Bead Romantique: Elegant Beadweaving Designs [Paperback]

Lisa Kan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2008

Inspired by art history, this step-by-step guidebook features 17 designs influenced by the Gothic, Renaissance, Victorian, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco eras reinterpreted in the artist’s distinctive, contemporary style. Emphasizing a mix of vintage findings, beads, lamp work, buttons, and modern components, this jewelry brings a feminine mystique and sophistication to ordinary beadwork. Each project builds on simple elements to create sophisticated designs and incorporate off-loom seed bead weaving, stringing, and wirework. Projects include a scalloped chain necklace, pearl Ndebele earrings and bracelet set, mesh pearl bracelets, bohemian drop earrings, a Victorian diamond cuff, and more. Novice beaders will increase their skills and beading confidence while progressing through projects while advanced beaders will find exciting new challenges. This guide includes expert design and technique tips and tricks, detailed instructions and illustrations for every project, information on finding special classical beads, and ways to make modern components look vintage. Beaders will delight in the variety of methods to create elegant, feminine, and romantic heirloom-quality jewelry.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Full of gorgeous, antique inspired beadwork...Each project builds on simple elements that are broken down into easy, workable steps...you never feel lost." — CraftGossip.com

"Elegant, distinctly vintage feeling pieces...well within the beginner's abilities provided they take their time and carefully follow the step-by-step instructions." — Monsters and Critics.com

"I found the pictures gorgeous and the instructions and diagrams easy to understand and follow...This is a great book." — Upper Midwest Bead Society newsletter

"140 pages of pure inspiration. The time, energy and pure love that she put into each project is striking—a must-have for beading enthusiasts!" — Sara Hardin, Soft Flex Company

"Completely unexpected pairings of techniques and beads that turn out looking amazing." — Bella Online Guide to Beadwork

"An inspiration...You are not likely to find designs like Kan's in any other book." — Step by Step Beads Magazine

About the Author

Lisa Kan is a lampwork bead artist and jewelry designer whose designs have been published in Bead Style, Bead Unique, Beadwork, and Stringing magazines. Her lampwork has been featured in 1000 Glass Beads, The Complete Book of Glass Beadmaking, and More Than You Ever Wanted to Know about Glass Beadmaking. She has also been a featured designer and written articles for softflexcompany.com. She lives in San Marino, California.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Interweave Press (April 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1596680466
• ISBN-13: 978-1596680463
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #126,155 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely projects from eras past!, April 8, 2008

By 

Leanne (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bead Romantique: Elegant Beadweaving Designs (Paperback)

If you love jewelry from the Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco, and Renaissance periods, then you will love this book! All 17 of the designs are beautiful and unique -- and definitely very romantic in nature.

The book opens with a short section on the basics of beading (choosing thread, needles, etc.), before moving into the 17 projects. While most of the projects focus on using seed beads and Swarovski crystals, some also integrate chain into the pieces. To give you an idea of what the pieces are like, they have names like Quatrefoil Renaissance Bracelet, Black Lace Lariat (which is inspired by Victorian jet mourning necklaces), Rivoli Y Drop, and Medici Rhinestone Necklace. The pieces draw on various time periods for their inspiration, and all definitely have a "romantic" flair to them.

On her website, the author mentions that the book is designed for beginning and intermediate beaders, but I think that the projects may be a little too advanced for new beaders. Some familiarity with stitches like Ndebele, peyote, ladder, and right angle weave is probably good to have before attempting these projects; the instructions are detailed and there are good diagrams, but some knowledge of these stitches will make your beading more enjoyable.

One potential problem I foresee is that some of the materials may be a bit hard to track down. The book does include a list of resources at the end, but I've already noticed that one of the brass findings suppliers only sells to wholesalers.

Other than that drawback, the projects are lovely, and the instructions and diagrams are very clear!

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Intermediate / Advanced stuff!, April 12, 2008

By 

N. Smith (CT, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bead Romantique: Elegant Beadweaving Designs (Paperback)

I'll echo the previous lady's comments on it being for a more intermediate / experienced beading person. Designs are great, lots of step by step pictures, I'm sure I'll try at least 5 of the projects in here. This is a wonderful find, not a book you'll pick up for just 1 thing.

In particular, I'd like to let others know that her designs bring together a wide variety of beads. You'll need a few of these, a few a those, 2 colors in size A, 2 colors in size B, some pearls, some crystals, etc. A variety of components bring a much classier and refined look to the overall piece. Love it! Personally I get a sense of accomplishment just pulling together the RIGHT colors and combinations to assemble my "kit" before I begin with material lists like these!

This book is next to my Laura McCabe book on beading with crystals, these two together have a big ol' smile on my face and I'll be happily referring to these two books for many months to come!

She does use some unique findings, a lot of brass/bronze filigree pieces not easy to find. As a silver fan, I'll have to do some reworking of the findings/closures to adapt these patterns to my preferences.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous and Inspiring!, April 28, 2008

By 

Anne L. Vreeman (Naperville, IL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Bead Romantique: Elegant Beadweaving Designs (Paperback)

Lisa Kan has a wonderful sense of color and design. She brings a lot of elegance to her designs and at the same time makes them very wearable. The enthusiastic beginner can follow her directions and create exactly what's pictured, while the experienced beader can use the pieces as a starting point for their own work. I'm looking forward to making at least half of the items in the book! And as one of those beaders that has a HUGE variety of beads, I really enjoy the different types of beads in the projects.