Product Description

Customer Reviews (6)

Just what the title claims
This book has some nice, basic patterns to follow.It also offers stitch explanations that include drawings, which I find helpful, when I am working on a beaded project.Although some of the patterns are dated, the information is useful for creating original designs.I keep this one close at hand.I loaned out my copy and it walked, so I purchased this one as a replacement.If someone asks to borrow this one, I'll send them to get one of their own!

My Beading Book
I received this beading book promptly and in very good shape.The book was just as claimed and I am very pleased.

terrible lack of technique, out of order instructions
I am a beading beginner who has done some simple stringing on my own and wishes to find books to show me some fun projects with which I can learn some pattern stitches and most importantly, techniques for working with findings and finishing strings in a clean & professional manner.I had hoped the Ann Benson books would help but I find she is a second rate author and although she may be able to teach in person, these books are terrible for a beginner: they contain patterns but do not teach, instructions for projects are out of order, materials required are not sufficiently explained, techniques are not explained.They claim to be written for beginners {in both titles, for crying out loud} but are instead incredibly frustrating as you need to look elsewhere for HOW to do the things you will be asked to do.How do you "create a loop in the headpin using round nosed pliers"? How do you "close crimp neither too flatly nor loosely with needle nosed pliers"?

In addition, I'm really annoyed with the poor quality of work shown in the book.Frankly the project photos reveal cheesy taste; lots of thread showing and not {in my estimation} very wearable or attractive end results, little of the jewelry is aesthetically pleasing being clunky, chunky stuff that I don't want to learn to make.Exceptions being a fringy pair of earrings and a fringed bag, the pattern for both can be gotten everywhere.

I'm really disappointed, I've purchased and returned "Beadwork Basics" and "Beading for the First Time" immediately.I have requested other "beginner" style beading books and will post reviews of all that I find.

Terrible lack of *Technique* explanations
I am a beading beginner who has done some simple stringing on my own and wishes to find books to show me some fun projects with which I can learn some pattern stitches and most importantly, techniques for working with findings and finishing strings in a clean & professional manner.I had hoped the Ann Benson books would help but I find she is a second rate author and although she may be able to teach in person, these books are terrible for a beginner: they contain patterns but do not teach, instructions for projects are out of order, materials required are not sufficiently explained, techniques are not explained.They claim to be written for beginners {in both titles, for crying out loud} but are instead incredibly frustrating as you need to look elsewhere for HOW to do the things you will be asked to do.How do you "create a loop in the headpin using round nosed pliers"? How do you "close crimp neither too flatly nor loosely with needle nosed pliers"?

In addition, I'm really annoyed with the poor quality of work shown in the book.Frankly the project photos reveal cheesy taste; lots of thread showing and not {in my estimation} very wearable or attractive end results, little of the jewelry is aesthetically pleasing being clunky, chunky stuff that I don't want to learn to make.Exceptions being a fringy pair of earrings and a fringed bag, the pattern for both can be gotten everywhere.

I'm really disappointed, I've purchased and returned "Beadwork Basics" and "Beading for the First Time" immediately.I have requested other "beginner" style beading books and will post reviews of all that I find.

Large variety of different beading techniques and projects
The title, Beadwork Basics, is a bit of stretch, although the new beader should consider adding this terrific volume to their beading archives. Once you have the basic skills under your belt, this is a book you willreturn to for inspiration again and again. Lots of beautiful colorphotos, instructions anddiagrams.The Marilyn Monroe project is worththe price of the book alone. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the most complete volume of beading techniques on the market, filled with gorgeous photos of antique and contemporary beadwork that will inspire beaders of any skill level. After learning about the basic terms and tools, readers will explore each technique, including beadweaving, crochet, tambourwork, and wirework, and complete a sampler to reinforce the skill learned. Finally, author Jane Davis offers 30 elegant projects for the home, jewelry box, and sewing room, ranging in difficulty from beginner to expert.

- Complete guide of beading techniques, including the brick and ladder stitch, peyote stitch, knitting, and tatting
- 30 beautiful step-by-step projects, such as table settings, Christmas ornaments, lampshades, a purse, pincushion, and business card holder
- Perfect for beaders of all skill levels ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Beading Techniques
I purchased this book because of it's cover.The projects on the cover are in the book and I can hardly wait to try them out.There are also many photos of projects that are not in the book.And, there are some pictures of historical items that are pretty incredible.

The beginning of the book has some great basic beading information concerning the materials needed for beadwork.The book focuses on seed beads.There is a nice listing of the types of beads you may purchase, an explanation of how they differ from each other, and pictures of the various beads.There is also an excellent section on on threading materials.Since threads used for beading can range from very fine for the smallest beads to heavier threads for knitting and crocheting, the descriptions given can be very helpful.The end of the book has a glossary of beading terms, which could be quite helpful.

