This book not only covers not only making necklaces with beads, but also how to make beads from different things such as clay, fabric, and papier-mache. As part of a series, the book focuses on necklaces and the projects include traditional bead stringing coupled with some wire work.
Projects include:
- Papier-Mache bead necklaces.
- Flowering vine necklace made from clay-sculpted flowers and chain.
- Marbled beads made from clay.
- Faux Millefiori (Venetian glass beads) made from clay.
- A necklace incorporating feathers.
- A seed necklace.
- A necklace made with hardware washers and leather thong.
Each project offers a couple of photographic variations on the main project. They really do spark your imagination; I really enjoy most the books that go astray from basic beading techniques.
I do have a couple of notes about the book, though, that are less laudatory:
- Whatever font they chose for it has a little loop that connects the tops of st and ct whenever they appear (in words such as lost and impact, for example, the loop connects the last two letters). That was distracting.
- Individual numbered steps in the projects include more than one action. As an occasional technical writer, I find that irksome. A single action gets its own step. Not
- Gather your materials. Mix the paste. Tear up some paper. Wrap the paper around a core bead and apply the paste.
That’s not a single step.
Still, worth your time and trouble perusing it if you’re looking for some new ideas.
