Beading with Crystals: Beautiful Jewelry, Simple Techniques

Features

• Cover Type: Hard Cover with 144 pages
• Published by: Lark Books July 1, 2007
• Written in: English
• ISBN 10 Number: 1600590365
• ISBN 13 Number: 978-1600590368
• Book Dimensions: 10 x 8.6 x 0.9 inches
• Weighs: 1.5 pounds

Reader Reviews
The first twenty pages contain the usual newbie information on weaves, making loops, terminology, etc. As an experienced beader, I tend to skip those pages but wanted you to know this book still has great information if you love crystal and think this might be your first book to get started learning. I can see myself wanting to make and actually wear 21 of the 36 projects on the remaining pages in this book. That's a FANTASTIC and unusual ratio in my opinion!! You know how it goes, usually you buy a book of 101 ideas and only actually like 10... and 5 of those you plan to make for someone else. ;-) The other reason I consider this book a rare buy is all the different techniques. I was expecting mostly thread weaving/netting or plain bead stringing. I'm overjoyed to report some really cool wireworking & wrapping in here! There's also cab wrapping in seed beads (capturing a swarovski crystal rivoli, but you can do cabochons too with what you learn here), a fiber/ribbon necklace, crystal beads made of crystal beads, even a jig pattern for some awesome chandelier earring components. You're getting a bunch of beautiful sparkly designs that cover a broad range of techniques. An excellent catch all book! I have 2 complaints/comments for later editions, the picture on the "Superstar" necklace, pg 38, and the squared cube necklace, pg 68. The stars are done with black pendant bicones which I thought made it hard to see what the end result would really look like. Those stars are alternated with 5 beaded stranda kinda going around a cube? Sounds wonky to try to get 5 strands to rest nicely around a 4 sided cube, and the picture doesn't give you a view of 5. But the directions are clear enough to modify the design on your own, I still like it so I guess I'll figure it out when I try to make it! As for the squared cube necklace, I'd suggest redoing that picture/design with an odd number of columns so it can come to a point on the bottom. The even number/off kilter rows have the abstract free form look of a kid's drawing... or maybe that's the point? Comment | | (Report this)