Amulet Obsession [Perfect Paperback]

Barbara E. Elbe (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1998

Art, nature and tiny glass beads are woven together to create a wonderful mixture of beaded images in picturesque miniature purses. Each pattern is as detailed as a fine piece of art.

Known for her love of birds, "Amulet Obsession" continues in the same tradition as "Back to Beadin" with six of the seventeen purses featuring birds.

One of the most striking is a beautiful peacock with it's long tail done in brilliant green twist fringe trimmed with crystal and gold filled beads.

Don't forget the detailed outdoor scenes, beautiful enough to hang on the wall but small enough to adorn an individual.

A total of 17 picturesque purse patterns.

Ten designs are done in Horizontal tubular brick stitch. Two in flat vertical brick stitch. Square stitch is a new addition with five new patterns included.

Complete step-by-step instruction for all stitches; that includes instructions on how to do the different straps and fringe. Well illustrated throughout.

Soft Bound
9 x 7 inches in size
88 pages
8-page full color insert
Beginner Instructions
Intermediate Level

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Getting into beading was purely by accident. Like so many, making earrings using size 11/0 seed beads was how it all began. Brick stitch was the first stitch I learned and is still my favorite. Learning how to sculpture shapes, plus the introduction of "Delica" beads, opened a whole new area of creativity. These wonderful beads, available in the US since around 1989, made it possible to make light weight designs with far more detail, in a seemingly endless array of colors.

My first two books on beaded earring designs, "Beaded Images" and "Beaded Images II," were published in 1994 & 1995.

Next came designing amulet purses and a newfound love for making tiny pictures in beads. Delica's couldn't have been a better suited bead for this!

"Back to Beadin' ", my first self-published book came out in 1996. Two years later "Amulet Obsession" was released, completely dedicated to amulet purses. In 2002 "Forever In Beads" was released. Done in full color with a wonderful mixture of purses, earrings and frameable bead work.


Our web site was created in 1997, just two pages about our books. Within the next few years we added the supplies needed for the different projects shown in the books. Because of the many requests for us to carry more Delicto colors, we slowly increased our selection until we reached the inventory we offer today.

Product Details

• Perfect Paperback: 88 pages
• Publisher: B.E.E. Pub; 2nd edition (June 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0965362221
• ISBN-13: 978-0965362221
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #292,726 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for beginners!, January 24, 2000

By 

Tammy (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amulet Obsession (Perfect Paperback)

I just recently started the art of beading (2 weeks ago). I had surfed the web to find out more about this craft and discovered Barbara Elbe's books. Amulet Obsession is the first bead book I have purchased & I am almosty finished with creating one of her designs. This is a great book for beginners. I had no trouble understanding her instructions (which are well written) and her graphs are easy to follow. This has been my first experinece with beading and it has been a great one. I plan to purchase Barabara's other books as well.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars fantastic images and beautiful straps and fringe, March 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Amulet Obsession (Perfect Paperback)

These beaded purses are gorgeous and not as hard to make as they look. Each chapter has detailed instructions on the weave used (brick, square, vertical brick etc.) followed by several patterns. I fell in love with her twisted fringe and ladder straps and highly recommend this book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amulet Obsession: A Review, August 19, 2005

By 

myrle sundmark (Kelowna, BC Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amulet Obsession (Perfect Paperback)

I have found this book to be invaluable. In fact, this is the second book I am buying because mine has disappeared and I can't be without it. The amulet bags are very interesting and detailed. I found her use of beads for fringes and straps to be the best I have seen anywhere. It has been a wonderful learning book for me, and helped me to grow in my beading skills and creative ideas.