Customer Reviews

The Book of Beads: A Practical and Inspirational Guide to Beads and Jewelry Making

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book has multipage spreads on every imaginable type of bead--by material, color, and style--accompanied by exquisite photographs. It also tells you how to rejuvenate jewelry. My favorite section is "Techniques," at the back of the book. It has clear photographs (not sloppy drawings like some books) of findings and equipment, plus basic instructions for making earrings, necklaces, etc., as well as beading on fabric. There are books that go into greater detail on technique, but for someone like me who wants to comprehend the full range of beads and materials available, plus basic how-to, it's terrific!

This bead book is like an encyclopedia and gallery in one. I love looking through its wonderful photos of beads and jewelry, and it has added to my store of techniques and design ideas. A large section is dedicated to close-up photos of many types of beads with references to their history and cultural background. It makes me more knowledgeable about what I'm getting when I shop for beads.

The next section has a wonderful display of jewelry, mostly necklaces and earrings, in all kinds of styles, materials, colors -- from light and delicate to chunky and bold. I've gotten a lot of ideas from these to copy or create my own designs.

A section at the end explains various jewelry-making techniques with closeup photos and adequate written instructions. I think just a little prior experience would be helpful in following these fairly simple techniques. There are a couple more pages that clearly show a few methods for sewing beads onto fabric. This is a bead book I will keep returning to for browsing and inspiration.

This is the book that got me interested in beads and jewelry makiing many years ago--and I still go back to it. It covers types of beads, while giving some history, and then goes into styles of beaded jewelry. The last part describes what you need to make jewelry and gives some design ideas. Also interesting is a section on recycling old jewelry.

Experienced beaders may find it too simplistic, but overall, it is a wonderful introduction to the world of beads.

This IS a textbook, in a way. Great reference material for those new to beads and beading - beautifully photographed with lots of information both on all types of beads and also findings and simple techniques. I keep dipping into this one and still find something new.

Very helpful and informative - and lovely to look at, too!

Trying to figure out the name and history behind your most recent flea-market-find beads? Chances are the answers are in this slim, easy-to-overlook book. I've been making bead jewelry for more years than I like to admit, yet I learn something new every time I open this book. All the full-page photographs come with plenty of FYI factoids about beads, which are catagorized by type and color. I've used it to identify everything from rudraksha nuts used in Hindu prayer beads, and batik beads from Kenya, to the Italian name for my favorite African trade beads. The book isn't big on instructions. But if you are looking for ideas or inspiration, it is a wonderfully informative guide.

This beautiful book is full of colour photos that show hundreds of examples of bead types and styles and describes their origins. A whole section is devoted to projects appropriate to each style and the how-to instructions are easy to follow. The only problem is the book doesn't include a bag of beads once you get your appetite whetted! For the beginner and more experienced beader, this is a lovely reference guide and worth the money.

The information and the photography in this book is really wonderful. I refer to it time and again for information on particular beads or just to look at the wonderful pictures of beads. I love to collect beads and use them in designs. It is always enjoyable to me to just peruse this book. I would recommend it to anyone that is interested in beads,or just for information and ideas.

This book has absolutely gorgeous pictures that also provide inspiration. Has sections on various types of beads (along with pictures of them) and basic how-to's in the back. Excellent for beginners and/or anyone looking for design ideas.

I finally bought this book because I kept taking it out of the library and not wanting to bring it back. It has beautiful, well designed photos. Each type of bead has its own page with each bead labeled. However, it is done with lush artistry. The beads are big enough to notice all the detail. Very informative on the origin and history of the kinds of beads.

For instance, it describes what real jet beads are, when they were in vogue and what imitations were made.

Sections show you how to use color, how to plan a necklace and how you can use themes like African, Indian, American Indian and children's styles in making jewelry.

In the back there is a section on using beads: beading, re-imagining old jewelry, using findings etc. as well as a bead resource page for suppliers.

This is a great resource for bead lovers. Also it is a great book for just wallowing in your love of beads!

I have several books on beads from around the world and from all ages, and each one has a positive quality that continue to inspire me when I get into a jewelry design slump. This book has been useful to me with the information regarding (following the Table of Contents:
*Beads - how they are made, origins, types, uses
*Catalog - amber, shell, pearls, wood, jet, plastic, ceramic, collectibles, shapes, natural stones, etc.
*Design Guidelines - design based on shape/texture/size/weight of beads, color combinations
*Themes - love the ethnic approach in several of the sections in this category, also included are wedding/summer/evening and other design foci.
*Techniques - primarily focused on tools and findings, also approaches to necklace/bracelet/brooch designs.
Each of the above sections are short, to the point and full of images that play along the senses of the reader, particularly due to colorful and abundant images on every page in order to cover a wide range of bead types.

I also love the plethora of beads scattered throughout nearly every page and some of the designs that fit the subject page. Some of the beads really can make or break a design and this book gives one ideas to produce the perfect design. So "Inspiration" is a good addition to the title of this book and I recommend getting this book and others focused primarily on beads - not just jewelry designs and techniques. This is the best way to stimulate creativity in this field.