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"Little Bead Boxes" by Julia S. Pretl
January 27, 2010 at 12:48:51 PM
 


�Little Bead Boxes� by Julia S. Pretl

�Little Bead Boxes� has something for everyone who likes the idea of making miniature boxes out of beads and thread.

The instructions are excellent.  There are written instructions, accompanied by very clear graphs.  The instructions take you through beading four different types of boxes: triangular, square, pentagonal and hexagonal.  Along with the basic box instructions, you�ll also find  different types of lids, as well.

The book includes 12 patterns for miniature box designs, as well as handy blank graphs for you to make your own.  Patterns are presented as �word maps� and also as graphs, so if you prefer one over the other, you have a choice.  Delica numbers are included, so if you want to make a box in exactly the same colors as one in the book, it�s easy to know what you need.

A particularly nice thing about the book is that not all of the patterns are plain, simple ones.  There are also two boxes that have three tiers; one is called �Deco Pagoda� (hexagonal) and the other is called �Shinjin� (square).

The author has thought of everything: not only does this book have a generous number of patterns which are all different from each other, they�re also arranged in order of difficulty, starting with the triangular boxes and ending with the square boxes.

I found this book to be a very worthwhile purchase.  Well-written instructions, a large choice of patterns, helpful advice throughout (such as the best type of thread to use and how to replace a broken bead), designs that are more than �conventional,� attractive graphed designs overall, and the ability to create one�s own graphs�I couldn�t have asked for anything better!

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