Out of the Box and in Love with Beads: Exploring Brick Stitch, Peyote, and the Creative Process with Didi Kowalski of Crafty Bead

In a sea of pattern creators, we found her: Didi Kowalski of Crafty Bead. An artist in her craft, and a true out-of-the-box thinker, she has her own style and loves playing with color, which has been widely appreciated by hundreds of beaders who have followed her brick stitch and peyote patterns. This self-taught designer is a wonderfully positive force, full of enthusiasm and a true love for beading and creativity, whose vibrant, colorful patterns are guaranteed to rock your beading world in the best way.

In this blog post, we're sitting down with Didi to talk about her beading journey, her experience and inspiration, as well as her tips and advice for beaders who want their creations to look as impeccable as hers (and why perfection is not always the best answer)!

Eureka Crystal Beads: Who are you? Introduce yourself and tell us a little bit about yourself and your beading.

Didi of Crafty Bead: Hi to all the lovely beaders out there! My name is Dorota, although some of you might know me as Didi. I love reading and playing video games. I used to enjoy cross-stitching and making small dioramas, but all of that quietly stepped aside the moment I completely lost my mind over beading. Books and games, however, stayed with me, and I come back to them whenever I have the time.

 

ECB: How long have you been beading? How did you get started?

Didi: It’s been exactly four and a half years since I picked up beads for the very first time. I once came across a short video of a girl making a decorative cowboy hat band on a loom. I was instantly mesmerized. The same day, I ordered my first beads, needles, and thread. The very next day I was already making my first crooked little stars and bracelets

And that was it. I was gone forever. I fell in love and fully surrendered to beading. To this day, I regret not saving that video. I’d love to thank that girl for changing my life.

Here is a part of my Delicas collection. Yes, I do need some refills!

 

I can't show you my workshop, because calling it a mess would be a compliment, but here’s one of the spots where I take my photos.

 

ECB: What’s your one favorite thing about beading?

Didi: That it exists. Honestly. I’m so glad beading exists and that I found it.

I had never encountered anything before that fascinated me this much, something I felt genuinely good at, something that came to me with such ease. I love learning stitches I haven’t tried yet, I love watching new pieces come to life, and I love how calming the whole process is.

People often comment on my work saying, “Wow, you must be so patient,” as if it were some kind of sacrifice. It’s not. It’s devotion, passion, and enjoying every single movement.

 

ECB: If you were to choose just one: brick stitch or peyote stitch, which one would you choose and why?

Didi: I love all beading stitches (except bead crochet, because I just can’t get the hang of that damn thing the way I’d like to, no matter how hard I try), but my favorite is 2-drop peyote.

I know many people are intimidated by it, but I’d really like to clear that up: it’s just as simple as regular peyote. The only difference is that you always pick up two beads instead of one, and you skip two beads instead of one. I wish more people would dare to learn it.

I love texture. I love pieces that aren’t perfectly smooth, that feel a bit uneven, almost rugged. With regular peyote, you can achieve some texture through pattern design, but 2-drop gives your work a sense of depth. The beads puff up slightly, making the piece feel richer, more substantial.

And if someone lacks patience and prefers things to move fast, 2-drop will take just a bit more than half the time you need to make the same sized piece with regular peyote.

 

 

ECB: What inspires you the most when designing your patterns? What does the designing process look like for you?

Didi: Literally everything. A beautiful coat worn by a girl passing by me on the street. The pattern of holes in my computer speakers. The imprint left by the mold on a block of cheese on a grocery store shelf.

This is not a joke. I see potential patterns everywhere! Not to mention the “typical” things like nature, symbols, and shapes that humans have known forever.

 

ECB: If you could teach beginner beaders one habit, trick or mindset that can really improve their work, what would that be?

Didi: Don’t rush. And always stretch your thread.

Try different stitches. If one doesn’t work for you, put it away for a while. Sleep on it. Come back after a day or two. It’s like automatic revolving doors: the harder you push, the slower they move.

Don’t force it when frustration kicks in. That’s the fastest route to hating a specific technique (hello, bead crochet).

As for thread: cut it and stretch it firmly between your hands a few times before you start stitching. It will save you a lot of nerves. I always say the thread is not your friend. If it can catch on something, it will. If it can tangle, it will.

And be careful. It can cut your skin too, the little menace!

 

ECB: Is there a color combination, a theme or a shape you keep coming back to in your patterns, even when you try not to?

Didi: When it comes to colors: reds. All of them. From oranges to purples. I-love-reds!

Unfortunately, the world loves blues, so sometimes I have to force myself. Poor me!

As for shapes: because of how beads align in peyote and brick stitch, it’s very easy to drift toward sharp, angular motifs, especially diamonds and hexagons. They appear naturally, and I often catch myself realizing I’ve done it again.

These shapes do appear in my designs, but since I like to move away from predictable patterns, I consciously try to create more rounded, fluid, non-geometric forms as well.

 

ECB: If you were curating a “must-have” bead kit for brick stitch and peyote designers, what products would absolutely make the list?

Didi: I probably won’t surprise anyone, because the list is simple:

• a needle
• thread
• beads
• a good mat, so you don’t have to chase runaway beads across the room
• a good pattern!

For peyote, cylindrical beads like Miyuki Delica are ideal, as they leave very little space between them in a flat layout. But again, texture. I also recommend trying round seed beads. Their shape makes flat stitches look different, adding depth to the piece. Plus, round seed beads are just adorable. Round, plump, like little doughnuts. A nice break from perfectly aligned cylinders.

 

ECB: What’s something you wish you knew when you were just starting out?

Didi: Nothing. Seriously.

The entire process of trying, learning, refining each stitch and technique, discovering new beads sometimes on your own, sometimes with the help of others, watching other creators works, is beautiful. Today you might know nothing, but if beading pulls you in, in a month or a year you’ll know so much more and you’ll see for yourself how far you’ve come.

 

ECB: Could you us some pieces you’re particularly proud of, and one that you thought would be great, but which didn’t work out at all?

Didi: An uncomfortable question, because I realized long ago that my favorite designs don’t always align with what beaders like most.

The positive reaction to these three patterns really surprised me:

   

Yes, they’re good. I wouldn’t have created them otherwise. But I didn’t expect them to become such hits.

Meanwhile, my personal favorites:

didn’t gain as much popularity as I hoped.

Luckily, they still have their fans ☺️

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A huge thank you to Didi for sharing her insight and her fascinating, unique perspective on learning to bead and on designing beaded pieces! Loving this artists's work? You can get all supplies for these patterns from Eureka:

Magic Fable Bracelet
Sand Everywhere Bracelet
Silky Scroll Bracelet
Energetic Mood Earrings

 

If you would like to learn more about the designer, explore her patterns and get really inspired, visit her on the web:

Website: https://craftybead.art/ 

Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/craftybeadart/ 

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CraftyBead.art