Beaded Colorways: Freeform Beadweaving Projects and Palettes [Paperback]

Beverly Gilbert (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 30, 2009

Mix Glowing Color Palettes to Create Stunning Jewelry

Learn to approach color as a painter does, only your palette will be rainbow-hued beads, and your paintings will be spectacular jewelry you can wear! Beaded Colorways shows you how to mix beads and gems to create custom color blends called Bead Soups. These soups are then woven together into dazzling pieces that are more like works of art than simple jewelry. You'll even learn how to seamlessly stitch from one color to another, helping you create stunning multicolor jewelry.

Beverly Gilbert teaches you to create your own stunning beaded works of art through:

• In-depth discussions about color theory—accompanied by color wheels—allowing you to turn beads into your medium and make jewelry your canvas
• Clear photos and step-by-step instructions guide you through beadweaving techniques—including netting, peyote and freeform stitches—letting you create truly unique jewelry
• 18 projects that include a mix of materials to add even more texture: gems, beach glass, ribbon and metal all make their way into stunning creations

Let Beaded Colorways start your artistic beading journey.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Beverly Ash Gilbert is a self-taught artist. In 2003, she founded her business, Gilbert Designs, LLC, and then began teaching beading workshops. Beverly teaches workshops from her home studio and also at art retreats and beading shops around the country. She lives with her family in Kirkland, Washington.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books (December 30, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1600613187
• ISBN-13: 978-1600613180
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #460,523 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Beverly Ash Gilbert is a self-taught artist who believes that anything is possible. That there is an artist in all of us just waiting for the inspiration, the right medium and positive encouragement along the way in order to blossom. That changes in direction and following your dreams and jumping up in the morning bursting with creativity and ideas and excitement about your work is what life is all about.
She loves playing with color and pushing the boundaries of her creativity - often changing direction and finding new paths to follow. She thrives on sharing what she has learned and helping students' blast through their own creative boundaries. She created Beverly's Bead Soup Collection and has written two very colorful books: Eye For Color: Interchangeable templates & Color Wheel System, and Beaded Colorways: Creating Freeform Beadweaving Projects and Palettes. She is a contributing artist in the upcoming book Beading Across America.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic color theory and freeform primer, December 22, 2009

By 

Shala Kerrigan (Anchorage) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Beaded Colorways: Freeform Beadweaving Projects and Palettes (Paperback)

Beaded Colorways is a book that covers color theory in exhaustive detail.
It's a book mostly meant for seed beaders, and starts with a nicely written section on color theory, how to create bead soup mixes for freeform pieces explaining quite well how to use colors and values to creates gorgeous color blends and combinations for freeform peyote stitched and netting projects. In the back of the book are a pair of color wheels and overlays for them so you can create your own harmonious color blends. I was really impressed with the section on color because it goes beyond just explain how to create triads, tetrads and complementary schemes but also how to tone them with different values of bead colors to create combinations that work really well with each other.
After that is basic information on how to do simple beading techniques to create freeform pieces, how to create a cabochon clasp by sewing a hook and eye clasp to the back of a beaded cabochon, and how to use a snap for a clasp.
Then the projects. If you've wanted to try freeform and been insecure about giving up the control of a graphed pattern, this book is perfect for that. First you learn how to create the color mix, then the projects are just gorgeous and inspiring without being bead by bead instructions. You can start with a simple bead only Rippled Netting Bracelet for something fast to get you comfortable with working without a set pattern, and work up the incredibly gorgeous Wanderlust Neckpiece which is a lovely example of freeform beadwork including larger cabochons and lots of bead sizes and types. The author explains shaping freeform very well for that project.
The last projects in the book are my favorites though, a mix of metal and bead pendants that are well explained and different than anything I've seen before. They would work up fairly quickly and they are very wearable. It's a wonderful effect.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beady color inspirations!!, December 26, 2009

By 

L. Choplo (NJ) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Beaded Colorways: Freeform Beadweaving Projects and Palettes (Paperback)

This is one of the best bead instruction and color theory books for beaders I've read. The photography alone is super, the instructions with accompanying photos are easy to follow and good whether you are a beginning beader or experienced. The organic beaded netting techniques and designs are just what I've been looking for - different and unusual and make the most of what seed beads are all about. For anyone looking to step up their off loom seed beading skills, this is the book that will get you there! It's a treat for the eyes in any case, the color blends are amazing.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Takes My Breath Away, December 18, 2009

By 

Marianne Foster - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Beaded Colorways: Freeform Beadweaving Projects and Palettes (Paperback)

This is an amazing book! This book is like taking a class on color theory, only you end up understanding just how a color wheel "moves".
Beverly's insight into color can change your work from ordinary to extraordinary. The step by step instructions for her beadwork are perfect and don't forget the color wheel tucked into the back cover!
Do yourself a favor and follow another of Beverly's wonderful ideas, grab a cup of your favorite coffee, some decadent chocolate and hide yourself away and enjoy the book. Don't forget to turn off the phone, you owe it to yourself!
Please, check out her blog,[...]. If the pictures in this book take your breath away, her photographs will make you cry! The colors! The colors!

Learn from a master: color, beadwork and metal work. Life is good.