Stitchboard Admin message #1
“Creative Bead Weaving” by Carol Wilcox Wells
February 7, 2010 at 9:34:16 PM
 


I can�t do reviews without at least a nod to the book that started it all for me and many other beaders.

I first started beading with the help of tutorials in prominent beading magazines.  Those tutorials are nothing short of excellent, but they don�t teach something in-depth, because they can�t!  Space in magazines is so limited, and often the tutorials are the bare basics only.

When I asked my LBS what I was doing wrong with a particular technique, they told me about �Creative Bead Weaving.�

The book is out of print, sadly, though it can still be purchased used for a reasonable price.

Everything in this book is useful, and accompanied by wonderful eye candy.  Techniques are discussed from the basics on, so an absolute beginner can ultimately tackle any beading project with confidence.  And it works � this is how I learned beading, from �Creative Bead Weaving.�

Not only does the book mention the usual things, such as forming stitches, increasing and decreasing, it also goes into detail about how to weave in thread ends.  As any beader knows, this is vital to any project, because nobody wants unsightly thread ends hanging out of what would be an otherwise beautiful piece!

The book covers these stitches: Peyote stitch, brick stitch, square stitch, right-angle weave (RAW), African helix, netting and chevron chain.  In addition, there�s an excellent section at the end of the book on combining stitches.

Aside from being the ultimate reference, the patterns in the book are well-chosen to enable any beader to practice these techniques.  Many are so spectacular, as with Ms. Wells� following book, I have made or want to make more than one of the same item.

There are numerous types of projects in this book, too; not everything is jewelry.  This is a big plus, in my opinion.  I do love jewelry, but it�s nice to focus on something else, too.

If you�re a beader and don�t own �Creative Bead Weaving,� I suggest at least checking a copy of it out of the local library.  Personally, I find it�s been an invaluable reference.  Even as an advanced beader, I still return to it again and again.

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