Threads of Glass and Stone: Meet Sam Hemming of Sam Hemming Beadwork

For over 30 years, Sam Hemming has been creating intricate beadwork jewellery that weaves together colour, craftsmanship and cultural influence. Working from her home in Malvern, Sam transforms tiny glass beads, gemstones and cabochons into beautifully constructed, wearable pieces - each one shaped by instinct, texture and the joy of making.

A Spark in Maui

Sam’s beadwork journey began in her twenties with a chance encounter. While in Maui, she met renowned beadworker Sarah Klopping, who introduced her to seed beads and indigenous Native American beading techniques. That meeting opened a door, and soon Sam was exploring the beadwork traditions of Africa and Egypt too, learning through library books and hands-on experimentation.

That was 32 years ago. Since then, beadwork has become her enduring creative path. While she’s self-taught, Sam also trained as a reflexologist and massage therapist. In the early 2000s, she faced a crossroads and chose to follow her jewellery work more seriously.

“Mostly a pleasure,” she says of the journey. “Love creating new work when the creative juices are flowing, but it can be a bit of a rollercoaster. That creative spark isn’t always accessible, it has to be worked on.”

Sam finds support and energy through other makers. Being part of local creative networks has become a vital part of her practice.

Colour, Craft and Collaboration

Ideas often begin with the materials themselves, the colour of a gemstone, the weight of a cabochon, the glimmer of a frosted bead. Nature, too, plays a quiet but constant role. Seasonal shifts in light and colour often influence her palette.

“I’m drawn to matted glass and large Baltic amber cabochons,” she says. “It’s such a beautiful material.”

Sam doesn’t work with fixed subjects in the traditional sense. Her work is more abstract, focusing on form, pattern, and the way elements come together. Each piece is constructed bead by bead, using techniques like Ndebele stitch or netting to create something structurally rich and entirely unique.

She works from her dining room, which looks out onto her garden in Malvern, a peaceful space often filled with Radio 4, Radio 6, or a favourite podcast playing in the background.

Guilds, Galleries and Quiet Highlights

A key moment in Sam’s creative path was joining The Worcestershire Guild of Designer Craftsmen in 1996. More recently, she became a member of Take 4 Gallery, a co-operative gallery space in Ledbury. She speaks warmly of both groups and the friendships that have grown out of them.

One early highlight stands out, a large cuff bracelet made with Ndebele and netting stitch, in dark bronze beads, sold through the Fine Jewellery department of Liberty, London, in her very first year of making. A dream for many, and a memory that still feels meaningful.

Of course, not everything runs smoothly. “Disasters? Often!” she laughs. “There’s a lot of trial and error in creating something new.” But it’s all part of the process.

Sam usually starts work late morning, once the dog has been walked and the house settled. Like many makers, she works when the pressure is on or the inspiration is flowing. Her ideal day? “If someone else did all the household jobs so I could just make.”

Beads, Chai and Simple Joys

In the studio, there’s always a drink to hand, tea, coffee, or homemade oatmilk chai. Sometimes it’s fresh spring water from a local source in Malvern. For lunch, her go-to is a marinated tofu sandwich.

Sam’s work is deeply personal, shaped by decades of self-led learning and a love of craft. She continues to explore new forms and materials while staying grounded in the tactile, thoughtful act of hand-beading.

There’s something grounding in Sam’s work. It’s slow, steady and quietly expressive. Each piece she creates is the result of years of practice, patience and curiosity, a coming together of colour, culture and technique, one bead at a time.

You can explore more of Sam’s work online:

🌿 www.samhemming.co.uk

🌿 Instagram: @samhemmingbeadwork