Bead Embroidery Bumble Bee – A Free Project for International Beading Week 2025
By Catriona Starpins
Every year, International Beading Week (IBW) celebrates the joy, creativity and community of beadwork across the globe—and I’m thrilled to be part of it again in 2025!
As a Permanent Ambassador for International Beading Week, I’m proud to contribute to this global celebration by sharing a free project each year that inspires beaders of all levels to pick up their needle and thread.
This year’s theme is “The Natural World,” and I’ve designed something sweet and sparkly to match: Bumble, a cute, three-dimensional cartoon-style bumblebee you can bead at home using bead embroidery techniques.
A Bee with Personality
Bumble is small but full of character! He’s made with bead embroidery on a felt base, with raised details and joyful colours. You can finish him as a brooch, pendant, hair clip, or even a statement ring.
There are three versions I’ve stitched so far:
-
Classic bumble bee colours
-
The iridescent Australian Blue Banded Bee
-
A rainbow version inspired by International Beading Week
But you can stitch yours in any colours that speak to you. The free PDF tutorial includes a materials list and full instructions so you can bring your own bee to life.
Download the free tutorial here: Available from July 26th 2025
👉 https://catrionastarpins.com/products/tutorial-free-pdf-download-bumble-bee
Prefer a kit? All the materials are ready for you in our bee kits:
👉 https://catrionastarpins.com/collections/kits
Why a Bee?
Bees are vital to our ecosystem—and utterly charming to bead! I was especially inspired by the Australian Blue Banded Bee (Amegilla cingulata), known for its striking blue stripes and special “buzz pollination” technique that helps fertilise crops like tomatoes. It felt like the perfect symbol for this year’s IBW theme.
What You’ll Learn in the Video
If you're new to bead embroidery or just love seeing a design come together, be sure to watch my step-by-step video tutorial on YouTube. I’ll show you how to:
-
Use heat transfer paper to apply the design
-
Build up the bee with bead embroidery and leather cord
-
Stitch around the outside with brick stitch
-
Back and finish your bee beautifully
🎥 Watch the video here:
👉Video Available from 26th July 2025
About International Beading Week
International Beading Week is a global celebration of all things beadwork. It’s open to anyone, anywhere—whether you’re a total beginner or seasoned stitcher. Organised by the Beadworkers Guild, it features free patterns, virtual events, and community spirit.
✨ Get involved here: https://internationalbeadingweek.com/
I hope you love making your very own Bumble as much as I loved designing him. Whether you stitch one bee or a whole buzzing swarm, I can’t wait to see what you create. Please tag me on social media or use the hashtag #BeadedBumble to share your bees!
Happy Beading,
Catriona ✨
Permanent Ambassador for International Beading Week