Beading in New England
Q: Hi. We are planning a vacation in New England this September or October.
Can anyone advise on bead stores or bead fairs to visit while there? You
will see from our address that we are not able to obtain this information
at home. We are interested in general bead work, but not (yet) into
exotic things such as bead making.
A:
In the immediate Boston area, visit the Beadworks on Newbury Street in
downtown Boston. Sarah Young is the manager and she is extremely
knowledgeable and helpful. She can direct you to other shops and studios
throughout New England. You might also visit the Pear Tree, which is in the
Boston metropolitan area. About 30 miles north of Boston
is the Stoneworks,
in the town of Dunstable (named after Dunstable, England). Sandy Gates, the
manager there, specializes in quality beads of natural materials,
particularly unusual natural stones, including U.S. materials such as
colorful Arizona petrified wood. She and her husband make wampum, which is
a beautiful purple and white bead, made from a native shell, and deeply
rooted in New England history and tradition since the early 1600s, when it
was used by the the Native Americans -- and the Pilgrims. Wampum could also
used to pay taxes to the Commonwealth and tuition fees for Harvard College.
The bead club, Beadesigner International, will be holding a show at that
time, but I don't have the exact dates at the moment. First rate,
intricate, handcrafted glass beads are available at the show. September and
October are the best for foliage, and in my opinion for Cape Cod beaches.
Welcome to New England. There is a lot to do and see and you can have a
wonderful time.
Rhode Island (50 miles south of Boston) is the world capital of fashion
jewelry making, and most of the component manufacturers & importers are
located there. I am at work now myself, but have a lot of addresses at
home I can post soon. There are companies that have warehouses full of
beads, etc. that are open to the public.
My wife is a manufacturer's rep to the jewelry & garment trades & has a
lot of contacts in Rhode Island. Her cousin is
the president of a very large jewelry manufacturer.
