Bead Crochet Snakes: History and Technique

Bead Crochet Snakes illustrates how these beautiful, shiny serpents fit into the rich trdition of bead crochet as practised in the Ottoman Empire and neighboring countries like Bulgaria, Greece, and Macedonia. It also explains how the snakes were constructed, the fascinating story of snakes made by Turkish prisoners of war during World War I, and how to tell those snakes from others made later.

Beaders can gain inspiration from the many photos of bead crochet items as well as make their own bead crochet snakes to exhibit or wear. Patterns are provided for a snake necklace with a loopy tail, a rattlesnake necklace, two matching bracelets, and a memory wire snake bracelet. The projects will also teach beaders an alternative stringing method, the bead single crochet stitch, increasing and decreasing beads, crocheting on two sides of a foundation chain, and two methods of fastening on a new thread.