Product Description

An instruction manual for projects to make decorative beaded purses, along with earrings, hair slides and other accessories using the techniques. The designs employ brick stitch, peyote stitch, square stitch and netting, combined with a variety of fringes and chains.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #274353 in Books
• Published on: 1999-11-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Customer Reviews

Attn: 1st time beaders - BUY THIS BOOK!!!
I cannot recommend this book enough! I am a bead fanatic - one of those boring collectors where the objects of my fanaticism are literally piled up and pouring out of my living space, who spends hours bent over any books that have anything to do with beads and who uses up any spare pennies on this "disease"! I make beaded jewellery, of the strung variety, and although I have a huge stock of seed beads amongst my other beads (the colours, shapes and finishes are so pretty - AND the cat loves them!), I will be honest and let it be known that I've always been terrified of trying to do anything with them - that is until I bought this book (well done Amazon - it was one of your personal recommendations to me!). I really think this might be one of the ultimate learners' guides to off-loom beadweaving, plus the fact that the purses are so gorgeous and quite different from others I have seen - and many of them challenging - that it will appeal to all. There are a lot of bead books on the market - I should know, I have most of them! - and this is certainly not the only one with teaching diagrams and photos. But what sets this book above and beyond the others is the VERY high quality of those diagrams - and especially the photographs. They are so incredibly close-up and clear it makes you want to get started immediately as the clarity of the instructions fills you with confidence. The book begins with a "Materials and Equipment" chapter which is certainly more than adequate in coping with everything one needs to know in those areas for the book's projects, and probably for many other projects besides. Next, the "Techniques" chapter covers various stitches and manoeuvres neccessary for making the projects in the book and again, the formation of the basic knowledge required for venturing into the wild world of seed beading! The colour charts are clear and informative, and after the instructions for 20-odd purses with, as mentioned previously, clear concise instructions, photos and diagrams, the book ends with a chapter called "Variations On A Theme" - patterns using the techniques learned - for projects such as earrings, scissor cases and thimble holders. Especially if you are new to beading, and daunted by the mountain of "beady" literature out there, this is the book to start with! I have the feeling it was written by an bead enthusiast sympathetic to those who love beads, but just don't know how to go about using them. Someone just like me!!!

A wide variety of stitches and techniques to inspire you
If, like me, you're tired of American books filled with peyote stitch amulet bags depicting all manner of flora and fauna from anemones to zebras, you may find this British book a refreshing change.

Its main aim seems to be to present a variety of stitches and techniques to help you design your own amulet bags if you wish. It starts by explaining how to work peyote, brick and square stitches, and netting and square netting. It explains how to make the neck of the purse, and then suggests various decorative finishes for the top of the purse. Suggestions for fringes and straps follow.

The remaining two thirds of the book contains instructions on how to make a number of bags in the various stitches. Although the designs may not appear as showy as those in some of the American books, this is probably largely because the author chooses subtle colour combinations. I suspect many of these bags look better "in the flesh" than they ever could in photographs. The patterns on the bags are mostly abstract or geometric - no cute little animals here! The designs often mix beads of different sizes and finishes, showing, for example, how shiny and matte beads might be used together. This, to me, is a far more interesting use of beads than simply using them to paint pictures in peyote stitch.

Patterns for a number of other objects are also given, for example, earrings, scissors case, and thimble holder. Obviously you can work any of the projects exactly as given, but they can also serve as starting points for you to work out your own designs. The wide variety of stitches, patterns, fringes and straps used in the projects gives you plenty of ideas.

The numerous photographs and illustrations are very good, and the text is refeshingly clear.

As someone who has up to now only worked a few purses from kits, I have found that the book has sparked off all kinds of ideas that I can use to develop my own designs - something I haven't had the confidence to do until now.

A useful book - highly recommended!