This year at MSS I did a lot of one-on-one teaching at the bead bar. I also signed up to teach two classes. One was the same class I taught at Pennsic this year, the other was an Anglo-Saxon Glass Bead Roundtable. The full class description for this is below.
A few organizational thoughts about the bead bar:
1. I should label all my tools. Things get shared around, which is great, but I want to get it all back at the end!
2. I forget where I first saw this done, but I've been putting masking tape on the end of a mandrel after a new person has made a bead, and writing their name on the tape. This is SO incredibly helpful, and it makes sure everyone gets the bead that they have made.
3. I think i want to have some different color frit out next time for new people to play with, as that is the easiest way of decorating a bead that I know of, and would not really require me teaching them any new skills (such as shaping and stringer work).
A few thoughts about teaching one-on-one
1. I think i should turn the flame up a bit higher than i have been doing for new people. It will be easier for them to get the glass to melt and to make sure it stays melted as the wind on the bead.
2. When teaching younger children, I think it helps for me to participate with them in making a bead the first time, by either twirling the mandrel or applying the glass. I think having to only worry about one hand at a time will make it easier for them to learn.
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| Erica and I at the bead bar at MSS |
Anglo-Saxon Glass Beads: An Overview and Resource Round Table
Lady Elysabeth Underhill
This session will begin with a very brief overview of what the
instructor has learned about Anglo-Saxon glass beads. The projects the
instructor has completed and the resources she has gathered will be discussed and
shared with attendees. After this introduction, others are invited to share
their own resources and knowledge regarding Anglo-Saxon glass beads. Attendees
can then look in more detail at the
instructor’s resources, and the class can take some time to discuss how
certain beads were made. We can then retire to the bead bar for hands on
demonstration, if desired.
