Maggie Thompson is a self-taught jewelry designer who began designing with seed beads as a hobby 40 years ago. Sixteen years ago she discovered the Japanese art of braided jewelry and turned this passion into her business, Maggie T Designs.
Her website www.maggietdesigns.com features her many designs sold as both kits and tutorials. She is also the inventor of The Traveller™, a portable kumihimo stand -- available for sale on her website and in her Etsy shop. Her designs are characterized as “embellished” kumihimo because she frequently uses 2 hole beads and crystals to embellish a braid.
She’s written 3 ebooks and a webinar for Interweave Press/Golden Peak Media showcasing her specialty of Japanese Kumihimo braiding. Interweave Press continues to sell her patterns as well as her ebooks through www.interweavestore.com
Maggie’s designs have been featured numerous times in Beadwork, Bead & Button and Bead & Jewellery (UK magazine). Her “Kumi 3 Ways Necklace” was the April 2018 Beadwork magazine cover picture. Her “Oyster Bubbles Necklace” was featured on the cover of Interweave’s “Beadwork Inspired by Color” ebook.
She was a Starman Trendsetter, past President of the Upper Midwest Bead Society in the Twin Cities MN and is a member of the Capital Area Beading Organization in Raleigh, NC. She has also been a 3 time TOHO™ Challenge Featured Designer.