I believe that this book falls short when it comes to explaining beading techniques.I do not think that the book would be the best one for a person new to using seed beads and to beadweaving.The instructions do not have much detailed information.I prefer the book Creative Bead Weaving: A Contemporary Guide To Classic Off-Loom Stitches by Carol Wilcox Wells.I think it has better diagrams for some of the techniques.I would also recommend Findings & Finishings: A Beadwork How-To Book (Beadwork How-To series).Sharon Bateman has some excellent basic stitch information at the end of the book.Both of these books also have information on the materials used in beadweaving.

My only other concern is that some of the patterns, and particularly the graphs, go too far into the binding to make it easy to use the pattern from the book.Some charts may need to be enlarged to make them user friendly for me and I fear I may need to cut some of the larger charts out of the book to use them.

All in all, I like most of the patterns in the book.I think a beader with some experience would find the book most useful.

Review of The Complete Guide to Beading Techniques
I found this book to be very helpfull. I am a beader and it was helpfull to go back and review techniques and ro learn some new ones. I think this book will be very helpfull to new beaders and other beaders.

WASTE OF MONEY
After reading other reviews I couldn't wait to receive this book and try some new techniques.I was VERY disappointed with the instructions -- there is no way I could complete even an "easy" sample project.The instructions were sooooo basic that they were incomplete.This is definitely NOT a book for beginners.

Not what I expected
Personally I found this book rather dissapointing. The instructions are very perfunctory and often incomplete. Better instructions on most of the included tecjniques are available free on the web with a bit of searching. It is an interesting book to read but don't expect too much practical help.

Best beading guide ever
This is the most complete guide to beading techniques I've ever seen.It covers everything you could possibly want to do with beads, especially seed beads.It covers everything from beadweaving (peyote, brick, herringbone, netting, etc. stitches) to knitting, crocheting, and tatting with beads, to wire work, to bead embroidery.The instructions are wonderfully clear and well-illustrated.There are 2-3 projects to make with each technique, including a small sampler project to get your feet wet.The book is also an invaluable resource for tips and tricks and information on beads and beading.

This is not a very good book for the rawest beginner, nor does it cover the basics of actual knitting or crocheting (but you can easily find basic knitting and crochet stitch directions online or in other books).But if you've had some experience with beading, this book is great, and it will take you to the most advanced beading stages.I'm an intermediate/advanced beader, and am constantly finding new information in this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Here is everything the beader needs to know about using peyote stitch to create both flat and three-dimensional pieces. Thread, beads, graphing techniques, and five projects are thoroughly explained, and a brief history, with photographs, describes the differences between today's stitch and the Native American original. The highlight of the book is a full-color photo gallery of peyote-stitched beadwork by the authors and 20 other nationally known artists, sure to inspire both the beginning and the veteran beadworker. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

A guide to peyote
If you want to learn how to do peyote you have here a great book with very explained schemes and very easy to follow.it is almost like step by step.

Not much for your money
I bought this book and was very disappointed.There are relatively few projects and the instructions are not that well illustrated and it is very costly for the number of pages. I took a course in Peyote Stitch and the instructor used the Well's book.I would therefore instead recommend the Carol Wilcox Books (both of them).The first (Creative Bead Weaving) has fantastic instructions for all types of peyote and the 2nd (The Art and Elegance of Beadweaving), has the most beautiful projects imaginable.In addition both books cover many other forms of beadweaving.They are about twice as big and cost less and are truly inspiring.

Beading with Peyote Stitch
A comprehensive review of the various types of peyote stitch.Clear instructions and diagrams.Great for a beginner and a good reference for the advanced beader.Has a number of pages of finished products without instructions which may or may not be useful.

good expansion on peyote
I am an experienced beader and liked this book because it expands on peyote's capabilities.Some examples are: making different shapes in peyote, curling, tubular, free-form,and beading in the round. There is a great project section followed by an excellent gallery section.

