques such as peyote, netting, and right angle weave. A combination of multiple techniques may be required. Small, size 15° seed beads may be used in these patterns.
  • Advanced patterns assume proficiency in the core beading techniques. Advanced patterns usually incorporate multiple techniques into the design, and may require weaving small or shaped seed beads in tight spaces. These patterns may also utilize non-intuitive thread paths, new multi-hole beads, complicated variations of beading techniques, and construction of three-dimensional structures.

Do you have any patterns available for free?

Yes! Check out my free patterns on the Freebies page.

I see a design on the Workshops page, but it is not listed on the Patterns page. Can I purchase the pattern for this workshop?

The designs that I teach in beading workshops are exclusive to the classroom. Patterns and kits for these designs are not available outside of the classroom until after they have been retired from my teaching portfolio. I do not make exceptions to this policy.

Some venues allow students to register for classes and obtain the class instructions without attending the class. This is usually possible for Zoom classes. Every venue has their own policies for this type of arrangement, so if you’re interested in this possibility please contact the venue in question directly.

Help! My computer crashed and I lost the PDF file! Can I get another copy?

Yes, just contact me at beadorigami@gmail.com with your name and e-mail address, and I'll issue you another download link.

I purchased a pattern from this website before May 2023. How can I download my pattern?

You can still access your patterns through the e-mailed links from my old download provider. If you run into any issues, contact me at beadorigami@gmail.com.

Help! I'm stuck!

I'm always happy to answer any questions over e-mail. Contact me at beadorigami@gmail.com.

Can I teach your patterns?

You are welcome to teach any of my free patterns as long as the pattern is reproduced in its entirety (including the last page), and that no profit is made from the pattern or the paper it is printed on.

To teach my for-sale patterns, I ask that you first contact me to obtain authorization. Additionally, I ask that each of your students purchase the pattern directly from me. Wholesale pattern pricing is available for instructors who have already completed at least one piece of finished jewelry from the pattern. Please contact me for more information.

 

Kit Information

Where are the instructions for my kit?

Bead Origami kits do not include instructions and are priced accordingly. To purchase both the instructions and the beading materials, add both a kit and its corresponding pattern to your shopping cart.

Why does the pattern have to be purchased separately from the kit?

Bead Origami patterns and kits are "unbundled" or "à la carte" to offer you the greatest flexibility. Here are a few advantages of this system:

  • You can purchase and read the pattern before deciding whether to purchase a kit.
  • You can purchase two or more kits without paying for the same pattern twice.
  • California customers pay no sales tax on unbundled patterns.

If you wish to order both the pattern and the kit at the same time, simply add both items to your shopping cart before completing your purchase. 

My kit is missing a bead! How can I get another one?

I make every effort to ensure that each kit contains the appropriate bead amounts, and extra quantities are generally included for beads smaller than 6mm. On the rare occasion that your kit is short of a specific bead, contact me and I will gladly send you the missing bead(s) as soon as possible.

 

Bead and Jewelry Information

I used the same types of beads and followed your pattern exactly, but my version of this design looks different than yours. Why?

I tend to use relatively tight tension in my beadwork, so my designs can turn out differently if looser tension is used. Also, different lots of seed beads can lead to slight differences in color and size, even among the same size class (15°, 11°, 8°, etc). I generally recommend Miyuki and/or Toho brand Japanese round seed beads for my designs, and I will sometimes specify a specific brand in the "Materials Notes" section of the pattern. Round Matsuno Japanese seed beads tend to have a boxy shape that does not work as well in my designs.

Addditionally, dye lot changes can lead to slight color differences, even for the same color from the same bead manufacturer. I make every attempt to avoid this circumstance in my bead kits, but sometimes it is an unavoidable consequence of the bead manufacturing process. Some major bead manufacturers such as Miyuki Co. address this issue further on their respective websites.

Can you tell me the specific bead colors that you used in your bead kits and where to get them?

Colorway development and bead sourcing are part of the value of my kits. If you would like to make jewelry from one of my patterns using the same colors as one of my kits, I respectfully ask that you purchase the corresponding kit. If you have additional questions after purchasing the kit, please contact me.

I made a few pieces of jewelry using one of your patterns. Can I sell this finished jewelry?

I do permit my students to sell jewelry based off of my patterns, with some modest limitations. Please visit the copyright page for more information.