May 2012: Katie began working full-time as a freelance bead designer and tutor.
June 2012: Bead Magazine published Katie’s design for strawberries. This was a commissioned design from the magazine’s editor after seeing the miniature strawberries featured in Katie’s beaded desserts. Katie created a new design using Brick Stitch rather than the Peyote stitch that she had used in the past.
October 2012: Katie’s design for an Austen Powers inspired necklace was published in Bead magazine. This issue of the magazine was a special edition looking at beadwork inspired by history. The Tudor period inspired a lot of designs for this theme, as did the 1960s.
October 2012: Katie’s entry, ‘Bakewell Medley,’ a necklace and bracelet set, won second prize in the British Bead Awards seed bead jewellery category. This project was taken from Katie’s book, ‘Sweet Treats’ and it was later published in Bead Magazine.
October 2012: Katie’s entry, ‘The Gingerbread House’, was awarded third place in the British Bead Awards seed bead non-jewellery category. This took several weeks to make. It measure about 6″ (15cm) long and was fully self-supporting. The house itself was made in peyote stitch, the grass used Right Angle Weave and the many sweet treats that decorated the house used a wide variety of bead-weaving techniques. Katie has received several requests to publish a pattern for this project, but sadly she didn’t make any notes as she worked, so this will remain forever a one-off design.
November 2012: Katie’s book, ‘Sweet Treats: A collection of designs for beaded jewellery and gifts to make your mouth water’ published. This had been over a year in the making. It featured 15 different cakes, all with several variations for making jewellery, gifts and beaded ornaments. Many of the ideas in the book came from close friends, so this proved to be a very personal project.