Worth buying, worth reading, worth keeping, and a warning
One of the few instructional beading books that also makes good reading.Sure, it's a must-have for the beading table, but it's a great take alongfor commuting, waiting at the dentist, or on the bedside table forinspiration before sleep. The good news: if you are a fan of the originalBeady-Eyed Women (the authors have other books), this one has lots of colorpictures, and not just in the (40-page!) Gallery section.More goodnews: Lots of diagrams, and most of them are right next to the text, sopeople who need both words and pictures can understand the steps. Thetext-links to the diagrams are easily numbered, and that's a big help.Even more good news: there are some great ideas in this book that I haven'tseen in others. The section on making geometric shapes and links is worththe price of the book. The surprise: the picture amazon.com shows as thebook cover is not the one on the cover of the book I got. The instructionsfor the Vicki Star's "Stellar Star" is not included in the book,but the picture is, on p.75. The bad news: The diagrams showing beadplacement use blue ink to show existing beads and the same tone of purpleink to show added beads. If you are a diagram user, read under a brightlight, or you won't understand what's going on. It would have been a betteridea to use contrasting colors for existing and newly added beads in thediagrams. More bad news: In the section on making bead triangles, thereis an assumption that if you've done one side, you can figure out theother. Some of us can't, and one more diagram would have been helpful.Instead, after a step-by-step description of the first half of thetriangle, we are told, "you don't have to make two steps down or twosteps up, but you still have to take the ten-cent tour." As thetwo-step process was crucial, that final diagram would be a big help.More bad news for beginners: This is the only book I've read (and I ownmore than 30 books on beading)in which odd-count peyote stitch starts withan even number of beads, and even-count peyote starts with an odd number ofbeads. In the odd-count, you add another bead in row three, which, as theauthors say, "turns the first three rows upside down." In theeven-count, there is a diagram (with asterisk footnotes explained on theflip side of the page) that left me confused. I finally got it, but I'm aslow learner, so this may not be a problem for people who are fastlearners.The conclusion: Buy the book. The well-explained tips,scattered throughout the book are worth the price of the book. You'll learnsomething no matter what level you are on, and the color pictures areenough to inspire any level beader. ... Read more

Product Description
*Beaded and embellished jewelry is a hot trend that lends itself to creative freedom through color mixing

This book teaches you how to transform beadwork from mundane to magnificent. A beginner's must-have resource, The Beader's Color Mixing Directory explains basic color-mixing principles and provides step-by-step instructions for putting color mixing theories to the test in order to create beautiful beaded jewelry. In addition, you gain more than 200 color schemes, with each demonstrated on an item of jewelry to show the effect of color mixing and the endless possibilities. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

beautiful book
This is a beautiful book.Well worth the price.Gives you lots of ideas if you are a beader!

Better Books Out THere
Pretty Colorful Book. Poor Directions. They are all Written instructions and there are just a few of those. Pick The Beader's Guide to Color by Margie Deeb Instead. You will be glad you did.
Just an coffee table book...nice to look at but nothing else. Color thery is well explained but so is Margie Deeb's book and you get better Explanations and pictures. If only she had taken time to add visual aids to her so-so bead work projects. IF you are an expert beader then you can pick this book up and use her projects and you will be pleased, but not for anyone else unless you just want to look at the color combinations for future reference. Check it out of the Library first. Or but it used for $3.00. Do not waste your money buying it new.

So pretty to look at, not much for patterns
I often will leave this book on my coffee table just because it is so pretty to look at.It does have lots of great color combinations and might help inspire you.Most of the color theory was very basic, but some parts were helpful around how colors interact (i.e., how changing the surrounding colors will impact how one color looks).Most samples shown to give the color schemes were seed bead projects, so if this is not what you tend to do, which I don't, then you're really limited to being inspired by the color combinations.The few project ideas at the back were either seed bead or very simple.

the beader's color mixing directory
I have only written one other review, so I am not exactly prolific, but this book has really inspired me!!It serves 3 purposes, first to inspire new and "outside you comfort zone" color combos.Second, if you are into seed beads and designs that use them, some very inspiring project ideas, and third (the last chapter in the book - there are only 3) several very nice projects that use different colorways to give you more ideas!!!

It took REAL talent to combine all that inspiration into such a small book!!Not really small as books go, but not exactly GIANT either.I believe this book would do a great service to both beginners and experienced beaders alike.I have been making jewelry since 1999, and I am VERY impressed with this beader's book.You won't be sorry if you spring for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Inspiration
This book is an inspiration to creating exciting jewelry. It gives some planned ideas but also is great to get the hang of creating different but still wonderful items. I wanted a piece for a difficult colored dress.I used the ideas from the book and came up with one that actually worked even though at first I thought it was rather strange.I get complements on the piece every time I wear it! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (16)

Designer Beadwork: Beaded Crochet Designs
I am new to beading, however I have crocheted since I was 12.I purchased this book hoping to combine the two.It has great designs and I can't wait to try them.

Best Bead Crochet Book.
The photography is beautiful, if you already know the basics of bead crochet then this book has alot of new patterns and ideas; such as ways to connect two or three crocheted strands together, or creating bails like the one on the cover. Loved this book....

Lots of projects
I ordered this book for myself after seeing my friend's copy.It has a lot of different variations on the crochet rope, including multiple strand ropes.I knew how to crochet a rope, but this book gives me a lot of ideas on using different beads to vary the look of a rope.

If you get one book on bead crochet - this is the one to get!
I have bought several books on bead crochet, and this one is far superior to the others I have.Not only are there excellent photographs, there are accompanying illustrations that really show the steps.There are dozens of beautiful designs - with instructions on HOW to design your own.For me, it was the big bead crochet mystery solved.Now I am making bead crochet jewelry like there is no tomorrow, all thanks to this book.

