Customer Reviews

Wrapped in Gems: 40 Elegant Designs for Wire-Wrapped Gemstone Jewelry

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

 

 

I was eagerly awaiting this book for many months (particularly because of the front cover, it is a technique I've been wanting to learn). BOY WAS I DISAPPOINTED! The first 82 pages were full page pictures of each piece. Book seemed more like a catalog of the author's work and not a learning guide. Don't get me wrong the pictures are gorgeous, but once you get to the instructions there are no pictures save for an itty bitty little picture up in the corner of the project. Personally I like to see a few step by step pictures to show concepts and this book has none. I was expecting a bit more advanced instructional guide on some new techniques. This is just another wire wrapping book, going through the same old techniques and basics. Not really a unique book at all. I'd say it would have been more worth while if the entire book was just full page pictures of the artist's work and it was marketed as a coffee table book, not a craft book. There are one or two projects that stood out and some had line drawings, but 95% of the pieces are simple wire work. Any jeweler who has picked up a pair of pliers and wire has already done these. If you need a pretty coffee table 'jewelry catalog' type book this is a great bet otherwise...PASS.

I have to agree with the first reviewer whose comments are almost exactly my own. I could not wait to get this book, the designs were very nice in the sample pages that I saw. Once I got it I was pretty dissappointed with the books instructional content. This book had some gorgeous pictures of Mai's work and lots of insight into how she designs and what each piece means to her. That's great, but I wasn't really looking to get more information on the artist (sorry), I wanted to learn some of the techniques. Most of the book is pictures of the finished projects then you have to go to the back and find the instructions. On the instruction page there is only a small picture of the finished piece and then numbered step by step instructions in text only. Most of the steps are pretty straightforward but there are a few tricky ones that would have warranted a picture to illustrate how to do it. Also, there is no "back reference" in the instructions, i.e. I wish it gave the page number of the full picture of the work so I can go back easily and look at it to try to figure out the text instructions. She does offer clear directions on some simple things like closed loops as well as details on tools and gemstones in general. As the other reviewer said, this would make a great coffee table book about the artist rather than an instructional guide.

I was so looking foward to this book, especially after visiting the author's website and seeing samples of her beautiful work. Also, Potter Craft has a good reputation for putting out good jewelry books such as those byNancy Alden of Beadworks. (Simply Pearls, Simply Silver/Simply Gold and a Touch of Glass).
It's getting 4 stars for the high production quality instead of 3. Also, many of her signature styles seen on the website are in the book, which can sometimes be frustrating if an author doesn't submit their work for reproduction and learning.
That being said, book goes into great detail about the author's creative process but that same detail is not put into teaching her overlay wire wrap technique. Sure there are the basics on wire tools, chain, plain and wrapped loops but that's not what's needed here. There's also some basic on gemstones and types of wire. Using chain and wire linking are covered in other books.
About the emphasis on her design process, The first half of the book is a gallery of her work divided into chapters: Branches and Blossoms (inspiration from flowers and trees), Nature's Bounty, (fruits and vegetation, Creatures of the Earth, (animal life) then Earth and Sky.
Then second half is instruction corresponding with the previous chapters. The easy and intermediate projects are similar to other projects by other designers attaching beads and briolettes to chain. The advanced projects are the ones that feature her wire wrap style and in need of step-by-step line drawings or photographs. Visual learners (like myself) have to keep refering to the photographs of finished jewelry. Fortunatley, the photographs have great detail instead of "artsy" fadeouts.
I'm still keeping the book, it's great eye candy.

A very disapponting wire wrapping book, both in instruction and finished designs.

1. Another jewelry instruction book that has no worthwhile instructions! The instructions are in the back of the book and are written only. When will jewelry book writers and editors realize that pictures of the work as it progresses are necessary for many people (including me)?!
2. It thinks it is a photography book, and the photography is good which hides the fact that many of the designs lack polish and are repetitive. The first half of the book are well taken pictures, the "instructions" are in the back, so you have to constantly flip back and forth.
3. The designs lack professional finish. These people think that the designs are more art than they are (many are just basic techniques bundled together) when the real beauty in them is in the natural loveliness of the gemstone and chains-NOT the designs themselves. Many of the designs don't look finished-the polish of tucking wires etc. I would not leave my jewelry without a little more work in the details, especially if I was putting my designs in a book.

In closing, there are so many other books that are more worthwhile both in designs and instruction. Keep looking!

I have an extensive library of wire jewelry books and buy just about any new wire book that comes along. This book is by far the worst ever! The pictures of the jewelry are lovely but there is absolutely no useful information. The instructions are terrible and don't even have supporting images to illustrate the steps. It's as if the artist needed a bragging book and never intended to share how to replicate her designs. I'm an advanced wire wrapper and found the instructions in this book confusing and completely useless. Save your money and go to [...] instead.

I don't think this author nor the designer will want to share any of her technique with reader, 90% of project is level EASY everyone knows how to do it, rest of the level ADVANCED gave very simple instructions, so simple that is difficult to imagine HOW to do it without picture or drawing to assist. That is why I come to this conclusion; she don't want us to learn how she does it, must be!
It is definitely not worth to get this book for the price nor to mention wait for a couple of months for it, feels like a fool!

I had been struggling to come up with ideas for new jewelry designs. Mostly I was just copying designs. But ever since I read this book it's helped me to notice things that are inspiring me to create new designs.
I've gotten so many ideas for jewelry designs because of this book, and I've also learned so much about gemstones, gold and silver. It has helped me to connect to the creative part in me that needed to come out. I really like the short descriptions of what inspired each design before the instructions for each piece. I've even seen an improvement in my ability to select gemstone color combinations because of the advice in this book. I think it's an important book to have in your collection and especially a great gift for anyone you know who truly loves to create their own jewelry or wants ideas on creating their own designs.

The book is lovely and the artist's works are beautiful. Unfortunately, this is not much of an instructional book. Like another reviewer stated, it's more of a catalog of the artist's works. But still it's very inspirational and you can glean a lot from the full page photos. There also is some information about gemstones that's useful. Overall I'm glad I purchased the book, but I was expecting something different.

Very fast shipping and great price. This how to book is full of great ideas on how to make beaded jewelry. I can't wait to get started.

This really isn't necessarily a how-to book. Instructions are given for the pieces featured but I wouldn't recommend the book for that reason. It is a very nice design book however and gave me some great ideas. The photography is incredible and it is a very good reference on the selection of gemstones (in terms of design). The wire work is not remarkable IMO but the use of color and composition is very good. Not the first book I would buy on jewelry or even jewelry design but a nice addition to a collection.