Customer Reviews

The Impatient Beader

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I have a standing twice-monthly babysitting get-together with my nine year-old niece, and I got this book to try some projects together. The book is intelligently laid out with a concise shopping list (important, because I don't enjoy spending a lot of time wandering around craft stores), and easy-to-follow photographs that lead the reader every step of the way.

In addition, the text is lively and a lot of fun to read.

So far, we've done the following projects:

Island Girl Kilt Pen
Casino Royale Collar
Mermaid's Bounty Necklace
Surf Betty Anklet

All have turned out great. The projects take very little time, but the results look incredibly professional. I only hope there's a sequel before we finish all the projects in this book!

This is not your usual beading book! Yes, it has oodles of clever ideas of jewelry to make, but it is how these ieas are presented that make it tip-top above the rest. The pictures are so fun and whimsical, the wording friendly and it has gobs of sidebars and tidbits to make the most of your beading adventure. It's as if Margot wanted to squeeze the most content she could on every page to give the reader more than their money's worth. I highly suggest this book for anyone who is into jewelry making and crafts in general, you will be majorly inspired!!!

I have never read a beading book written quite in Margot Potter's style before. She clearly has a charming personality and it shines through, here. She is witty and intelligent, but even more importantly (although that makes this book a great read, anyway!), for beginning beaders, she is thorough and totally informed about the subject of beads, tools, findings, and particularly how to put together a design. Designing is a talent. Margot is a great teacher: you learn without even realizing: she explains the importance of beading boards, color wheels, why you need certain tools and how to use them. Her projects have fun, snappy titles like: Victorian Temptress Choker (whoo-hoo!) and Bahama Mama (which put me in a mellow mood). I was attracted not only to her color schemes and her choices of projects, both simple and more complex. I liked her tips. I was encouraged by the manner in which she explained each project, and I liked her little cartoon person--but then--I am a little redhead too! Her hair is more perfect than mine could ever hope to be, but I felt a kinship as I enjoyed reading The Impatient Beader. I look forward to making the "Cha-Cha-Cha" Bracelet as my first project from this book! I am excited and enthused by the fun imparted by author Margot Potter!

A fun, light reading style provides a very approachable guide to beaders with Margot Potter's The Impatient Beader: Easy Jewelry Projects For The Busy Beginner! If author Margot Potter's name sounds familiar, it's because she's a QVC on-air presenter and featured artist on PBS TV's 'Beads, Baubles and Jewels' show, and here provides a collection of master techniques and tools for making necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more. Color photos present not only the usual finished product, but close-ups of beading in process for a unusual step-by-step approach which leaves nothing to the imagination alone.

As a graphic designer, I was drawn to this book by its cool retro look, but I love the book because of it's unusual, fun and witty style. The projects show Margot Potter's exceptional design talents and her elegant color choices. Each project is given a "degree of difficulty" category. The basics are well covered in the first chapter with clear photos of each step. Her descriptions are charming and often funny, too. I laughed out loud more than once. I don't know whether I had more fun reading or beading. I highly recommend this book to everyone!

Here are the top five reasons why I love The Impatient Beader and why it has a prominent place on my bookshelf:

1. Margot has a terrific eye for color. The projects use unusual combinations that look great together. When I get stuck in a color rut, I can just flip through the pages.

2. The projects are quick and trendy. Plus, they use beads that are easy to find.

3. There's a good combination of basic stringing projects and designs that incorporate other techniques like knotting, easy wire work and unusual ways to use beading wire.

4. The supplies/tools chapter is comprehensive and the introductory techniques are explained thoroughly. Beginners will refer to these sections again and again.

5. The writing is witty and fun. My husband laughed out loud while reading some of the project introductions. We left it on the dining room table for a week so we could read all of the text. Now that's saying something!

I've never done any beading and found this book to not only be helpful but so much fun !!!! The pieces are not only possible for me to make it has become an addiction.All my friends can't believe I made them myself!!!! Thanks :)

I'm an intermediate level bead jewelry maker and I picked up this book because it stood out from other beading books. And while the style is breezy and fun, closer inspection reveals many problems.

The book is filled with photographs but they are not necessarily helpful. The photographs of the projects are much more suited to marketing than instruction so you can't always tell how pieces are finished or how often a pattern repeats. And the text for the instructions, which is set in all capital letters and precludes skimming through, are not detailed enough, especially for readers who fall into the beginner category.

There was one project in particular that I was interested in and trying to decipher the materials needed and the instructions was a big chore. The book claims that you need 40 each of 4 different kinds of pearl beads for this particular project. I could not figure out how you were using 160 beads for the project based on the photograph and finally figured out that you only needed 40 beads total, 10 each of 4 different kinds. The same project claims you need 4 crimp beads and you really need 14. Apparently the impatient beader has an impatient editor as well.

If you need a good beginner book, try Getting Started Stringing Beads by Jean Campbell.

From the 1st page of this book, I already got an impression that this is not an 'usual & ordinary' beading book. When I go to next page and read the entire book, I was wrong. This book is awesome! Beading never been this fun, creative and interesting!

From beginner to intermediate and even advance level, you'll find this book is totally inspiring. Margot Potter has carefully divided projects for each skill level. Not only that, she's also a great mentor! Her way of teaching the beading technique is truly applicable. If you never been in beading before, I bet you'll be impatiently successful in creating your 1st project.

This book is a MUST have one!

Impatient Beader is a big hit!! Ms. Potter's witty descriptions and all around groovy book made it seem like beading with an old friend. We've even had a couple of "beading" parties to show off our new skills. I recommend this for anyone, even if you don't bead, it is an amusing read!