Sources : Tuareg Hair Beads

When I was in my early 20′s, I worked in a bead store. Occasionally the buyer would come in with a batch of Tuareg hair beads. I was always taken by the signature shape of these pieces, so powerful and unmistakable. A while back, I gave a pure white glass bead like the ones at the top here, to a friend who was going through a lot of changes. I thought it made a marvelous gift.

As a pattern designer, I gravitate to things that are shaped in unique ways, often things that are symbolic…challenging myself to see beauty in shapes that are not immediately “pretty”. The silhouettes of Tuareg motifs are a good example. I’m so glad to have found a couple of good images that show these incredible miniature sculptures up close!

Images from Bead Paradise