Book Review - The Complete Guide to Beaded Techniques

The Complete Guide to Beaded Techniques

By Jane Davis

Rating: 4

This book has such a great concept and so many techniques but I find the execution fairly poor. The projects look nice, if a bit old fashion but they are very pretty and diverse. The techniques range through most of the different ways to use beads, from bead weaving peyote, herringbone and right angle weave through knitting, crochet and embroidery.

The problem seems to lay in the breakdown of the technique and choice of what to teach. For example, peyote stitch is taught in the odd count. Even count peyote is mentioned but there is no sampler to explain it. While odd count is very useful, it is also a challenge for beginners to make the turn. I failed to learn peyote from this book when I first started beading. Then I tried it from a different book, starting with even count, and it was so easy. I now know odd count but the directions in the book seem overly complex to follow, even now that I know the stitch. I find most of the techniques are not well explained or broken down and more complex parts of techniques are shown first and in a strange order. I also find the use of ‘throw away’ row of stitching more work and unnecessary. The descriptions are accurate, I just fine them very hard to follow and learn from. 

Overall, the only thing I really like about this book are some of the patterns and ideas for projects and the overview of many different ways to bead.

Book Review - Bead on a Wire

Bead on a Wire

By Sharilyn Miller

Rating: 9

This book is my favorite wirework book of all time. It gives a wonderful foundation of basic skills and I would most recommend it for starting out learning to make wire jewelry. It has detailed steps, with great pictures, on how to make clasps and ear wires and all the components used in wirework. The pictures are clear, beautiful and plentiful.

Wirework is one of the areas in jewelry that I admire greatly but have only limited experience with. When I last wanted to add some wire to a jewelry piece, I went looking for this book and discovered I had lent or misplaced it somehow. I checked it out from the library while looking for it, and when the due date arrived, I bought myself another copy.

There are other books on wire with more elaborate projects but this is the one that I find I need to keep on my shelf. My favorite thing about this book is the components and simple but interesting projects.

Lampwork Glass Bead Making

A few years into my beading (and bead collecting), I became fascinated with the idea of making my own glass beads. I started working with a lampwork master, Faith Davis Ferris, to begin to create my own art glass beads in 2007. I worked with her for 4 years, learning and renting studio space, before taking a break to start my family. Now she is taking a break and I am yearning to get back to the torch. Here are a few of my creations from my time with her:

Two Flower Beads

Snowman Beads

Round Flower Bead

Rectangle Flower Bead

   

Cone Beads

I love making finished jewelry with my own handmade beads.

Cobalt Heart on Wire with Crystal

Ruby Heart on Wire with Crystal

 

  

I have found a new studio and I am looking forward to having more lampwork creations this fall!