Customer Reviews

Zulu Inspired Beadwork

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3 star:		(1)
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Diane Fitzgerald has written the first how-to beading guide detailing Zulu beading techniques, making these beautiful, intricate bead patterns available to artists and crafts people around the world. The book layout and its colorful photography are as beautiful as the beadwork itself. Fitzgerald includes photographs and writing from her travels in South Africa, where she was introduced to Zulu beading techniques. She includes historical information on the beading tradition, and its evolution through precolonialism to present day - answering questions such as what were traditional beads made out of, and what types of beads do South African women use today? Giving a cultural background to the artwork makes the book informative on many levels.

The "how-to" portion of the book includes 25 stunning projects. Each project includes a list of needed materials, drawings of the patterns in various stages, and examples of finished works using the technique. There is a wide range of projects - from the relatively small and simple "Zulu Love Letter Pins" to the more intricate and complicated "Switchback" and "Spearhead" chains. I believe even novices can follow the well written and diagramed instructions for many of the projects. Experienced and professional beaders will likewise be challenged, charmed and intrigued by the more difficult patterns. Projects include patterns for netted diamond earrings, a zigzag chain, netted triangle and swag bracelet, and a Zulu wedding necklace. Some of the patterns described by Fitzgerald are detailed for the first time ever in print. Beading enthusiasts will be thrilled with this delightful, informative collection of Zulu beading projects.
-Jessica Teel

My ZULU INSPIRED BEADWORK copy arrived yesterday and I don't know where to start...the book is packed with inspiring projects, and all appear to be suitable for even a beginning beader. Ms. Fitzgerald includes a history of Zulu beadwork along with wonderful photos of people of the Zulu nation that is most interesting and informative - even if you're not a history buff. The photography of the projects is a great aid to following the clearly-written and illustrated directions. Beaders can use the traditional colors or step off on their own and use the techniques with new colors, different size beads, or change a bracelet into a necklace...there is room to experiment after learning the basics of each design. Now when I sit at my worktable beading, I'm thinking of the Zulu women who sit on the floor, legs straight out, with a bowl of beads in their laps and still managing to create smashing pieces. Every beader will gain much from this book - I highly recommend it to all. A great present to a beader as well.

i have fitzgerald's self-published book, _zulu beaded chain techniques_ (1997). all the chains from that book are in this, plus others. even some of the text is the same.

which is not a bad thing. her current publisher has funded the full color photos and better production values. there are several wonderful shots, historic and contemporary, of zulu women and men wearing their beadwork. and the photos of the beadwork are clearer and much more attractive. i've already made one chain from this book that i barely noticed in the other.

some of the chains have appeared in a few other recent bead books, but most have not. there is plenty to learn and experiment with. the instructions that may seem confusing when just read are clear when one has beads and thread in hand. the diagrams are well done. there are photos of zulu-made items that inspired fitzgerald's work, which is also photographed and shows the difference non-traditional color and bead choice make.

recommended to any beader.

I own Fitzgerald's previous self-published books on Zulu beadwork and much of that material has been carried over into this new book including the actual wording. However, one of the books is now out of print and this new book is a good buy plus the publisher has done a great job with the photos all in color. The beading charts are now using colored beads whereas the earlier books were all in black and white. I never made anything from the earlier books as it looked so uninteresting but this one is definitely "wow". The material is still basically chains or straps although with more additional stitches. There are a few projects such as earrings and bracelets and ideas to make your own. Basics of 5 pages are now at the back of the book along with a good bibliography which doesn't include Fitzgerald's earlier books on this subject. Fitzgerald has done a terrific job investigating the Zulu beadwork which she says is unlike any other culture she has seen and she also spent many years figuring out how these unusual stitches were put together. There doesn't seem to be any other book which does this so it is highly recommended to all beadworkers.

