Customer Reviews

Making Bead Flowers and Bouquets

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

 

 

I am thrilled that this book has finally been reprinted -- ...This remains the best beaded flower book ever written. (I recently bought Dalene Kelly's book, but was horribly disappointed; it doesn't hold a candle to this one.)
Virginia Osterland's book is also excellent -- but I understand that *SHE* learned from Virginia Nathanson, who remains the true master of this exquisite art. Beaded flowers are gorgeous -- breathtakingly beautiful. They make truly awesome gifts -- and this book also covers how to make beaded Christmas trees and ornaments, etc. But the flowers, alone, are all you need to know. With this book, you will know how to make the most gorgeous flowers imaginable to give as gifts, either alone, in a bud vase, as arrangements, as hair clips, wreaths, or whatever. You really can't miss. The directions are painstakingly clear, the color pictures gorgeous, etc. Since this is a reprint, it doesn't have as many color photos as more modern books -- but the diagrams and pictures are crystal clear, the directions painstakingly clear, and there are enough color photos to show you the gorgeous results.... -- I can't sufficiently recommend this book. If you want to learn to make these exquisite flowers, this is definitely the book for you. It remains the best beaded flower book ever written...

Numerous projects!
But directions can be confusing as all the words and paragraphs are clumped together. More drawn diagrams to show directions would be more efficient than trying to explain it in wordy essays.
Since this book was kind of old, the photos will never do the beaded flowers justice.

Overall, I can't wait to start on some of the projects using the new techniques I've learned.

This book is second only to Virginia Osterland's "Bouquet From Beads." I disagree with the previous reviewer who suggests that because Osterland was a student of Nathanson, therefore, Nathanson is superior. Virginia Osterland is the classic case of a student surpassing the teacher. However, Making Bead Flowers and Bouquets is an excellent book and I highly recommend it. It surpasses most of the newer books on the subject.

I learned French bead-flower making from this book decades ago when it was first printed, and I still refer to it. This first Nathanson book gives you a good, solid grounding in the basics. The instructions are thorough and clear. Although there are not many close-up color photos in the book, there are now plenty of online pictures and groups to help with visualization of a finished product. I would recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn this modern/vintage art.

The author may have been an innovator in her time, but the book does not hold a candle to the beaded-flower books of today. Large step-by-step color photos are almost a requirement for clear understanding of techniques. This book doesn't provide them.