Best crochet bead book around!
This is the best crochet bead book I've come across.I used it as a beginner's book for self-teaching.I do have experience with crocheting, but it is minimal.The directions for making the corded bracelets are very easy to understand.I also purchased a DVD made by this author.It was also very helpful.The only thing wrong with the DVD was that the selections wouldn't highlight, so I had to guess which selection I was clicking on... but since I'm not reviewing the video, it won't change the five stars I've given to this book.Happy crochet beading! ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Making stylish beaded jewelry is fun, fast, and easy!

Beaders, crafters, needle workers, and jewelry makers of all skill levels now have a resource for making elegant, beautiful, matching sets of jewelry quickly and easily. Authors Elizabeth Gourley and Ellen Talbott teach basic beading techniques such as stranding, peyote stitching, and netting and then guide readers, with detailed directions and lavish photography, through 30 projects for creating necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings.

Elizabeth and Ellen have been beading for 15 years. This is their second book.

• More than 30 projects for making fashionable beaded jewelry sets

• Detailed directions, lavish photography, and illustrations expertly guide readers to beading success

• Suitable for all skill levels ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Half the instructions are incomplete re: supplies
I've never written a review before, but after spending over an hour trying to decipher the sizes (and even the types in 2 cases) of beads in one of the particularly pretty designs, I have finally thrown up my hands.And I am an experienced jewelry maker!It's so odd how some of the beads are named properly and given the appropriate sizes while others are not.How is anyone supposed to work with that?I'm also not all that impressed with most of the designs in this book -- unfortunately there was just this one and one other that I already knew how to do...

Greatbookto get started beading.
Wonderful book for those new to beading. Easy to follow directions have great illustrated drawings. Each project lists a few items(you can jot down before you shop for the items) and don't forget pliers and cutters to put it all together and some sort of clip so the beads don't slide off the string.

Beading Too Simple!
The projects in this book are very basic and unimaginative!My five-year-old child can make them!

Quick & Easy -- and lovely!
The title says it.The projects are fairly simple and the authors have some pretty clever ideas.Tools, thread, wire, findings needed are a standard beginning for a how-to book like this.Usually relegated to an appendix are jewelry standards, such as beads per inch, but here they precede bead stringing, knotting and weaving.How to make and use jump rings rates a special mention.Most jewelry-making books neglect the handy jump ring.Pressed for time to make a quick jewelry gift?Yes, check out this book.

Great jewelry ideas
I have bought many beading books and have been disappointed in many, but this book in no way disappoints.It offers the same information for beginners on findings and needed supplies that the other books do but has an easier to follow format.All (yes, all ..no duds in this book)of the projects are actually jewelry pieces that I would like to make and own or that can be easly altered to better suit the jewelry maker. ... Read more

Product Description
Book provides well-written and carefully illustratedinstructions for eight types of beadwork done by the Zulu people ofSouth Africa, including the Flowerette Chain, Spearhead Chain,Two-Bead Cord, Laceleaf Chain, Zig-Zag Chain, Ladder, Tri-Leg Chainand Square Tube. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good, but needs some colour
I bought this book because i'd seen some pictures of the beaded chains and was intrigued to learn new stitches.The descriptions are very good but let down by the fact that there are no colour pictures inside to show how the chains go together.Because they are black and white photos it can be a bit difficult to follow the bead pattern.However, when made up some of these chains look stunning, especially if you use jewel colours or metallics rather than the primaries as shown on the cover.This is obviously an early publication and despite the fact I was a bit disappointed with the photos in the book, I'm still a big fan of Dianne Fitzgerald, particularly her geometric shapes as seen in her most recent offering.Diane Fitzgerald's Shaped Beadwork: Dimensional Jewelry with Peyote Stitch (Beadweaving Master Class)

A Lovely Little Book
This little book packs a nice punch. It starts with a brief discussion of native Zulu beadwork with a few black and white photos. Then there are a few pages to give the beginner pointers to start beading.

Finally there are the stitches: spearhead chain, square tube, tri-leg chain, ladder, zig-zag chain, two-bead covered cord, flowerette chain, and laceleaf chain. The diagrams are clean with well-written instructions. "Helpful Hints" appear throughout the book. It ends with a nice bibliography until you can do further research on Zulu beadwork and several blank pages in the back.

Sadly the only color pictures are on the front cover. This book is stitches, not projects so what you make will be your choice. I'd say this book is good for beginners and up.

