Kathy Worsham has made her therapeutic hobby into a business with Bucks County Beads in Newtown, Pa.
By: Jessica Loughery
Think of that one thing you love to do after a long day at the office what relaxes you, and allows you to kick back and settle down into complete and soothing mindlessness. Many joke about quitting day jobs and setting off to make a living out of a hobby that provides this kind of joy and rejuvenation at the end of long daily schedules. Kathy Worsham of Newtown, Pa., has taken this dream seriously.
Ms. Worsham has always loved beading. Though her academic pursuits fell elsewhere, she consistently made jewelry and took art classes throughout college and graduate school. She always thought she might one day own a bead shop, and that day came in July 2004, when she and her husband, Lud, took advantage of the recent surge in beading enthusiasm and opened Bucks County Beads in Newtown.
Ms. Worsham admits that, in the beginning, she "didn’t know how it would go," but the business has been running strong since it opened. Bucks County Beads has even grown in its two-year existence, necessitating a move to a larger facility in July 2005.
The space the shop started with, also in Newtown, was located on the second floor of a nearby building, making it accessible only by staircase and limiting its services to retail. The new, first-floor store is not only wheelchair accessible, but also provides ample space for conducting classes and hosting parties. The location is bright, cheerful and open. Countless beads strung on the wall and divided into compartments on the center fixtures sparkle and shine brilliantly, among these, vintage Lucite, miyuki seed and other bead types.
Ms. Worsham says customers have expressed to her how happy they are with the new store, not least because of the opportunities to learn new beading techniques and to share their love of beading with friends and family.
Bucks County Beads hosts everything from bridal to bat mitzvah parties. Groups of six to 20 people of at least 7 years of age pay $20 per person for instruction and beading materials. "Everyone leaves with a piece of jewelry they made," Ms. Worsham says.
If you are without reason to celebrate, Bucks County Beads also offers a series of classes each season for beginning to advanced beading enthusiasts. Classes typically serve eight people and require pre-registration and payment. Many of the beginning classes are taught by Ms. Worsham herself, including a series of "Basic Beading for Beginners" classes, during which she instructs in the creation of the "Donut Necklace," earrings and other designs.
For more advanced classes, she hires instructors like local artist Jane Repko, who specializes in beadweaving pieces such as the "Spiral Bracelet" and the "Swarovski Heart Pendant," among others. The fall schedule, posted on the store’s Web site, includes a spiral stitch bracelet class, basic and advanced wire working, knotting, an earring class and bead crotchet.
If you decide to drop by Bucks County Beads for a class or to pick up a few beads, you can expect to meet folks of all ages. Though Ms. Worsham says she sees quite a few more women than men, both the young and the old seem to appreciate the tranquility and accomplishment that go with beading.
"We get a lot of kids with their moms," Ms. Worsham says with a smile. Many teenage girls stop by after picking up dresses at the Party Girls shop next door. "The girls like custom making jewelry to match their outfits without paying the high price," she adds. Ms. Worsham says Party Girls and Bucks County Beads complement each other well without being direct competitors.
Kids, moms and teenage girls aside, Ms. Worsham also speaks fondly of a male executive-type who comes around during the holiday season. With her help, he beads jewelry for his wife and daughters, and she says he’s not the only man catching on to this unique gift idea.
On the whole, beading has undoubtedly been developing as a trend. Ms. Worsham is certain the hobby will continue to grow, pointing to the long-standing success of the Bead Works shop in Philadelphia. She says the draw of a hobby like beading, in addition to its therapeutic value, is the opportunity to create "something uniquely yours." Beading provides "a creative outlet" rooted in a "higher end craft." Artists are able to design their own accessories while, at the same time, acquiring increasingly intricate beading skills they can be proud of.
If you happen to not be so artistically inclined, Bucks County Beads offers the materials necessary to take up what could potentially serve as much needed relaxation time in a demanding schedule. After all, everyone can use a hobby, even if we all can’t take them up full-time.
Bucks County Beads is located at The Corners at Newtown Place, 2 Cambridge Lane, Newtown, Pa. Hours: Tues.-Wed. 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m., Thurs. 11 a.m.-8 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sun. noon-4 p.m. Classes run two to three hours and cost $15-$45, plus materials. For information, call (215) 579-8340. On the Web: www.buckscountybeads.com