I used to bead in high school and college (has it been over twenty years??), but I let the hobby go. I discovered this book, and was intrigued by the "cultural aspect" of the patterns. I have seen jaw dropping African beadwork at several international crafts shows, and have always been in awe of the amazing artwork done in Africa using beads. Author Diane Fitzgerald has broken down 25 patterns for a variety of Zulu inspired beadwork projects. I bought the supplies at a local bead ship, and have already made several of the "chains" - there is a triangular tube, and zigzag chain that are easy enough to figure out, and make really interesting bead "chains". I even did the "popcorn" bracelet with my kids!! They loved it!! It uses large beads, and was the most fun afternoon we have had in a long time. While I'm not a total "beginner" - I would say even beginners could use the book. Fitzgerald does a good job explaining the patterns, and there are diagrams showing how to start the pattern, add on to it, and complete it - along with verbal instructions and tips (like how to hold the beads, or to wrap it around a pencil, etc...). That being said, there are some intimidating looking projects as well, so if you are looking for very challenging new patterns, you will find that too. Zulu Inspired Beadwork got me back into beading, and I'm so glad to have this hobby again!

I received this book as a gift. I already had Diane's first 2 books on Zulu beadwork and this is a direct copy of those. Other than the fact that this is all in one book and in color, the info is the same. I was disappointed that nowhere was that mentioned. If I did not have the other books then I would rate this one as very good and informative on the Zulu techniques. I have used my other books extensively and didn't miss the color at all. This would be a great book for a beginner, or someone who wants to extend their knowledge about techniques. I gave it 3 stars just because I thought the publisher could have mentioned somewhere that it was a repeat of previously published work. I understand that the original books are out of print so for those beaders who don't already own them then this is a good book to have.

Diane Fitzgerald has written the definitive English language book on Zulu beadwork. I specify English language because I suspect in South Africa where the Zulu beadwork originates, there is a wealth of information that we in the U.S. aren't able to obtain. Thank goodness for Diane Fitzgerald who has studied beaded pieces and "backward engineered" the techniques used to make the pieces, wrote it down and then published it in this book!

This is another excellent Interweave book on beadwork techniques - heavy on the technique which is just what this reader wants from a beadweaving book. The book opens with a forward and then a introduction that could have been combined into one. The Zulus and their beadwork is exhaustively covered in the next chapter. Fitzgerald includes pictures of how the beadwork is worn and how it has changed over the years. Being a history and anthropology buff, I enjoyed learning about the history and cultural uses. From there, the the author dives into the beading techniques.

There are twenty two (22) beading techniques including, the flowerette chain, the triangle tube, the double weave, netted trianges and swags, netted diamonds and the well known Zulu Love Letter Pins to name just a few. If you're new to beadwork, I recommend the popcorn stitch which is worked in size 6 (or "E") seed beads, larger beads help the beginner get the hang of seed beading.

Tools and materials are covered in the last chapter. Basic technique is briefly reviewed in prose with minimal pictures. If you're looking for a book dedicated to Zulu style beadwork, Fitzgerald's book is it!

I cannot begin to describe the appreciation I have for this book. Being an Amercian of African decent, I always appreciate learning about the culture and history of people from different parts of the motherland. I have been trying to find a how-to-book on making African beaded jewelry. From what I observed from books about African Art and culture, the jewelry is always so colorful and beautifully designed. I want to make and wear jewelry that imulates the beauty of African styles of beading. Through a perspective of a person of African decent, I would have liked to see photographic examples of jewelry made by the Africans, which the book shows, but with more of them and the instructions demonstrating how to make them. However, the author has made the jewelry shown in this book to truly represent styles and beauty of African beaded jewelry. The photographs, the jewelry and instructions in this book are fantastic as others have mentioned and plus some.

I love this book-have made one bracelet, and am onto a second one. The instructions are so easy to follow and there are lot's of different patterns to try.

I kept checking this book out from the library and decided it was time to add a copy to my own library. Beautiful pictures and inspiring projects. I have made a couple of the bracelets. The instructions were easy to follow. I not only have had fun making projects from this book but often spend time just looking through it and enjoying the pictures.