More, please!
This carefully researched, well-written little paperback is a gem. It's an interesting read for cultural and decorative arts information as well as for instructions for beading the chains shown. Photographs of pieces are clear, even when the pieces are grouped. A table of contents helps you find the instructions for the piece pictured. Color photographs would have enhanced the book greatly, but that's a budget issue, not a content problem. Fitzgerald has another book out now, also on Zulu beadwork. Buy both of them, they are great companion pieces.

Beautiful Zulu chains!
I really am enjoying Diane's Zulu chain book. It is full of inspiration and new ideas. Diane has studied and researched these beautiful chains and the result is a gift to all bead artists! Instructions are easy to followand the designs are great! She provides clear graphics, step by stepinstructions as well as hints and tips throughout. Perfect as a gift for abead crazy person or as a gift to your self. ... Read more

Product Description
This book is designed to help the beginning or novice beadworker explore the art of traditional Native American beadwork and guide them through their initial projects. While many beadwork craft books stress more contemporary beading applications, this volume emphasizes the techniques and materials necessary to emulate the traditional art of native artisans. The basic techniques of sewn beadwork are described in detail and are accompanied by clear illustrations. The author also explores the use of color and design elements in traditional beadwork and outlines the historical significance of beads and beaded articles in Native American culture. This guidebook is an excellent first resource for scouts, youth groups, and young adults interested in Native American art and culture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

disappointed
I thought I would learn some beading techniques, but it is about the history, not the actual designs that I expected it to be. Would have returned but it would have cost as much as I paid for it. Would not recommend

A great simply written guidebook!
I found this book very delightful. It is written with a sufficient amount of information to get you started enjoying the craft quickly without being 'wordy' and drawn out to the point of annoyance while trying to get the 'meat' of the book. The sentences are spaced nicely apart to make reading easy on the eyes and makes it possible to write notes between the lines. I especially was glad to find a small bead graph paper page that I can copy to use to draw designs which I have had difficulty finding in that size. This book is simple enough for anyone with no experience including children interested in the craft.

Beadwork for beginners
I found this book to be very informative.It incorporates a lot of history and information on the Native American culture while instructing the reader on traditional beadwork designs.While the reading is a bit dry at times, I think this will be a fine instructional tool for students of Native American history and anyone wanting to create authentic beadwork designs.I especially enjoyed all the photographs of completed beadwork items, but I wish they had been in color.The hand-drawn illustrations were clear and easy to follow. ... Read more

Product Description
The first history ofNavajo beadwork, examining both the influence of Navajo beliefs in the creation of this art and the primacy of light and color in Navajo culture. Moore traces the evolution of the art as explained by traders, Navajo consultants, and Navajo beadworkers themselves and also shares the visions, words, and art of 23 individual artists to reveal the influences on their creativity and show how they go about creating their designs. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

text history and generalizations
Written by the curator of education at the Roswell Museum and Art Center, the bookdiscusses Navajo beading thought and history, examining ideas to the point of exhaustion.I expected far more representations from Navaho artists--many color plates are small fobs and bookmarks for the tourist trade.This is not for beaders who want to expand their knowledge of color or design elements.

Contents
Navajo Beadwork : Architectures of Light by Ellen K. Moore.

This book is a history of Navajo beadwork (belts, hatbands, baskets, necklaces, etc.) but has a selection of color photographs. Contents: The Ethnographic Process / Underpinnings : Themes of the Book / Beads in Navajo Life and Oral Tradition : A Continuum from Past to Present / Oral History of Navajo Woven and Stitched Beadwork / Architecture of Light : Tsodizin, Nitsahakees / Bringing the Design to Life : Nahata, Iina. The evolution of the art of Navajo beading explained by traders, and Navajo consultants and beadworkers. Features 23 individual artists. 248 pages, 38 color plates. ... Read more

Product Description
The herringbone stitch is a versatile and unique off-loom bead technique. Popularized as the "Ndbele Weave" for its use by a South African tribe of the same name, the stitch is characterized by its snakeskin feel and visible chevron pattern. This guide offers a thorough historical and cultural background of the stitch, along with complete instructions for creating beautiful beaded projects. Also provided are techniques for creating flat and tubular herringbone stitch samples and a gallery of inspirational pieces from established artists. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

One of the great books on herringbone.
A must have book. Clear and great pictures on "how to." Lots of inspiration. Well worth the price.

Where was the editor?
I can't believe this book got published, let alone that someone gave it 5 stars.One problem with reviews is that they are often written by friends of the author.I don't know the author and have no grudge but I do want my money's worth.The author's projects are very unsophisticated, both in design but more in their choice of color. The book is very expensive for the number of projects, and doesn't add much in background history.I would definitely say - Don't buy this book!!

