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About Sue HeaserSue Heaser is an archaeologist, author and craftswoman who specialises in jewellery crafts. After a foundation course in art and a degree in geography and archaeology she became an archaeological illustrator, working on jewellery and artefacts from sites all over Britain. This led to an interest in jewellery and design and she began making jewellery in both traditional and modern materials. She has written many books and articles on a variety of craft and design subjects. Her latest book, Anglo-Saxon Beads 400 - 700 AD was published in June 2025 after eight years of research into the subject. She is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
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Archaeology
Sue studied Archaeology at the University of Exeter and her early career was as a Finds Assistant for the Museum of London and then as an archaeological illustrator for what is now English Heritage. Her drawings of Anglo-Saxon and Roman finds are published in many archaeological reports and publications. She studied jewellery making and other traditional crafts in order to better illustrate artefacts and this led to a career writing books on a wide variety of crafts.
Since 2016 she has returned to Archaeology and has been researching Anglo-Saxon bead making, using her hot glass skills to understand ancient techniques. She has studied the bead collections in many British museums and her book on the subject was published in 2025. She was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in January 2025 for her work on Anglo-Saxon beads.
Since 2016 she has returned to Archaeology and has been researching Anglo-Saxon bead making, using her hot glass skills to understand ancient techniques. She has studied the bead collections in many British museums and her book on the subject was published in 2025. She was elected a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in January 2025 for her work on Anglo-Saxon beads.
Writing
Sue has written 19 major books and dozens of magazine articles on jewellery making and miniature modelling, often illustrating her articles with her own detailed drawings. Her first book, Making Polymer Clay Jewellery, was published in 1997. A series of doll's house books followed and her book Making Doll's House Miniatures with Polymer Clay has been a worldwide best seller. The Polymer Clay Techniques Book has stayed in the Amazon.com top ten list for polymer clay books for over twenty years. Many more books have followed including Metal Clay for Jewelry Makers which also regularly tops the Amazon bestseller lists for jewellery making. Making Silver Charms with Metal Clay was published in 2013 and was followed by several more books on miniatures and jewellery.
In 2019 Sue edited a major book on the writings and watercolours of Victorian novelist and cleric Richard Cobbold called Cobbold's Wortham
Sue's book Anglo-Saxon Beads 400 - 700 AD was published in June 2025. It shows the ancient techniques for creating these beads and contains a comprehensive catalogue of beads found in Britain. It has over 650 colour photographs of the beads and 250 colour illustrations to show how the beads would have been made, including reconstructed necklaces. More information on the book is here: Anglo-Saxon Beads
Musicals
Sue is a competent violinist and also plays the piano accordion and piano. Her two musicals for children were published in 1993 and 1994 and are still being regularly performed in schools all over the world. She has also collaborated with Peter Creswell, the musician and composer, to write Cobbold's Tales, a full-length musical; and two works for narrator and orchestra: The Midsummer Hare and Cathedral. See the link to Musicals above for more information.
In 2019 Sue edited a major book on the writings and watercolours of Victorian novelist and cleric Richard Cobbold called Cobbold's Wortham
Sue's book Anglo-Saxon Beads 400 - 700 AD was published in June 2025. It shows the ancient techniques for creating these beads and contains a comprehensive catalogue of beads found in Britain. It has over 650 colour photographs of the beads and 250 colour illustrations to show how the beads would have been made, including reconstructed necklaces. More information on the book is here: Anglo-Saxon Beads
Musicals
Sue is a competent violinist and also plays the piano accordion and piano. Her two musicals for children were published in 1993 and 1994 and are still being regularly performed in schools all over the world. She has also collaborated with Peter Creswell, the musician and composer, to write Cobbold's Tales, a full-length musical; and two works for narrator and orchestra: The Midsummer Hare and Cathedral. See the link to Musicals above for more information.
Art and Illustration
Sue has illustrated many of her own books and accepts occasional commissions from museums for reconstructions of ancient bead necklaces and paintings of the women who wore them.
Jewellery Making
Sue is accomplished in many different jewellery crafts including hot glass beadmaking, silversmithing, enamelling, filigree, and modern modelling clays.
Metal Clays
In 2004 a teaching trip to Japan introduced her to the manufacturers of Art Clay Silver, a precious metal clay that is modelled like modelling clay and then fired to produce pure silver jewellery. She qualified as a Senior Art Clay Instructor later that year, the first to qualify in the UK, and was appointed founder Director of Art Clay World UK. She has taught workshops all over the world, from Taiwan to the USA and became a craft instructor for P&O in 2011, teaching polymer clay and metal clay jewellery on cruise ships.
She has recently created a collection of replica jewellery for Norwich Castle Museum, using the metal clays and developing ways for simulating ancient techniques.
Polymer Clays
She first discovered polymer clay in 1981 and within a year she was supplying an ever-increasing number of boutiques and galleries with her her unique range of jewellery. Over the years she continually experimented with the clays, stretching the limits of the medium to embrace a wide range of techniques. These ideas have been shared in her many books on the subject, some of which are project books for dolls house miniatures for which the clays are ideal materials.
Sue was a co-founder of the British Polymer Clay Guild in 1997 and served as chairman for many years.
Metal Clays
In 2004 a teaching trip to Japan introduced her to the manufacturers of Art Clay Silver, a precious metal clay that is modelled like modelling clay and then fired to produce pure silver jewellery. She qualified as a Senior Art Clay Instructor later that year, the first to qualify in the UK, and was appointed founder Director of Art Clay World UK. She has taught workshops all over the world, from Taiwan to the USA and became a craft instructor for P&O in 2011, teaching polymer clay and metal clay jewellery on cruise ships.
She has recently created a collection of replica jewellery for Norwich Castle Museum, using the metal clays and developing ways for simulating ancient techniques.
Polymer Clays
She first discovered polymer clay in 1981 and within a year she was supplying an ever-increasing number of boutiques and galleries with her her unique range of jewellery. Over the years she continually experimented with the clays, stretching the limits of the medium to embrace a wide range of techniques. These ideas have been shared in her many books on the subject, some of which are project books for dolls house miniatures for which the clays are ideal materials.
Sue was a co-founder of the British Polymer Clay Guild in 1997 and served as chairman for many years.