Beadwork is the craft of creating decorative items by stringing beads. It is used for jewelry, clothing, accessories, and art. The beads can be glass, stone, bone, shell, wood, or plastic. They are strung on thread, wire, or cord. They are woven, stitched, or glued. The beadworker arranges the beads into patterns, colors, and shapes. The result is a decoration. The result is a craft. The beadwork is the same.

Beadwork comes in many forms. Bead stringing is the simplest. Beads are threaded onto a cord. Bead weaving uses a loom or a needle to interlace beads into fabric. Bead embroidery stitches beads onto a surface. Bead crochet creates a tube of beads. Each technique has its own rhythm. Each has its own result. The beadworker chooses the technique. The technique is the same.

Beadwork is practiced in many cultures. Native American beadwork uses seed beads and porcupine quills. African beadwork uses glass beads and cowrie shells. European beadwork uses pearls and crystals. Asian beadwork uses jade and coral. Each tradition has its own patterns and meanings. The bead is a unit. The bead is a color. The bead is a craft. The beadwork is the same. The same is the culture. The culture is the beadwork. The beadwork is the artisan. The artisan is the beadwork. The beadwork is the same.