Ugliest Projects
Although I found the instructions OK, I have never seen a book with such ugly projects, especially when there are some very nice pictures in the gallery that do not look too difficult.Every since the Carol Wilcox Wells books have come out, the bar has risen.Authors be aware!

experience helpful
I like this book a lot and refer to it often; for the first time I was able with its instruction to achieve the 3-row start. However some of the illustrations didn't match the instructions and the more complex drawings took some concentrated study to figure out. I've been off-loom weaving for a couple of years now using different methods, and would hate to be a beginner trying to use this book. The projects are pretty limited too, so a lot of your own creativity is required to apply the method to your own projects. Still, it's the most information I've ever seen on this stitch, which is quickly becoming my favorite.

I must agree.......
this book is not worth purchasing for more than $2. The projects are boring and the gallery is small. I would also have liked to see some of the gallery pieces matched with a technique in a project. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Designer Beadwork: French Beaded Designs
Excellent book. Easy to work with designs instructions. Good variety of flower designs to choose from.

NOT for raw beginner!
Page 16: "In order to create a majority of the flowers, using the French technique, it is necessary to first master the technique for 'Creating the Framework' upon which the leaves or petals will be made." Thereafter follows only two cryptic paragraphs of text and one small (2" x 2½") low contrast and unlabeled photo about this absolutely essential procedure. Page 16 says at the top "No experience necessary" plus I READ pages 1 to 15 carefully, have 40 years of many and varied crafting experience and a college degree. But I swear I cannot figure this page out for love or money. And I don't understand why it's so bad, because all the other instructional pages seem to have numerous, good quality, high contrast photos demonstrating every itty bitty step. Not that I can try them out to see if they are any good, since I can't get past page 16.

French Beaded Designs by Donna DeAngelis Dickit
Easy to use and understand for everyone. Excellent

Another great book
I just received this book a few days ago, and I can tell already that this will be up there on my list of greatly used books!This book also has wonderful pictures of the finished product with much inspiration. I have not sat down to do any patterns yet, but have several that I am working on assembling supplies for.The directions seem well written and thorough.I would highly recommend this book to any level of beader as she starts with basic patterns and builds on those as she goes.

A Magnificent Collection of French Beaded Flowers!
Though I haven't had much time since I purchased this book, to go through each of the projects, I must say, the Vintage-style Beauty of many of the Flowers is Wonderful! The designs have a classic style that exudes an ELEGANCE, which is often lost in the french beaded flowers that I see more commonly.There's a lot of competition out there with other french beaded flower books, and I think this one wholeheartedly makes a unique place for itself amongst the bookshelf where my collection of more than 30 french beading books rest. I don't think you'll be disappointed, and surely you will be INSPIRED...I know I was!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Find Your Creative Self in the Kaleidoscope of Beads & Color
"Beading and my spiritual path are intricately interwoven. It would be difficult for me to separate the two because they are so completely intertwined with one another. As I sit and weave with my beads, I allow the Creative Spirit to flow through me, and though my hands are doing the work, another force is actively participating in the process. This force is a transmission of Spirit that fills me with deep inner peace and joy as I bead. As a result, the practice of my art form has become a creative path to my sacred center."--from the Introduction

Believing that beading is a form of meditation through which we can access the Creative Spirit that is always present in us, master bead artist Rev. Wendy Ellsworth offers multiple ways to explore beading as a spiritual journey of self-discovery. Each of the seven chapters is rich with personal stories, exercises, and beading projects, and each project has a meditative experience to encourage a contemplative spirit and creative play. The project results are beautiful, meaningful symbols designed by a master bead artist for both novice and experienced beaders alike.
Original projects include:
* Geometric Mandala
* Personal Mandala
* Personal Prayer Beads
* Beaded Prayer Pouch
* Goddess Archetype Necklace
* Beaded Stick Figure Goddess
* Chakra Necklace
* Chakra Flower Sculpture
* Free-form Gourd Stitch Bracelet
* Ruffled Cabochon Brooch
* Dutch Spiral Necklace
* Spiral Vessel
* Song Beads
* Herringbone Stitch Cuff with Freshwater Pearls
"Combines the joy for and the appreciation of the spirit as a life force in beading.... Will serve the reader as more than a primer, it's a roadmap for the curious and a balm for the initiate."
--Joyce J. Scott, visual/performance artist and author, Fearless Beadwork
"A remarkably insightful and personal account of the intimate relationship between spirituality and creativity. Whether you do beading, pursue other artistic activities, or are interested in devotional practices, you will find this a powerful and engaging work."--Robert Wuthnow, author, Creative Spirituality: The Way of the Artist
"A spirit trek with beads.... This is no coffee-table book or straight-out instruction manual [but] a great read I'd recommend to anyone--especially beaders--who is hungry for a connection with the Divine."--Jean Campbell, beadwork artist and author, The Art of Beaded Beads
"A significant work that puts into words the spiritual awareness that comes from the art of beading. It is a guide to understanding where creativity comes from and how to get there."
--Carol Wilcox Wells, artist and author, Creative Bead Weaving ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Book that Speaks to Our Soul
Review of Beading-the Creative Spirit by Rev. Wendy Ellsworth
>
> Finally, a book that speaks to our soul. Wendy was my first bead
> teacher and through her spirit I was able to expand with the wind.
> Nothing stops me and all is enjoyable. Her new book will give you
> courage and creative will to push your beading to new levels of fine
> art. It does show you patterns and "how to" but more importantly the
> book teaches you to find yourself and express yourself.
>
> Thank you Wendy for the journey using beautiful beads.

