Reviews of Jewelrymaking Books & Products
I look at a lot of books and jewelrymaking products. How did they rate? Find out here!
Beading Books for Beginners
I'm often asked to recommend a basic beading book for new new beaders. These are my recommendations for the best books to read to learn the art of beading. Some are old, some are new. All are valued in my personal library.
Book Review - Antique Style Bead Accessories
Learn to make your own designer accessories using beads and wire or fishing line. Best for intermediate to advanced beadworkers.
Book Review - Art of Antique Beading
You can make some incredibly beautiful beaded jewelry using the instructions in Ondori's book, but you need to have had some previous beading experience. Read the review to learn more.
Book Review - Bead Fantasies
Use seed beads, crystals, pearls, and art beads with wire or fishing line to make stunning designer accessories. Read the review to learn more.
Book Review - Bead Fantasies II
Learn beaded motifs with gemstones, crystals and seed beads, then use them in designer patterns for stunning results. Once you've created a piece, make matching accessories.
Book Review - Beadwork Creates Beaded Rings
This is a collection of thirty beaded ring designs from Beadwork magazine. Each project includes color photographs of variations on the design, a materials list, and illustrated step-by-step instructions.
Book Review - Beading with Brick Stitch
This Beadwork How-To Book focuses on brick stitch, with history, instructions for the technique, projects, and a gallery of finished work. The step-by-step instructions are simple enough for the absolute beginner, while the projects and gallery will please the intermediate and advanced beader.
Book Review - Beading with Right Angle Weave
Learn how to do single-needle and double-needle right angle weave beading, increasing/decreasing, and making chains and various shapes. The skills are applied to jewelry and sculptural projects, followed by an inspirational gallery of finished work.
Book Review - Beautiful Beaded Bags
Learn beading and bag construction techniques and then work through over 25 projects for beaded bags and accessories such as a bridal tiara and shoe rosettes. All of the pattern templates are full-sized and the techniques are easily adaptable to your own original designs.
Book Review - Chain Mail Jewelry : Contemporary Designs from Classic Techniques
Are you looking for a way to make chain mail or jump ring jewelry that looks sleek and modern? Terry Taylor and Dylon Whyte show you how to take traditional patterns and incorporate pearls and other beads to create contemporary shapes.
Book Review - Chainmaille Jewelry Pattern e-Book
Get highly detailed instructions for how to make chain maille or jump ring jewelry. Patterns are included for the following chains: flower link, byzantine (bird cage), 2-in-1, rope, spiral, 4-in-1 flat, 4-in-1 round, 4-in-1 alternate, butterfly, and box chains. Animated video shows exactly how to make the chains. Instructions are also included for making your own chainmaille assembly jig.
Book Review - Chinese Knotting
Learn how to tie simple and complex Chinese knots (Chinese macrame) using these detailed step-by-step instructions. Once you know the knots, the projects will walk you through several decorative items, including knotted jewelry.
Book Review - Classical Loop-in-Loop Chains
Jean Reist Stark and Josephine Reist Smith present step-by-step instructions for making 38 loop-in-loop chain styles. In addition, there is a section on making closures to complement the chains.
Book Review - (The) Complete Guide to Beading Techniques
Learn how to do all of the standard beading stitches and then use them to make 30 projects. Techniques include tambour, tatting, wirework, crochet, loom weaving, netting, peyote, knitting, brick, ladder, square, right angle weave, and more!
Book Review - Coraling Technique
Varvara's first self-published book focuses on the coraling (branched fringe) technique. This booklet offers detailed instructions for making 10 different elaborate beaded necklace designs. The instructions are clear enough for beginners, so let's get started!
Book Review - Creative Beadweaving
Learn peyote, brick stitch, square stitch, right angle weave, African helix netting, and chevron chain. Make jewelry and beaded vessels and learn how to combine stitches. Lots of inspiring eyecandy is provided throughout the book.
