Heart of Texas Bead Retreat
Memories of Kew Master Class
with Jean Power & Stephanie Burnham
Summer Zoom Retreat
May 15-17, 2025
Come Bead with us!
Memories of Kew Master Class
Description: Combine advanced geometric and floral beadwork and throw in shaping, structure & texture for this striking beaded vessel with matching jewelry. Jean Power and Stephanie Burnham have united their two projects (‘Garden Days’ and ‘Water Lilies at Kew’) to create a set of beadwork evoking the many lovely days they have spent together at Kew gardens.
The series is formed of a beaded vessel created using unique techniques (all of which will be covered in the class and accompanying videos) topped with a striking beaded water lily which has coordinating jewelry which can be stored in the vessel. Note: Depending on the lid beaded, Jean’s Vessel is approximately 10 1⁄2 cm/ 4 1⁄4 inches tall and across at its widest point.
Level: Advanced
Technique: Peyote Stitch, Brick Stitch & Cubic Right Angle Weave
Students should have:
- Beading needles Size 12
- Thread: Thread of choice but we recommend a flexible thread♥ e.g. NOT Fireline (unless you can’t work with anything else). For the vessel you need a thread in the main color.
- Work Surface
- Magnification and your usual beading supplies
♥ Jean used KO and Miyuki thread in white and for the flowers (whether for the Lid or as jewelry) Stephanie used colors to match the seed & Cylinder beads. Cylinder beads can be either Delicas or Aikos.
Please Note: Bead Supply List will be emailed to you after you complete registration.
From Stephanie:
Jean and I have spent many a happy hour, wondering the grounds of Kew Gardens as a place of calm and inspiration and to mark these memorable days we have come together to create this master class.
Kew holds a Royal warrant and one of the highlights for us are the glasshouses, a feat of Victorian engineering. One of these is the Water lily house which exhibits giant water lilies, said to be the largest in the world, some only blooming for one day. Although this glasshouse is the smallest it has a wonderful charm and character and we wanted to capture that.
From Jean:
English and Irish gardens have a long history in my family with my dad working on the refurbishment of the greenhouses of the Chelsea Physical Gardens back in the 1980s and I have many happy memories of wandering gardens in Ireland as a child.
But the days spent walking & talking in Kew Gardens with Stephanie specifically hold many special memories for me as they have been filled with friendship, laughter, fabulous sights, sounds, smells and inspiration.
When we decided to work on a master class together there was only one place that could be our joint inspiration and ‘Memories of Kew’ was born.
Jean Power
I am an award-winning jewelry designer, writer and teacher based in London, England. I first began making jewelry in 2001, having already spent many years painting as well as exploring different aspects of fiber and textile arts. Whilst I continue some of these interests, beading is my main love and I try to use them in conjunction with my other interests.
In addition to many projects and articles published worldwide, I am the author of ten books on beading and jewelry making (books 11 & 12 are currently in progress…) and was the editor of a beading magazine for four years. I have also filmed many videos on beading.
To see more of Jean’s work: Jean Power
Stephanie Burnham
Stephanie Burnham has always crafted, even as a small child with her mum. Like so many beaders her creative life started in another textile discipline. For her own enjoyment she liked to work on counted thread techniques. She decided to enroll for an adult education course entitled Art & Design in Embroidery and it was the inspirational tutor – Helen Price who gave Stephanie the confidence to believe in her own work and achievements. By the end of the one year course she had gained the courage and confidence to produce her own work. Stephanie stayed on to take her City & Guilds in Embroidery and clearly remembers sitting through many daunting “design days”, which in retrospect she realizes were so important. Stephanie believed that if this course achieves anything it is to make participants aware of color, shapes & patterns, giving you a thirst for inspirational ideas to base work on.
