Do you want to start
beading, or begin anew, reinspired by the possibilities you’ve never seen or explored before? This may be the book (or book and
kit) for you. This book can either be purchased separately or as an adjunct to the Beading for the First Time kit and book package (the kit contains many
beads, materials and findings, although they are for the most part different than the ones suggested for most of the
projects in the book).
The first section of the book, called “beading basics,” familiarizes one with the different shapes, sized and materials (from bone to glass to metal, precious and semiprecious stones to wood to cloisonné, chips to seed beads to fancy shapes). It details the tools needed or desirable for beading work; they types of needles and their uses; looms and looming techniques and patterns; findings (such parts as ear wires, clasps, pin frames and the like), and other jewelry components; and concludes with some common problems and difficulties, along with their solutions.
The second section of the book uses 18 projects to teach, by illustration, patterning and verbal directions, how to use a number of basic techniques in order to make various items, including necklaces, ankle and wrist bracelets, earrings, napkin rings, hat bands, bookmarks beaded shirt collars, pins, boxes and ornamental household objects and decorations. The techniques used range from gluing (which had never really occurred to me before I read this book, but which is now one of my favorite techniques); sewing onto cloth or needlepoint canvases; stringing with thread, elastic, leather and wire; loom weaving, lace and fringe making and several others.
The third section of the book consists of a number of more complex and complicated projects, some combining more than one elementary techniques and/or artforms. The author includes projects from needlecases to lampshades, jewelry to eyeglass cases.
The fourth section is a gallery of various beading artists’ works – an inspiration to all who aspire to true artistic beauty beyond the elementary and ordinary levels.
The author is very thorough in detailing the materials and tools needed for each project, something I found very comforting as a relative
beginner to her style of beadworking.
Included at the end is a metric-to-English-measure chart I found very helpful – and not only for beading.
More reviews about the Beading for the First Time