Book of Beads: A Practical and Inspirational Guide to Beads and Jewelry Making

This bead book is like an encyclopedia and gallery in one. I love looking through its wonderful photos of beads and jewelry, and it has added to my store of techniques and design ideas. A large section is dedicated to close-up photos of many types of beads with references to their history and cultural background. It makes me more knowledgeable about what I'm getting when I shop for beads. The next section has a wonderful display of jewelry, mostly necklaces and earrings, in all kinds of styles, materials, colors -- from light and delicate to chunky and bold. I've gotten a lot of ideas from these to copy or create my own designs. A section at the end explains various jewelry-making techniques with closeup photos and adequate written instructions. I think just a little prior experience would be helpful in following these fairly simple techniques. There are a couple more pages that clearly show a few methods for sewing beads onto fabric. This is a bead book I will keep returning to for browsing and inspiration.

This book has multipage spreads on every imaginable type of bead--by material, color, and style--accompanied by exquisite photographs. It also tells you how to rejuvenate jewelry. My favorite section is "Techniques," at the back of the book. It has clear photographs (not sloppy drawings like some books) of findings and equipment, plus basic instructions for making earrings, necklaces, etc., as well as beading on fabric. There are books that go into greater detail on technique, but for someone like me who wants to comprehend the full range of beads and materials available, plus basic how-to, it's terrific!

This IS a textbook, in a way. Great reference material for those new to beads and beading - beautifully photographed with lots of information both on all types of beads and also findings and simple techniques. I keep dipping into this one and still find something new.Very helpful and informative - and lovely to look at, too!

This is the book that got me interested in beads and jewelry makiing many years ago--and I still go back to it. It covers types of beads, while giving some history, and then goes into styles of beaded jewelry. The last part describes what you need to make jewelry and gives some design ideas. Also interesting is a section on recycling old jewelry.Experienced beaders may find it too simplistic, but overall, it is a wonderful introduction to the world of beads.