Customer Reviews

Beads and Threads: A New Technique for Fiber Jewelry

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a wonderful book that teaches the reader how to make fantastic beaded neckpieces. If you create and wear any of these pieces, people will stop you on the street to look at them! The instructions are clear and patterns are provided with which to get started. Its a craft technique that does not require a large investment in materials, mostly just interesting beads and pearl cotton.

Generous (and rare) is the crafter who shares the secrets of years of experience, includes shortcuts and tips and presents diagrams and step-by-step instructions. Fitzgerald and Banes do all this, then reward the reader with well-composed color photographs of the finished product.

While bead weaving is not for the timid or easily discouraged, the bold and the brave will be well-rewarded by trying the technique. Clear instructions make it easy to complete a piece that is satisfying from the creative center of the artist to the fingetips of the crafter. A must-read for those of us who dream of the color and texture satisfaction that weaving or jewelry making bring.

This is really a beautiful well written book. It has wonderful ideas and great instructions if you want to learn one method of making woven jewelry and using some beads as you do this. I take nothing away from the authors or the artists who's work is featured in this book. However, any artist ready to take on this skill of weaving needs about half the pictures(or less) of projects to get the idea of how this jewelry looks. I was looking for SEVERAL ideas for using many different fibers in SEVERAL different styles of beaded jewelry. After reading the reviews, I was sure I had found something like what I wanted. I was disappointed that so few techniques were shown. I would definitely suggest that the publisher offer the option of searching inside the book. If they had, I wouldn't have had to pay the return postage.

"Beads & Threads', by Diane Fitzgerald and Helen Banes is a fantastic book. I have been beading for about 15 yrs, and wanted to try using a different medium with my beads and this book had so many wonderful ideas of using various threads and also even using other items that I wouldn't have thought of using in the neckpiece. They first show you a beautiful gallery of work, which also gives many ideas for my own neckpieces. What follows is directions on how to design my own necklace, and also how to weave it. I'm anxiously awaiting Helen Banes new book on the same subject. Thank-you for a fantastic book!

An interesting book based on woven ethnic type designs for jewellary, often major show pieces. Good pictures, lots of info on weaving threads and making up your own patterns, explantions easy to follow, very informative with plenty of detail - how to instructions and graphs to follow.

I'm a big fan of Diane Fitzgerald, and being a knitter and beader, I was intrigued by this out-of-print book. It has some beautiful designs using a loom approach for threads and working in the beads. I don't work with a loom, and doubt that I will start, but it gives me ideas for some things I might do with beads and fibers - through kumihimo or knitting, crocheting or tatting.

There are beautiful intricate patterns, and the color photos show off the results - primarily beautiful bib-style necklaces.

I've been creating tapestry needlewoven necklaces for over 15 years. I bought Beads and Threads: A New Technique for Fiber Jewelry many years ago at a class with Helen Banes. This book has been a wonderful resource ever since. I return to it again and again for inspiration and to refresh my thinking.

Here are some things that I especially like about this book:

- Beads and Threads is filled with glorious color photos of Helen's creations and those of her students. The photos encompass an incredible range of design possibilities and styles and serve to illustrate the almost endless variations possible with this technique.

- There's a section on color, design, and layout that's illuminating and helpful, especially for the first time weaver - all the fundamentals are covered.

- There's a large selection of patterns already graphed and ready to make. A large number of styles and variations are reflected in the patterns, so you're not making the same thing over and over. Also, the size and complexity of the necklace patterns shown varies, so you get experience dealing with larger and or more complicated necklaces as well as smaller less complex designs.

The final chapter is devoted to selecting your beads and elements for the needlewoven necklaces and there are reference sectons at the end of the book that list books and bead societies.

In Beads And Threads, Diane Fitzgerald and Helen Banes effectively collaborate to showcase a new technique for making fiber jewelry. Superbly illustrated throughout in full color, each project is clearly laid out, complete with a pattern suited to the needs of even the most novice of students. Beads And Threads is divided into four major chapters: A Gallery of Necklaces; Designing Your Own Necklace: Weaving Your Necklace; Patterns; and Finding or Making the Perfect Beads for Your Necklace. The informative and instructive text is enhanced further with appendices listing "Other Books and Publications"; "Bead Societies"; "Sources of Beads"; "Photo & Illustration Credits"; and a succinct index. If you are looking for a do-it-yourself weekend art, craft, or personal adornment project ideas, try browsing through Diane Fitzgerald and Helen Banes' Beads And Threads!