Book Review - Great Wire Jewelry
Learn solder-free techniques for making jewelry with wire. Techniques include knitting, twisting, braiding, and several jump ring (chain maille) patterns.
Book Review - Hemp Masters: Ancient Hippie Secrets for Knotting Hip Hemp Jewelry
This is an excellent introduction to the craft of making your own hemp jewelry and dream catchers. You'll find instructions for an interesting self-adjusting closure and several variations on the 'phish' bone pattern, as well as the standard complement of knots.
Book Review - How To Make Money From Beading and Jewelry Making
Learn how to turn a beading or jewelry making hobby into a part-time or full-time business. The focus of the book is starting and growing a successful home-based business.
Book Review - Knitting with Beads
Make clothing beautiful enough to be considered jewelry in its own right! Learn several techniques for knitting with beads and make stunning beaded sweaters and accessories. There's something for everyone, with patterns ranging from easy to challenging.
Book Review - Making Beautiful Hemp & Bead Jewelry
Here's an excellent introduction to the knotting of hemp and bead jewelry (or review, if you haven't knotted since the 70s). You'll find clear written step-by-step instructions, lots of diagrams, and color photographs of each piece of jewelry.
Book Review: Making Silver Chains: Simple Techniques, Beautiful Designs
Learn to make your own silver chains and findings. You'll learn to anneal, pickle, and solder and professionally finish your creations. Read the review to learn more.
Book Review: My Beaded Garden
Varvara's self-published book is full of intricate floral beadwork. The 12 necklace designs take some hours to finish, but the results are stunning and the instructions are detailed enough for a beginner.
Book Review: Netted Beadwork
This Beadwork How-To Book gives step-by-step instructions for vertical, horizontal, and freeform netting. Make fabulous jewelry or use the technique to cover objects or even make clothes.
Book Review - Silver Wire Jewelry
Learn many different techniques for using silver wire to make jewelry. Projects are graded for difficulty. Techniques include coiling, making jump ring (chain mail) jewelry, joining figure eights, adding pearls and beads to wire, braiding, knitting, crochet, and working with simple wire.
Book Review: Simply Beautiful Beading
Learn 13 beading skills and use them to create a wealth of beaded jewelry, hair accessories, decorative frames, boxes, and holiday ornaments. This is an excellent choice for beginners or more advanced beaders seeking to explore color and balance in jewelry and accessory design.
Book Review: The Art & Elegance of Beadweaving
Use peyote, chevron chain, spiral rope, crochet rope, Ndebele, and right angle weave to make beaded beads, vessels, and dramatic jewelry. You'll learn the basics and then use variations of the stitches to make the projects.
Book Review: The Artist's Way - A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity
Rediscover and unlock your jewelrymaking creativity using Julia Cameron's 12-week course.
Book Review: The Beader's Palette
Stunning Japanese designs, with English instructions! These projects use readily-available bead shapes and sizes to create necklaces, bracelets, rings, straps, and ensembles.
Book Review: Vintage Style Beaded Jewelry: 35 Beautiful Projects Using New and Old Materials
Create over 35 beaded heirlooms using basic jewelrymaking techniques and materials that are affordable and easily obtained. Projects range from elegant Victorian and Edwardian styles up through more chic and funky pieces reminiscent of the 1960s and 1970s.
Books on Copper Jewelry
Copper jewelry is beautiful and fashionable, but it is difficult finding information about it! Here´s a collection of books about copper jewelry.
Books on Silver Jewelry
Here´s a collection of books about silver jewelry from around the world.
Product Review - Crimping Pliers
Crimp pliers give strong, consistent results when used to crush metal crimp beads to secure beading wire. The finished crimps are very tiny and professional-looking. Find out whether this specialized tool is worth the money.
Product Review - Power Pro for Beading & Jewelrymaking
Have you tried this space age fishing line for beading? Bugles and Swarovski crystals won't cut it, it knots easily, and it's stronger than steel!
