Make Your Own Great Earrings: Beads, Wire, Polymer Clay, Fabric, Found Objects [Paperback]

Jane LaFerla (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 31, 1999

In Make Your Own Great Earrings, you'll find 45 handsome projects to make (or to use as inspiration for your own original creations). You'll soon be creating earrings from silver wire, beads, polymer clay, paper, found objects, even fabric. Easy-to-follow instructions, full-color photographs, step-by-step illustrations, and helpful designer tips provide you with all you need to get started. The projects use easy-to-find tools and materials, too.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

YA-A surefire hit for creative earring addicts. Thirty-one artists present 45 quality projects in 5 categories. An excellent discussion of basic tools and equipment such as wires, posts, jump rings, and clips introduces a general overview of earring making. Full-color photos of finished products, detailed diagrams, tips, and interesting historical information are included for each project. A page of annotated suggested reading follows a descriptive list of contributing designers. A welcome addition for craft collections.
Bobbi Thomas Skaggs, Robinson Secondary, Fairfax County, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Jane LaFerla lives in Asheville, North Carolina where she is a successful gallery owner, weaver, and experienced crafter.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Sterling; 1st edition (December 31, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579900143
• ISBN-13: 978-1579900144
• Product Dimensions: 9.8 x 6.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #244,017 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something for everyone, September 1, 2002

By 

S. Brand "sandra807" (United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Make Your Own Great Earrings: Beads, Wire, Polymer Clay, Fabric, Found Objects (Paperback)

As the author states: this is a book for "earring addicts". A little prior knowledge on how to use jewelry tools for forming and attaching loops to the earring wires may be necessary because these basic skills aren't well-explained. The instructions rely mostly on step-by-step explanations, and a photo of the finished piece, rather than diagrams.

I like this book because I have gotten lots of good ideas from it. In particular I like the section showing several designs for coiled wire and bead earrings. I'm also interested in some made with seed beads woven together in interesting designs, including a dangling birdhouse. Not having prior experience with weaving beads, the instructions may be a little difficult to follow, but I still am willing to try. Fortunately, these woven designs do have diagrams.

There are instructions for making earrings from all kinds of materials, including polymer clay, fused fabric that has a mosaic look, sheet metal formed into interesting shapes, gourds, and many other materials. Some of these materials require tools beyond traditional jewelry tools to work with, such as a jigsaw, metal file, and sewing machine. Although I think a few of the designs have a tacky out-dated look, the majority look quite boutiquish. For crafty earring lovers, there should be at least a few pieces here to inspire.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Skip It, June 1, 2002

By 

Rikkim (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Make Your Own Great Earrings: Beads, Wire, Polymer Clay, Fabric, Found Objects (Paperback)

There's nothing in this book (in terms of technique) that can't be found elsewhere, and the examples are singularly uninspired.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars one of the best I've found, August 12, 2005

By 

Jana L. Dewitt (Maryland) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Make Your Own Great Earrings: Beads, Wire, Polymer Clay, Fabric, Found Objects (Paperback)

I have been making jewlery as a hobby for 20 years. This book was inspiring, offering a broad spectrum of earring types with excellent pictures and instructions for each. I rate it highly for the variety of styles & clarity of instructions - good for beginner or a veteran!