The Beaderie, Cambridge

Cambridge, England, GB

Make a macrame & leather bead bracelet and a set of woven flower earrings with The Beaderie in Cambridge, England.

How did you get started?

The Beaderie owner 'Sally' first started beadwork and jewellery-making as a teenager, some 27 years ago, originally inspired by North American designs and patterns.
Upon leaving school she trained in fine-jewellery, working professionally with pearls for 7 years, before undertaking a design degree to broaden her understanding of the creative process and its potential in the real world.
The Beaderie 'shop' was always an idea tinkering away in the back of Sally's mind, and she turned the dream into reality in 2009 in a brave move at the height of the recession. The intention being to share skills, offer something different, and make really creative jewellery that anyone can enjoy.

Where are you located?

The Beaderie is in the historic centre of the world-famous university city of Cambridge, nestled beside Magdalene College at 14 Magdalene Street within a parade of stylish independent boutique shops. This is our new home in bigger premises that we moved into in October 2014 in order to accommodate new ranges and our expanding internet operation.

Which products do you specialise in?

Our primary focus at The Beaderie has always been on offering 'jewellery-quality' beads and findings and, after numerous trips around the globe to personally source the best suppliers, we're proud to have now developed the finest range of Semi-Precious Stones and Freshwater Pearls in any UK bead shop.
Czech glass beads are also very strong for us, and we now have probably the largest range of fire-polished beads in the UK.
In terms of stringing materials, we regularly receive excellent feedback on the quality of our Turkish leather and Nylon Chinese Knotting-Cords

Do you have a particular favorite product that you sell?

We love searching out new and stylish beads for jewellery-making from all around the globe, such as porcelain beads, lampwork and fine ceramic beads too. We also have a strong affinity with the high quality bespoke beads we source directly from Japan

What's on the stereo?

Eclectic is the word here at The Beaderie! Everything from the 50's crooners to modern electronica, with plenty of Latin rhythms thrown in for good measure!

Where else should we visit in your area?

Cambridge is a beautiful city with its architecture of dreaming spires, museums and endless educational heritage, but there are also a number of excellent crafting shops here too! The Sheep Shop is the place to visit for the finest of wools, and Cally & Co are your destination for all things fabric.

Do you host any workshops, classes or special events?

We run approx. 80 jewellery-making classes per year at The Beaderie, catering for all ranges of abilities from complete beginner to more advanced capabilities. With only 4 people per workshop class to ensure quality tuition for all, demand for places is always extremely high!

Is there anything else you'd like us to know?

We're always hugely appreciative of the support we've received in growing The Beaderie from our humble beginnings in 2009 to where we are today, bringing both quality and interesting products and novel ideas to jewellery-makers everywhere. Rest assured, our commitment to this will always be our no.1 priority and we look forward to bringing this to you for many years to come!