Tremonton woman creates rodeo-inspired, intricate bead work with seed beads
LaDee Madsen works on a bead belt at her home in Tremonton on Monday, January 11, 2016.
One of LaDee Madsen's bead belts is displayed at her home in Tremonton on Monday, January 11, 2016.
LaDee Madsen works on a bead belt at her home in Tremonton on Monday, January 11, 2016.
A beaded dog collar is displayed on LaDee Madsen's table at her home in Tremonton on Monday, January 11, 2016.
LaDee Madsen scoops up beads with her needle as she works on a bead belt at her home in Tremonton on Monday, January 11, 2016.
One of LaDee Madsen's wrist cuffs is displayed on her table at her home in Tremonton on Monday, January 11, 2016.
LaDee Madsen works on a bead belt at her home in Tremonton on Monday, January 11, 2016.
LaDee Madsen works on a bead belt at her home in Tremonton on Monday, January 11, 2016.
LaDee Madsen works on a bead belt at her home in Tremonton on Monday, January 11, 2016.
LaDee Madsen works on a bead belt at her home in Tremonton on Monday, January 11, 2016.
LaDee Madsen works on a bead belt at her home in Tremonton on Monday, January 11, 2016.
LaDee Madsen works on a bead belt at her home in Tremonton on Monday, January 11, 2016.
LaDee Madsen works on a bead belt at her home in Tremonton on Monday, January 11, 2016.
Living in Utah for more than 50 years I’ve gone to my share of rodeos and I have marveled at the intricate bead work I’ve seen on cowboy belts, hats and horse halters.
I have always wondered how that type of beading was done and I finally met someone who has been beading for more than 30 years.
LaDee “Dee” Madsen, 65, of Tremonton, spends hours weaving seed beads on looms her husband made for her when she wanted to try her hand at it. She has the power to take a bunch of seed beads divided by color in muffin tins and thread each bead to make wearable art, such as cuffs, belts, hatbands, horse halters, plus dog and cat collars. Between Thanksgiving and Christmas she created 30 personalized beaded belts. The leather work on the belts were done by Stephen Harper in New Mexico.
During that time period, it was common for Madsen to wake up at 4 a.m. so she could finish at least one belt or 1 1/2 belts a day, she said.
“I”m a widow so I just have lot of time,” Madsen said. “Many people don’t have that luxury.”
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Even though she makes many items for people to wear, her love of seed bead weaving began because of her love of animals.
Madsen and her late husband, Duain Madsen, performed in the Madsen Rodeo Acts, going across the country doing speciality acts with their horses, dogs and sheep. Duain passed away in 2012. During the winter months before they retired from the rodeo, they lived in Gold Canyon, Arizona. That is when she saw a beaded personalized dog collar and decided she wanted to make one for her friends who had dogs as a Christmas gift.
“Every cowboy has a dog,” she said
Her husband made her looms out of wood boards and nails, which she still uses today.
“They’re not fancy, just worn out wood,” Madsen said.
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BRIANA SCROGGINS/Standard-Examiner
LaDee Madsen works on a bead belt at her home in Tremonton on Monday, January 11, 2016.
Madsen said she asked everyone she knew if they knew how to do the beading, which is seen on many western style belts and horse halters.
“No one knew how, but kept saying it was easy and we didn’t have the Internet then,” Madsen said.
She looked at several beaded objects, then decided to take the plunge. Her first attempts “were horrid,” but she persisted and was able to make personalized dog collars as Christmas gifts for their friends. She hand-sewed the personalized beaded collars onto pre-made regular nylon dog collars.
Madsen picks up the miniscule beads out of the muffin tin with a needle that is attached to a long thread, which she then weaves through threads, called the warp, strung on the board.
“There are a ton of patterns out there and some cross stitch patterns also work,” Madsen said.
Many of her orders come from Texas, California and New York.
Even though she has an Etsy shop online for people to place orders, Madsen says she looks at what she does as a hobby, not as a business because “you really can’t depend on it to bring in a steady income.”
Madsen said the reason she has not got burned out with bead weaving is because she can make some money from it.
“My favorite part is finding new patterns, getting new ideas and meeting new people,” Madsen said. “I just love what I do.”
And her favorite things to bead are presents for her dogs and horses.
“I really like giving them things,” Madsen said.
You can reach reporter Loretta Park at lpark@standard.net or at 801-625-4252. Follow her on Twitter@LorettaParkSE or like her on Facebook.