Best Books to Learn Beading and Beadwork

This book, first published in 1996, retains its status as Top Pick for beading libraries everywhere. There are tutorials for several stitches, with projects, discussions, tips and so much help, I consider it the essential textbook for beaders serious about wanting to learn how to create beadwork.

Ann Benson was the first to create a beaded bezel for Swarovski Rivolis, creating a new beading craze. She's also one of the finest beadwork book authors currently writing, and this book, Beadwork Basics is an excellent companion to any of the other titles on this list. Coverage includes all basic beading skills, tools, materials, and a list of beads you'll need to get started creating beadwork. Ann's calm and collected writing style is a comfort; assuring the reader of stress-free learning and that any problems with beading stitches or constructions will be resolved quickly and without fuss. Be sure to look for Ann's other beadwork titles for your beading book collection; they are all excellent and cover a wide range of material.

Not only is Don Pierce a delightful person, but he is an extremely talented bead weaver, has created an outstanding beading loom, written a book filled with his signature bead weaving design style and created this book, his first effort, titled Beading on a Loom. It's a slim volume with a somewhat unassuming title that just happens to be packed so full of beading information that you'll want to read it two or three times before you really decide that you know what all it contains. Don is a bead loom weaving and loom building Master, and his books make this obvious. If you are an aspiring bead-loom weaver, be sure to make this your first loom weaving book purchase; it is a classic bead loom weaving volume.

Valerie Hector has made it a part of her life's work to discover the history of the world in beads, and has been doing an incredible job of disseminating what she's learned to the rest of us. Part of this volume is dedicated to Valerie's comprehensive study of the history of the art of beadwork dating back to the earliest beading discovered by archaeologists. She has traveled the globe exploring ancient beadwork, learning local techniques new and old, then fills the remaining pages of her book with charming beadwork projects inspired by these ancient finds or by using the local techniques to re-create the beadwork found at these sites. This is another "must-have" reference for beaders.

This beautiful book inspires me, just because I know it's on my bookshelf! Filled with beautiful ideas and projects using new and vintage beads, filigree, vintage-inspired new beads, that it will keep you pulling out various items and putting together for hours on end. Even if you've never considered working with mixed media, filigree, and broken jewelry bits or even with older materials, this book will have you collecting all sorts of things you'd never though you'd want to own. But it does not leave out the beads, either, so be sure to stock up on new and vintage beads, bits and pieces, old and new, so that you may begin creating your own beautiful French Inspired Jewelry.

This book, [i] The Beader's Guide to Color by Margie Deeb[/i] qualifies as the first point of reference concerning color and its use in beadwork. This includes every aspect of color in beadwork beginning with basic color theory, introduction to the color wheel, properties of color, color harmony, and seasonal colors. There are sections devoted to beadwork design using traditional, theory-based color design and a separate section devoted to the use of emotional and symbolic interpretations of colors and the use of this method for design. A comprehensive text, filled with projects, ideas, lessons and so much information, you'll learn something new each time you pick it up.

There is a place in bead embroidery that lies beyond the basic stitches; sewing beads to fabric in order to add color and texture, create an image, or even to relate a mood. That's when it stops being the process, and becomes the art, of bead embroidery. And that's where you may go, if you choose to, with the help of this book by where this book by Amy C. Clarke and Robin Atkins. Beginning with the basics, including stitches, fabrics, and technqiues, the cobined artistic talent of these two beaders can't help but take you right up to a whloe new level, even if you're still new to bead embroidery.

While this is not necessarily a "teaching manual" it is a must-have for any serious beading student. Edited by Deborah Cannarella, who also joined us for a wonderful Beading For the Soul Question and Answer article, discusses her reason fro editing this book and why she chose the particular artists as representatives of expressive beadwork. The book covers not only the individual artists and their work, but also offers lessons for creating one's own beadwork of the soul. It does seem intimidating; to transfer a sense, value, or feeling into a visual, palpable form, but once you've read this book, you'll understand the joy, sense of self and even the catharsis of creating beadwork form your own soul.

I have long admired Jill Oxton's beadwork, and her rapid growth from cross stitch designer and magazine publisher to avid and advanced beader, including beadwork along with the other material in her periodical. And such gorgeous beadwork, too. Realistic, dimensional creatures including bugs and lizards, beautiful images of flowers, people, incredible Amulet bags and so much more. She's a fan of Square Stitch, which makes her even more admirable to me, as that particular stitch seems to take me foreever so work. This book covers everything you'll need to start creating beautiful beadwork, and is a perfect first-book by itself, with stitch guides, tips, projects and more. I highly recommend this volume for any beader.

This is one beading books not meant for your library shelves, but to keep on your beading table. I've personally just purchased my third volume of this updated classic, as the last two copies have suffered the combined fates of coffee spills, tea, one fell in the bathtub, and another fell into the pool. Yes, I use this book frequently, and even f I don't really need it, it's become sort of a security blanket. Jean Campbell and Judith Durant have the writing skills that bring it all together, even if it's not making sense elsewhere. Fully illustrated, with detailed and sensible notes, you'll find this one indispensable and wonder how you made sense of things before you bought this book. Buy two copies; one to use, one for backup.