The Designer

By clicking above you'll be taken to the JavaScript Bead Designer. A script I created to help with seed bead design. It is limited to square stitch designs, but you have control over the background, grid, and paint colors, and the grid size! You can have a copy for your hard drive by choosing "File--Save As" (the entire script is on one page). If you prefer using the Java Bead Designer, click below.

By clicking above you'll be taken to the Designer PaintApplet. A wonderful little program which was generously given to the public and modified here to suit bead design work.

Simple to use: just pick six colors, and then choose the appropriate graph for your project. The PaintApplet allows you to select a color (from your six) and fill in a bead by clicking on it.

(Note: you must have Java and JavaScript enabled in order to use the Designer PaintApplet).

What can you do with it?

You can make up your own designs on the spot, or copy something you've seen before. Transfer a photo to a bead arrangement. Make changes and adjustments ahead of time. Make a printout of your design and use it as the pattern for a project.

You might also try visiting the Native American Indian Designs page to gather some ideas before you begin. I am sure you will find this to be an extremely useful tool in helping you achieve the designs you want. It's a lot of fun and the possibilities are endless.

Want to copy the graphs?

Here you can choose from several different blank graphs, which you can copy, to your own computer and color using any "paint" program. This allows you to create a picture of any seed bead project before you begin work on it!

1. Select the graph, which suits your project the best -- OR copy them all so you can have them on hand when you need them.
2. You'll be linked to a blank graph.
3. Right click inside the image and you should be given an option to "Save Picture As", or click on the File menu and choose "Save" or "Save As".
4. Save the picture to your hard drive in a convenient directory. You might need to convert the format of the image to suit your software.
5. Open this picture in your favorite paint program and use the "Fill" tool to color in the beads. You can change colors as often as is necessary.

Here are your choices:

• Square Stitch
• Flat Round Peyote Stitch
• Brick Stitch (horizontal)
• Brick Stitch (vertical)
• Loom 1
• Loom 2
• Loom 3

Click on the link and you'll be taken to the graph image.

I hope these are helpful to you. I'll try to add more in the future. I would appreciate any suggestions you have as to how to make the Designer even more useful to you.