Customer Reviews

Fiber-Wire Beads & Jewelry

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

 

 

Man, whoever wrote the description for this book musn't even have cracked it open! Sure, there are instructions for 30 some odd (and I might add, wonderful) beads but that's the least of this book. The bulk of it is jam-packed with amazing wire and fiber jewelry that has nothing to do with fiber wire beads. You've got to take a look at this amazing stuff....for example, fabulous neckpieces using a simple method of winding wibers around ball chain and an entire chapter on crocheting with fiber and wire! Just gorgeous.This book has been seriously under rated, it's a wellspring of innovative and elegantly simple fiber and wire jewelry.

My main interest is bead stringing and wire wrapping so I skimmed over this book for about a year. After a closer look, I bought it and wondered why I didn't do it sooner. It melds wire working technique with fiber arts. Basic wire working tools and skills are necessary for Fiber-Wire Beads Jewelry. The book doesn't teach it which is the only drawback but there are other books that do this. All Wired Up by Mark Lareau would be a perfect companion for this book.
The instructions are clear and encouraging. The photos of beads and finished jewelry are inspiring. Another plus is that it requires mimimal equipment and can be made with brass, copper or craft wire instead of the more expensive silver and gold wires.

I found this to be informative for myself, a beginner. My work has been in textiles and beads separately, this is a very good intro to the combination of the two. There are precise, clear instructions for the interesting designs. I am pleased with the range of possiblities going forward with my own designs.

As others have said, this combines textiles, beading and wire work, but what they haven't said is that the jewelry in this book is emminently wearable. I've seen other books dealing with fiber jewelry, and some stuff is very hard or of questionable design and taste. You can be proud to make the items as gifts or to donate into raffles and auctions. I've been collecting my dos' hair from brushing, and once it's spun, I'll make some of the items with it as mementos.

This book is interesting - but it seems to be lacking in it's ability to properly show the reader how to end one of these "wiber" beads. The descriptions on how to finish the beads leave me with the impression that these beads will not hold up through repeated wearings.

When I create jewelry, I like to think that my work might someday be passed from one generation to the next. I am just not seeing that this technique will create heirloom quality costume jewelry components.