Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #885370 in Books
• Published on: 2001-03-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 88 pages

Customer Reviews

Imaginative but not for beginners
I love the Ondori publications, partly because their designs are always imaginative and fun but also because the translation from Japanese into English is somewhat eccentric. The Art of Antique Beading is no different. The designs, some using wire and in a variety of beads but principally incorporating seed beads, include necklaces & chokers, earrings, bracelets, rings, barrettes and evening bags as well as a delicate butterfly hand ornament, and range from the fairly simple to the downright complicated. If you have not worked from an Ondori book before, you should be aware that the instructions are given almost entirely in hand-drawn diagrams with a few annotations. The diagrams may seem incomprehensible at first although they can be deciphered with a little application and perseverence. However, I am not sure they are entirely suitable for beginners. There is a section at the back of the book which provides brief basic instructions but there are better books on the market from which to learn ("Creative Bead Weaving by Carol Wilcox Wells and/or anything by Stefany Tomalin).

There are 128 projects in this slim paperback although some are just different colourways of the same design, many of which lend themselves to further adaptation. Many have a 1920's flavour but none would look out of place today. If you are addicted to beadwork and jewellery making, I wouldn't say this book is essential reading but it is certainly different.

Interesting concepts
Typical of Japanese books, the diagrams are hand-drawn and very pretty, but for the beading beginner they take some puzzling out, especially as the written intructions are laconic. The designs are original in their balance and concept but some can look a bit "thin". An experienced beader could flesh them out but if you like exact instructions it might be disappointing. The patterns include bracelets, brooches, neckwear and rings. I found this book interesting but not entrancing.