BOOK REVIEWS

(new reviews will be added to the top)

Beadwork Presents Favorite Bead Stitches
from Beadwork Magazine
This "special collector’s edition" magazine includes 43 gorgeous beadweaving projects from past Beadwork issues and a free DVD of Leslie Rogalski’s DoodleBeads video tutorials (which normally sells for $29.99) where she covers of all the most popular beadweaving stitches: even- and odd-count peyote, tubular and circular peyote, flat and tubular herringbone, flat and circular brick stitch, right-angle weave, circular netting, square stitch and spiral rope. If you’re a beginning beader, the DVD is the perfect way to start and if you’re not, Favorite Bead Stitches contains some of Beadwork’s best patterns from bead designers Marcia DeCoster, Lisa Khan and Jean Campbell, just to name a few. And it’s only $14.99, plus shipping. Whoa. If you can no longer find the print version, a digital download is available from InterweaveStore.com.

Beadwork Presents: 41 Favorite Jewelry Designs
from Beadwork Magazine
Another "special collector’s edition" magazine that includes 41 favorite beadweaving projects from past Beadwork issues. A beautiful collection of designs. If you can no longer find the print version, a digital download is available from InterweaveStore.com.

Beadweaving with Cabochons: 30 Stunning Jewelry Designs
by Marie Geraud
I originally bought this book before it had been translated from French to English. Even in French, though, I could easily follow her diagrams, and I just lover her designs. My only problem with this book is that some of the designs use 4-hole sew ons (rivolis in settings, which are not really "cabochons") and I don't know where you can buy them here in America.

Cube Bead Stitching: Contemporary Jewelry Designs You Can Make
by Virginia Jensen
If you love cube beads, then this book is for you. Instructions are step-by-step but I would describe them as being more for advanced beaders. The designs are positively lovely.

Beaded Allure: Beadweaving Patterns for 25 Romantic Projects
by Kelly Wiese
Excellent instructions for some beautiful designs—everything a beading book should be but very rarely is. The book is a winner!

Diane Fitzgerald's Shaped Beadwork: Dimensional Jewelry with Peyote Stitch
by Diane Fitzgerald
Another well-written and beautifully illustrated book from Diane Fitzgerald, this one focusing on using cylinder beads and other embellishment beads to form two- and three-dimensional forms. Very nice job!

Your Seed Bead Style: Accents, Embellishments, Adornments
from Bead & Button magazine
A collection of 27 favorite patterns from Bead & Button magazine that take seed beads and beadweaving to the next level.

Peyote Stitch: Basic Techniques, Advanced Results (Stitch Workshop)
from Bead & Button magazine
A wonderful compilation of 27 peyote stitch patterns from Bead & Button magazine.

Beaded Opulence: Elegant Jewelry Projects with Right Angle Weave
by Marcia DeCoster
This book is definitely for advanced beaders but it has some incredibly beautiful designs using single needle right-angle weave (flat and tubular). If you are somewhat familiar with right-angle-weave and enjoy it (as I do!), then this book is for you.

Seed Bead Stitching: Creative Variations on Traditional Techniques
More Seed Bead Stitching: Creative Variations on Traditional Techniques
by Beth Stone
These two books are excellent for learning beadweaving stitches. They include step by step instructions and a design for a number of bead weaving stitches, including the peyote stitch, brick stitch, right-angle weave daisy chain and others. Great book for beginning beadweavers.

Creating Crystal Jewelry with Swarovski: 65 Sparkling Designs with Crystal Beads and Stones
by Laura McCabe
If you want to learn how to bezel a rivoli, then this is the book you need. It may seem dense at first but that's because it is. You need to sit down and actually read the first 30 pages before you even begin to bead. If you can spare the $24.95, I highly recommend Laura McCabe's Crystal Squared Pendant downloadable video and instructional PDF. Even if you don't want to make the project, I found her video bezeling instructions and guidance in linking the bezeled rivolis extremely helpful when creating some of the projects in her book.

