Most Helpful Customer Reviews
30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful Book, Great Projects!, January 9, 2008
This review is from: Links: Inspired Bead and Wire Jewelry Creations (Paperback)
There's the kind of jewelry where someone says, "Hey, cute earrings." Then, there's the kind of jewelry where someone grabs your arm and says, "Where did you get this bracelet!?" The jewelry projects featured in "Links" definitely fall into the latter category. This book features over 50 different and exquisite pieces.
The author, Jean Yates, chose stunning and unique beads for many of her projects, such as lampwork beads by Kim Miles, and polymer clay ones by Emma Ralph, to name a few. One of my favorite designs is actually the one on the cover: 'The Red Planet Necklace' featuring Ralph's chunky, sparkling polymer beads, with black rubber tubing and silver chain maille dangles strung on memory wire. It's truly fabulous. However, a beader doesn't have to drop a ton of money using top quality artist's beads, like the ones I just mentioned, to achieve similar effects. Each project is flexible that way.
For each design, the author discusses how she got her inspiration and encourages the reader to explore her own thoughts and imagination. "Links" also offers creative prompts to kick-start your own creative process.
I have a couple of other books by North Light Publishers, and they tend to create reliable, accurate and easy-to-follow instructional books. "Links" is full color, with large step-by-step photographs. The close-ups of the author's hands creating her jewelry make it almost like being in a class. (Without the cost of a class. I love that!) It especially helps with the chain maille projects.
To sum it up, if you didn't want to try all the projects right away (like I do) "Links" could double as a coffee table book when you're not making jewelry--the pieces are that pretty and the book is that beautiful!
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33 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Crack open that bead box and get to work, January 6, 2008
This review is from: Links: Inspired Bead and Wire Jewelry Creations (Paperback)
If you're like me, you feel you have a definite future making to-die-for bejeweled adornments! I have actually ventured into the realm, and loved my brief forays. Like me, you may have felt stymied at several junctures, not knowing the specific techniques required for solid and elegant wire-wrapping, or the specs for creating intricate versions of basic chain maille.
Jean Yates Northlight book, Links, shows you how to do wire-wrapping, make chain maille Queen Guinevere would have been proud to wear, and other techniques to get you successfully beyond attaching a jump ring to a charm, putting that on a chain and calling it a bracelet. With dozens of easy to follow, and large, clear photographs, Jean lays out a workbook of step by step projects to suit almost any style, from an Art House Bracelet, Elegant Underwater Earrings, and an Indian Summer Necklace, to my favorites, the Golden Flowers Earrings (delicate) and her Mandala Earrings (retro-cool).
A few of Ms. Yates' references made me smile, the 'Sara Crewe' line of jewelry (yes, Sara Crewe, 'The Little Princess'!) and the Gigi Bracelet.
A rather nice feature is found on several projects where possible variations are explored, including suggestions for additional color schemes. That's particularly helpful if there's a single piece you want to duplicate for gift-giving to friends with dissimilar color faves!
The book commences with a thorough rundown of materials and techniques and progresses into the projects and instructions. There is a lovely metric conversion chart included, but I didn't understand, or really appreciate it being on the copyright info page; I would find it more useful placed at the end of the section on techniques, along with the Mohs Hardness scale which is at the very BACK of the book. But those are small details that don't really detract from an otherwise fun and useful addition to the jewelry maker's bookshelf.
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21 of 25 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An inspired and inspirational book, January 19, 2008
This review is from: Links: Inspired Bead and Wire Jewelry Creations (Paperback)
I loved this book -- not just for the beautiful jewelry but for the way Jean encourages beaders of all skill levels to approach designing. The focus is on how you can use different inspirations (family and friends, nature, your bead box, or color) to help you make jewelry. The family and friends section is especially good: through her stories, Jean shows you the people behind her creations. Her knowledge and affection for jewelry (and people!) come through in all of her designs.
She's also got some bonus stuff: "Creative connections" are snippets from artists who do lampwork, chain maille, and polymer clay. And she suggests a few "Creative challenges" like using a favorite childhood book to inspire your design. As a jewelry designer, I thought the bonus material elevated this book above other instructional craft books.
My favorite projects: Magnificent Mineral Lariat and Mandala Earrings, where she turns bangle bracelets into huge hoop earrings. She's good at showing how to use available components in innovative ways and lists sources for all her materials. I do wish the Color section had more projects, but I can't complain because there are over 50 projects in the book. The jewelry is beautiful and the instructions are clear, but what's most appealing about this book is Jean's appreciation for the many inspirations in her life. It's definitely a good gift for anyone who's looking for a little inspiration!
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