The Carol Duvall Show cameras focus on the elaborate bead work of artist Judy Hendrix.
Hendrix began making decorative pins after she found her grandmother's button box, leading her to combine beading and buttons. "It was inspiring to take (the box) and use it again," she says.
With a background in needlework, Hendrix knew plenty about stitching, however, beadwork became a learned experience for her. After taking a few classes, her skills and vision expanded.
Hendrix says her ideas come from the styles of the buttons themselves, whether they add a feminine touch, a sophisticated highlight or simple fun. "Fun is my favorite," she says, "and I love colors, so the brighter the buttons and beads, the more fun I seem to have."
Although Hendrix's pins and accessories seem intricate and detailed, they are simple to make. "I think anybody can be good at this," she says. "It's very very basic if you can thread a needle." The materials Hendrix uses are simple as well, including a popcycle stick, felt, Ultrasuede, a pin, a button and of course, beads.
Almost any button will work, from plastic to shell or even stone. The only rule of thumb is that the button has a flat surface, so if there's a shank on the button, Hendrix cuts it off.
She begins assembling the pin by gluing the button to a piece of felt and letting it dry overnight. Next, she threads a needle with a double thread., bringing the needle and thread through the bottom side of the felt and near the perimeter of the button. Then Hendrix adds a string of beads to the thread. The next step is to couch the button down, a process where Hendrix uses a shorter needle and a single thread to secure the buttons closely together and near the button. To finish the assembly, she glues Ultrasuede to the back of the button and adds a pin. Lastly, Hendrix sews a row of beaded picots around the edge of the button for a rough look.
The finished result is something Hendrix takes great pride in. "It's very satisfying to me to be able to create something out of nothing," she says.
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