Bead Romantique: Elegant Beadweaving Designs
by Lisa Kan
This is a lovely book with some great projects. The step-by-step instructions are much better than your average bead book and there are lots of illustrations.

The Beading Answer Book: Solutions to Every Problem You'll Ever Face: Answers to Every Question You'll Ever Ask (Answer Book)
by Karen Morris
My brother gave me this book for Christmas and what a little delight it is! It measures only 4.4 by 6 inches—about the size of a diary—but is packed full of useful reference information in easy question and answer format. It would be a wonderful gift for beginner beaders.

Beadweaving Brilliance: Make Beautiful Jewelry as You Learn Off-Loom Techniques
Beadweaving Brilliance 2: Make Beautiful Jewelry While Mastering Six Basic Beading Stitches, Special Bonus Section on Peyote Stitch
by Kumiko Mizuno Ito
Translated from the Japanese versions, the projects in these two books cover a number of beadweaving techniques and stitches—peyote, herringbone, netting, brick, RAW. The directions are very good and there's lots of illustrations and photos.

Mastering Beadwork: A Comprehensive Guide to Off-Loom Techniques
by Carol Huber Cypher
I love this book. It has a multitude of great projects that cover just about every beadweaving stitch and technique. It's also well illustrated with step-by-step instructions. Advanced beaders may find it too easy but beginner beaders will find plenty to be thrilled about. Plus, it's spiral-bound!

WigJig E-Books, Online Books and Videos
Along with all the free stuff at the WigJig University, WigJig.com also has a number of wonderful e-books, online books and videos on wire wrapping and wire wrapping projects.

Crystal Lace Necklace Patterns, Bead Weaving Technique
by Sandra D. Halpenny
This book features sixteen of Sandy's necklaces, all beautifully illustrated with step-by-step instructions. It starts with relatively simple necklaces and progresses to more complicated patterns. She also has a number of e-books and patterns available at her web site SandraHalpenny.com.

Bead Fantasies: Beautiful, Easy-to-make Jewelry
Bead Fantasies II: More Beautiful, Easy-To-Make Jewelry
Bead Fantasies III: Still More Beautiful, Easy-To-Make Jewelry (Bead Fantasies)
Bead Fantasies #04: Bead Fantasies IV: The Ultimate Collection of Beautiful, Easy-To-Make Jewelry
by Takako Samejima
Many people probably buy this book to get the pattern for the necklace on the cover (and I was one of those people). It is beautifully illustrated with both color photos and diagrams, and has instructions for beaded rings, lariats, necklaces, chokers, broaches, earrings, beaded beads, hair ornaments, cell phone straps and eyeglass chains. Most of the patterns require the two-needle, Japanese-style cross-weaving technique, and although there are some written instructions (in English), you primarily have to be able to follow the diagrams, which are better than most, however. Bead Fantasies II, III and IV are also now in print.

Beaded Bracelets: Make & Wear 25 Fast, Fabulous Projects
This book features 25 great bracelet projects that have appeared in Bead & Button Magazine over the last ten years. As with the instructions in Bead & Button Magazine, the patterns are sometimes over-zealously edited down for space, but there are a great many wonderful designs in this book that are worth the head-banging.

Beading with Ruby by Sandi (Ruby) Fischer
106 Pages, color, $25.00 (book) or $17.00 (CD) available at RubysBeadwork.com
If I had just one book to suggest to all beginning beaders, it would be this one. Beading with Ruby is self-published so don't expect a fancy print job and slick glossy photos. It is, however, chock full of great information and 30 start-to-finish beaded projects with illustrated and detailed instructions on most every bead weaving technique that exists: netting, chevron, right-angle weave, peyote, brick... and on and on. This book is a real treasure and worth every dime.

Beading with Brick Stitch (Beadwork How-To)
by Diane Fitzgerald
Diane Fitzgerald has written a number of books and this one is especially good if you're looking to master the brick stitch. The first 25 pages are dedicated to the history of the brick stitch and illustrated with a great many beautiful photographs of beadwork from around the world. There are several projects, including the "Crossroads Bracelet," which is a personal favorite.