Great Book
I have been greatly enjoying thismarvelous book. Traveling with Wendy Ellsworth on her spiritual path is an eye opener for any creative person. The wisdom is applicable for artists working in any medium. The information on light and color, and the advice regarding work spaces is invaluable. The exercises on meditation are also wonderful!

I am a metalsmithing jewelry artist. Like many artists, I also create in other media. I see potential to incorporate some of the beading techniques into my art, which the author so clearly describes in her book. I highly recommend it for spiritual, creative, and practical purposes.
Jean Anthony

Beading expanded!
As enjoyable as beading can be, Wendy's book added an entirely new dimension.This holds true for beading and for life in general.She helped take an art form I love become even more enjoyable.In turn, my pieces are more alive.The projects she includes come with clear instructions and gave me the confidence to bead pieces I may have found too difficult in the past. It's made a positive difference in my life outside of beading as well. The ten tools of creative expression have become goals I use daily.It is a manual for life through beading-a first-Thank you Wendy! ... Read more

Product Description
Southeast Asia is known to many as a region teeming with tourist destinations, economic opportunities and ex-colonies, but a lesser-known facet is its colourful Peranakan culture. In this book, Straits Chinese culture is viewed through the lens of beadwork production. As a vital part of Peranakan culture, beadwork becomes an important social document. Although languishing by the second half of the 20th century, a revival of the metier has been brought about in recent years single-handedly by the renowned beader and teacher, Bebe Seet. In this present volume, Bebe provides an avenue by which our current knowledge of beadwork is reconstructed. Through her expertise and her clear, illustrated instructions to beginners, the book also aims to underline the ways in which beadwork is still relevant in our contemporary society. The result is a much-needed breath of fresh air injected into a dying form of art, and any lover of Peranakan culture will find this tome a comprehensive and insightful overview of the history, aesthetics and methods of beadwork, much of which has remained - until now - in the realm of amateurs and connoisseurs of the craft. ... Read more

Product Description
Clear step-by-step instructions show how to make decorative necklaces, bracelets, brooches, and many other accessories. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Fanciful Beaded Projects
If you've already done projects in Beadlings (Julie Collings) or Geckos & other Animals (Drew Wilkens), then this wonderful book is the next logical step. The projects in Basic Beadwork for Beginners are rather fanciful, with fairies, costumed bears and bunnies, and characters from the Wizard of Oz.

Instructions are well laid out and diagramed and are easy to follow. I do think that maybe the projects are a bit more advanced than the title suggests and a wide variety of beads is required.

All in all, this is a great book with projects not seen elsewhere.

BASIC BEADWORK FOR BEGINNERS
IT PERFECT FOR MY GRANDCHILD AND ALL PEOPLE THAT BEGINING IN THIS WORLD. WONDERFUL BOOK. THANK

Another Japanese beadwork book from Ondori
This is the second of the Japanese beadwork books published by Ondori (the first being "Glass Bead Artistry" and the third being "The World of Beads") and is my least favourite of the three books, although still a very worthwhile book. Japanese beadwork or bead artistry is the art of making pictures or sculptures from small glass beads (seed beads) that have been threaded on to wire, which is then bent and twisted into shape. In this book, instructions are given for making assorted dolls and animals, as well as a Japanese doll festival set, Christmas decorations, musical instruments, jewellery and accessories. I, personally, preferred the projects in "Glass Bead Artistry" to those in this book (I thought they were cuter) but these projects are still pretty cute. However, there is a greater proportion of 2-dimensional projects in this book than in "Glass Bead Artistry", relative to the number of 3-dimensional projects and many of the 3-dimensional are made simply by pressing beads into a clay base, so this book is probably better suited to beginners.

As with "Glass Bead Artistry", there are colour photographs of the different projects provided throughout the book, and the instructions for making the projects are simple enough for a child to follow (although these projects would also appeal to adults - I'm 27 and I like them). The instructions generally take the form of an illustration showing the layout of the beads. My only criticism of this book is that some (but not all) of these instructional illustrations are given in black and white, making them more difficult to follow than their colour counterparts. It would have been preferable for all of the instructions to be given in colour. Nevertheless, this book and the other two Ondori books on this topic, are all excellent, and well worth your money.

wonderful designs
The designs in Basic Beadwork for Beginners are beautiful!The directions are a bit hard to follow.I am not sure that the classification of Beginners is correct.Wonderful pictures of the finished items.

