Meet Jo Barclay Loggie “A Touch of Boho Chic”

The Beading Room is delighted to introduce Jo Barclay Loggie. Having grown up on the beaches of South Africa, Jo has spent many years now living in England, managing the dreary wet winters with nature walks along the river and steamy cups of hot chocolate! “Walking along the river or through the English countryside,” shared Jo, “is good for the soul and good for my creative brain when I’m struggling to figure something out.” Jo has been beading for about 18 years now.

Jo’s Style

“I think the best way to describe my style is WEARABLE with a touch of boho chic,” Jo shared “and every now and then it’s great to bead something that takes days to make but I’m more of an “instant gratification” kind of girl! 🤣

When it comes to shaped beads…I’m a sucker for anything new…that’s what keeps my interest alive as I work out new ways of beading around them or new ways of incorporating them into a design!”

Jo’s Bead Path

Trained as a primary school teacher, Jo found that as a young mom of two sons, her “at home” time was spent immersed in marking and preparation rather than family focused time. On annual trips to South Africa to visit, Jo found herself spending a fortune with the local “pearl lady,” which led her to a new career path.

She gave up teaching and put her time to beadiful use! Stocking up on supplies and tools at a local bead shop, and getting schooled in basic techniques by a friend, about 18 years ago Jo began making simple pieces for herself, only to be asked to make pieces for her admiring friends.

This led to house parties where she would sell her pieces and take orders, which led to a wedding business beading bridal party jewellery, bridal tiaras, and French-beaded flowers for bouquets, which led to an offer from the local bead shop owner for whom she managed the shop, and taught and filmed YouTube workshops in said shop, which led to writing bead design patterns for national magazines! Where Jo scored a feature as “cover girl” artist!

Phew! That’s a whirlwind rise to bead stardom, but it’s not over yet! In time, Jo was approached by Jewellerymaker TV, a live broadcast gemstone and bead shopping channel, to join as a guest designer. The designs were based on a random selection of beads, with which she was to create up to 10 designs every two weeks, and sometimes film DVD workshops for the channel! That certainly would flex one’s creativity muscle!

On Her Own

After three years, Jo knew the time was right to go her own way. She now hosts her own YouTube channel, teaches workshops via Zoom, and writes up patterns for her Etsy designs.

And more recently, Jo has had fun with The Beadsmith Inspiration Squad, for which she designed about 14 pieces using the Cymbal Metal Elements.

Now doing her own thing, Jo fills her days with designing and filling orders, managing social media and answering questions and comments on YouTube, as well as running the household, which includes garden and veggie patches (“I make all my own jams, pickles, and sauces from fresh produce in the garden too,” Jo shared.)

Jo’s Designs

“Having started with gemstones and pearls, I was introduced to seed beads and shaped beads about 10 years ago. I always thought I’d never have the patience for such teeny tiny beads - but I LOVE the challenges that come with designing with them. That being said, if I spend the entire day “reversing”/undoing my work, I get just as frustrated as the next person!

I look at ways of using new shapes rather than looking at new stitches. If something catches my eye, my interest will be peaked. So many of the stitches have been around for donkeys’ years, and as the saying goes, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’

My design process doesn’t involve intricate drawings or revelatory dreams…it’s exploratory. I’m drawn to colour and colour combinations and then I just start pootling about with different pretty shapes. Even if I have a particular design in mind, it’s very rare that the end result is how I pictured it. There’s a huge amount of evolving that happens during the pootling stage!😉

A couple of years ago I was introduced to the Huichol style of beading and I’ve gone on to create my own interpretation of this using the basics I learn.

 “Huichol is a fabulous style for playing with colour!”

Some Basics

• John James needles, sizes 10 and 12 are favourites
• Fireline is her go-to thread
• Miyuki 11/0 seed beads and 15/0 as fillers, as well as Toho and Preciosa (“semi glazed rainbow range and any colour with a Picasso are my go to’s…also Duracoat metallics, chatons and rivolis too…when it comes to shaped beads, I’m a sucker for anything new!”)
• Listening to Andrea Bocelli, for example, inspires Jo and listening to 80s or disco tunes helps energize her beading!
• Etsy - JoBarclayLoggie
• Facebook - Jo Barclay Loggie Handmade Jewellery
• Instagram - @jobarclayloggie
• YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@JoBarclayLoggie

Beadiful Beaders!! For the month of November, Jo is offering a 25% discount on all tutorials using the code BEADINGROOM25 at the checkout. Isn’t that ever so lovely of her!

Thank you so much Jo

I hope you enjoyed meeting Jo Barclay Loggie, dear beaders! I’m inspired to try some of her designs – that Sunflower Necklace would rock jeans, a t-shirt and jean jacket…and even a fancy dress!

Until next month, bead happy, Cathy