Beading with Crystals: Beautiful Jewelry, Simple Techniques
by Katherine Duncan Aimone & Jean Campbell
There's quite a few wonderful designs in this book and although the directions are way better than most beading books, Beading with Crystals isn't for the inexperienced beader. There's several stunning wirework projects.

Beading with Right Angle Weave: A Beadwork How-To Book (Beadwork How-To)
by Christine Prussing
Chris uses a compass metaphor to explain the theory of right-angle weave, which I found very helpful. I have to admit that I bought the book for the "Carnelian and Garnet Necklace" pattern on the cover. It's a versatile design that you can make using a number of different bead types and shapes, and it's just so darn lovely.

Beadweaving (nicknamed The White Russian)
by M. I. Anifrieva
Although this book is written entirely in Russian, bead book sellers are having a hard time keeping this one on the shelves. The first printing in 1999 sold out almost immediately, and the 2nd edition, printed in 2002, is hard to find. Sometimes Spangles in the UK has it in stock. Your best bet is to keep an eye out for it eBay. So what is all the fuss about? It looks just like a college text book but as you flip through 400+ pages of color diagrams and photographs, you can't help but think that you've stumbled upon a real gem, especially if you love net weave. Even though the text is in Russian (and there's a lot of text... I wish someone would translate it for me), the diagrams are thorough and extremely easy to follow. The designs are absolutely exquisite and along with net weave, there are diagrams for necklaces and bracelets created with the daisy chain, chevron stitch, right-angle weave, numerous spiral techniques, peyote, loomwork and even the Japanese Hana-ami motif. This is the best beading book in existence today.

Creative Beading: The Best Jewelry Projects from a Year of Bead & Button Magazine
Creative Beading, Vol. 2: The Best Projects from a Year of Bead & Button Magazine
Creative Beading, Vol. 3: The Best Projects from a Year of Bead & Button Magazine
Creative Beading, Vol. 4: The Best Projects from a Year of Bead & Button Magazine
Creative Beading, Vol. 5: The Best Projects from a Year of Bead & Button Magazine
Creative Beading, Vol. 6: The Best Project from a Year of Bead & Button Magazine
Books from this series consist of reprinted articles from Bead & Button magazine. As in the magazine, there's always a good selection of patterns in every volume. Stringing, wirework, and bead weaving designs are well represented by many excellent designers. I just wish Bead & Button wouldn't edit their directions down so much.

Easy Bead-Woven Bracelets
This book has nine great bracelets from Bead & Button Magazine, which include the infamous "Hugs & Kisses Bracelet" and "Crisscross Bracelet," a couple nice Ndebele (herringbone) bracelets, a peyote beaded bead bracelet and several others. A good deal for the price.

Pinn Beads Series
available at PinnBeads.com, Spangles and eBay
There are a number of books in this series and each contain some lovely and delicate beaded projects. The directions are in Thai but the diagrams are quite easy to follow if you know a bit about Japanese-style beading (or cross-weaving). What has always impressed me most about these books (beside some of the beautiful beaded jewelry) is the beautiful full-color print job and the fact that they sell for about $7.95 to $12.95 when most other American full-color books of less-than-equal print quality sell for twice that much.

The Beaded Bracelet Book
The Beaded Bracelet Book II
The Beaded Bracelet Book III
by Yvonne Rivero at U Bead It
These three books each feature in-depth and detailed patterns for about 7 to 8 bracelets. The designs and instructions are superb so beware... you'll find that you cannot buy just one of these books. You'll want to buy all three. The "Sonata" bracelet in The Beaded Bracelet II is a personal favorite.

The New! Beader's Companion
by Judith Durant & Jean Campbell
This is a wonderfully handy little bead reference book. It's small, spiral bound, printed on nice heavy paper stock and contains all sorts of beading essentials from bead sizing info to findings, knotting, adhesives, threading materials... you name it.