Bead Crochet (Beadwork How-To) [Paperback]

Bethany Barry (Author)

Book Description

Series: Beadwork How-To | Publication Date: April 1, 2004

Showcasing the latest innovative craft pairing, beads and crochet, this guide provides a comprehensive overview of bead crochet that includes history, tools, beading stitches, and basic crochet techniques. A dozen exciting projects are included that use a variety of cords and yarn sizes, thicknesses, and textures to create clothing accessories, jewelry, and sculptural pieces. Projects are offered at all skill levels, and each one is presented with step-by-step instructions and simple illustrations, along with helpful hints and tricks to simplify each technique. A colorful gallery full of original work profiles talisman necklaces, groom’s prayer beads, a variety of miser bags, and a Vermont wilderness bracelet.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

One look at Barry's snazzy bracelets, necklaces, and doodads, and handicrafters will rush out for supplies. The idea that such dynamite-looking jewelry can be created at home is really exciting. Of course, there's a catch: experience in both beading and crochet is a must, despite sections on basics that Barry herself admits aren't really enough for beginners. But readers skilled in both crafts will have a great time. A full-color photo of each finished project faces a list of required materials, which is accompanied by a handy listing of page references to tips and techniques found elsewhere in the book. A scattering of diagrams accompanies instructions that carry crafters from setting the pattern and making that all-important sample swatch to applying closures and finishing touches. And if that's still not enough to whet the appetite, Barry concludes with a glorious photomontage of spectacular creations, a "Gallery of Bead Crochet." Add this beauty to collections where beading books are popular. Stephanie Zvirin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"This isn't the typical tutorial on how to make crocheted ropes or purses. Bead Crochet takes both crafts to a new level."  —The Bead Bugle

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Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Interweave Press (April 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 193149942X
• ISBN-13: 978-1931499422
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 8.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #234,897 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

103 of 114 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Bead crochet is my thing, September 9, 2004

By 

S. Sur "Beads of Glass" (Los Angeles, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bead Crochet (Beadwork How-To) (Paperback)

Amazon keeps recommending this book to me based on what else I have purchased, most irritating and inappropriate.

I usually say nothing if I cannot say something nice. And I cannot say anything nice about this book. It is uninformative, and is not appealing to my taste.

You want to learn beaded rope crochet?

Buy Judith Bertoglio Griffin's Bead Crochet book instead, or use the wonderful bead crochet chapter in the Art and Elegance of Beadweaving book of Carol Wilcox Wells.

63 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Major Disappointment, May 12, 2004

By 

Lisa Schaffner "Board gamer" (Beaverton, OR) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bead Crochet (Beadwork How-To) (Paperback)

I own several of the books in the Beadwork "How-To" series and have found them consistently well-written and full of projects that inspire my own work. Given my prior success with learning techniques from this series, and my great desire to learn bead crochet (and, particularly, ropes or tubular crochet), I was literally counting down the days until the release of this book. Unfortunately, this book fell short in several key areas. As the book is primarily intended to instruct, it was upsetting to see the instructions for techniques were neither clearly described nor well-illustrated. In reviewing the projects, whose purpose is to provide opportunities to explore the techniques, several deficits existed. First, each project required that the reader back to the less-than-stellar instructions to which I previously referred. In addition, the projects were more focused on crochet and less on the addition of beads to the process. Finally, the projects presented by the author, quite frankly, were both bulky in size and gaudy in style. While jewelry and/or fiberarts of the style presented are considered "art jewelry", the chaotic and hefty pieces presented seem to appeal to only a small population (including this reviewer). In summary, this book was neither a how-to, nor were the works provided a means of stimulating my creativity.

95 of 108 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars not a helpful book, October 9, 2004

By 

E Rice (western ny state) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bead Crochet (Beadwork How-To) (Paperback)

i taught myself tubular bead crochet in order to take a class at this year's bead and button bash. my teacher was linda lehman, who has published an excellent book on tubular bead crochet. i've crocheted for decades, i loved the beaded lariat i made, and i am interested in seeing what else can be done with beaded crochet.

when this book arrived, i started with the gallery, since the gallery is generally the best part of the beadwork instruction books (most of which i own). ho hum. how limited, how unappealing, how lacking in inspiration. how ugly. oops, those were the author's contributions--some of the rest are quite attractive, especially griffin's lariats.

then i read the 'history of bead crochet.' yikes.

to begin with, the author on whom barry seems to have based far too much of her intro has been pretty thoroughly discredited as an historian. anyone with knowledge of textile history knows that it is not safe to rely on the records of, say, the sixteenth century, since their terms were, to put it mildly, elastic in meaning--for instance, lace could mean a tie for a stocking or an open work fabric, so accepting the idea of irish nuns making crochet lace in the 16th century is overly trusting, since no examples have come down to us. (and does this woman have any idea of the conditions in ireland in the 1500's?) also, the continual references to christianity, probably thanks to her source, were off-putting, as well as inaccurate.

okay, i'll stop the historical criticism, and get to the bits beadworkers want to hear about. no, one more comment--crochet did not generate income during the famine in ireland, since england didn't allow ireland a cash economy until later in the century. irish style crochet was a LATE 19th century development. i really will stop now, there are far to many other inaccuracies to tackle individually.

another reviewer has mentioned the really poor directions. one example not mentioned specifically, tubular bead crochet, is not explained sufficiently in the opening chapters--in fact, not until the SECOND project is there any explanation of the massively important technique for keeping the bead on the outside of the tube. if anyone gets past the first tubular project, it will be only with incredible luck. this is inexcusable, as 'beadwork' magazine has published better directions for tubular crochet in more than one issue. i know this, since i used these articles to teach myself beaded tubular crochet.

i objected to the inclusion of so many other techniques. the directions for peyote, etc., are fine if you already know what you're doing, but less than sketchy for new beaders. but, since this is supposed to be a book about bead crochet, why are other techniques incorporated?

i, too, think the author's designs are unattractive. in fact, i think most of them are revolting.

the best part of the book is the pictures of antique bead crochet items. now, these are inspiring! these are beautiful. these are varied. they are the only reason i will keep this book in my library.