Learning how to do beadwork can be frustrating. Learning how to hold the needle, thread and beads, how to pass through which beads, and when, what thread tension to use. The beads are tiny, the work can be confusing, and if the pattern you are beading is ho-hum, you may find yourself wondering why you are doing this. But I guarantee that this will not happen if you use this delightful book by Sheilah Cleary.
Learn Beading While Your Create Beautiful Items
Beading lessons and beautiful projects need not be exclusive, and from all appearances, Sheila Cleary clearly understands this.The book begins by teaching us the secret to her Non-Collapsible Peyote Tubes, through the magnificent method used to create a multi-strand necklace, and everything in-between, Sheilah designs projects for every beading level, teaching the techniques used, so that with a little practice, even the newest beader will be able to complete every project in the book. Some of my favorite designs here are the Monarch Butterfly, the Spiral Brick Stitch Tassel, the Wild Roses and Ndebele Necklace and the Judy crochet bag. The Ruffled Cabochon Bracelet is a lesson in variations, with directions covering a couple of different methods for attaching the cabochon to the bracelet, or for wearing it as a pendant on a necklace.
With well-written instructions, lavish photographs, brilliant color and big, clear graphs, this book makes learning beadwork fun; there is no squinting to read print, no using a magnifying glass to see a thread path or trying to figure out what is pictured. Sheila demonstrates a great respect for her readers, and it is clear that she wants to share her love of beading with those readers.
Add a copy to your own beading library, but also keep it in mind if you need a gift for a new beader. This book will make a positive impression on a new beader, and may be just the thing that beader needs to get through a steep learning curve. For that, the right book can make all the difference. From my perspective, this is just the book to do that.