More cuteness
Now that you've built some 3-D skills using the projects in Ondori's Glass Bead Artistry, move on to more complex projects in this book.There are bunnies with pearl drop ears, bears in costumes and elephants for your bead circus, bead fish for your aquarium (no fish food or water filtration system required).Other theme items include Christmas, the Japanese doll festival, and the Asian New Year.

As with other Ondori books, the detailed instructions are via diagrams and not script. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (7)

Delightful New and Unique Design
I am delighted with this book.I find the pictures to be excellent representations of what the jewelry really looks like and the directions easy to follow.It is very clear that the thread that shows is a very integral part of the design concept which is "Quilling."I was fortunate to see the Midnight Blue Necklace in person at the Bead and Button show in Milwaukee this year.Seeing that is what inspired me to purchase the book.I love using cylinder beads which I do not consider expensive at all, so I've found that I can make many of the beginner projects for less than $5.What a deal!Great to give as presents.The more advanced projects are intriguing enough to keep me interested for a long time.I hope there will be another book soon by this talented bead artist!

Delighted with the designs and explanation of the techniques
I may have had an advantage in selecting this book because I've seen Kathy's exquisite bead-quilling work in person.The photos are excellent, yet holding a piece of her work and examining it closely was all I needed to buy her book on this simple, but clever technique.

It takes a little practice to get used to the vertical orientation of the beads--the whole point of her quilling designs--but even a klutz like me could master it reasonably quickly.By playing with different colors of beading thread, I could also add another level of decorative elements to the design.

Creative and unique
I've had the privilege of meeting the author at a local crafts fair and now own one of her necklace creations. Her bead quilled jewelry caught my eye at the fair because it was so different from the other jewelry you typically see. While the book photos are nicely shot, they don't do the jewelry justice -- the resulting texture of the bead quilled technique produces some stunning necklaces and bracelets. The book is nicely done and the projects are unique and creative. I'm looking forward to trying some of the easier projects at the beginning of the book and then eventually tackling some of the more complex projects.

Bead Quilled Jewelry
I was dissappointed with this book.The projects look quite beautiful and the technique is quite different but for me it was too time consuming.In addition since the stitching all shows as part of the art it was too hard to keep the stitching neat enough to be satisfactory.

Fresh and Interesting Beadweaving Designs
Kathy has taken the beauty of quilled paper designs and recreated them into beautiful bead-woven pieces of jewelry.Her pieces have a clean, geometric look and the directions and photos are clear and useful.Good for the intermediate beadweaver or adventurous beginner.A must-have for any serious needle weaver! ... Read more

Product Description
Beaders, quilters, and fiber artists will find this book invaluable for its solid technical information about how to apply beads to cloth, resulting in unique creations that will stand the test of time. This guide teaches about bead embroidery stitches; seed, bugle, novelty, and charm beads; woven, nonwoven, and knitted clothes; and Nymo, embroidery, and cotton sewing threads. The four foundation stitches as well as several variations on those stitches are illustrated. In addition, 10 beautiful projects, ranging from simple to complex, give beaders a chance to apply this new skill. Projects include an embellished amulet bag and coin purse, an embellished jean jacket pocket, decorative pins and chokers, beaded buttons, a journal/photo album/book cover, an embellished vest and more! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

Beaded Embellishment
I loved this book.It gave me so many new ideas on how to bead on fabric, which is mainly what I was interested in.I like to liven up some of my projects with beads and this book showed me how.Well worth buying

Very inspiring
These women know their stuff, and they know how to teach it to others.They give you plenty of detail in techniques, and offer a lot of inspiring examples of work.

Great for Inspiration
I have totally enjoyed this book. I had already done some bead embroidery, but this book gave me a lot more to think about and the photos in the projects and gallery sections were very inspirational. While I'm working on a piece, I look at this book to think about new stitches that I haven't done or color combinations and more. I haven't made a lot of the projects, but I use the information from them to build my own pieces. I think this book is a MUST HAVE if you want to create bead embroidered work.

Beaded Embellishment
This book is one of the most exciting beading books I have read.Not only does it have beautiful projects with a variety of techniques, but the gallery of pieces made is out of this world.I would recommend it strongly for any serious or even beginning beader.Beading rocks!!!

Very comprehensive - Excellent!
I am just beginning with fabric arts and this book was just what I was looking for.I had never done beading on fabric before.This book gave a little history, talked about supplies and showed several basic steps. It had several nice projects to work on as well as several lovely pictures of other artists' work.It also goes into color theory and talk about design which I only skimmed over, but that's just me.Overall, very, very helpful for someone starting out in this area. ... Read more