Stitchboard Admin message #1
“The Beaded Garden” by Diane Fitzgerald
February 7, 2010 at 9:36:24 PM
 


For anyone who has a yen to make beautiful bead woven flowers, this is a fantastic reference book.

Not every flower in this book is realistic, but the majority of them are.

There are instructions for flowers and leaves, as well as suggestions on using these patterns for larger projects.  Plenty of photographs also show what can be done with this book and a little inspiration.

For those without the time and attention span to make a lot of large flowers, there are instructions for making some small flowers, too.

I wasn�t sure what to expect from this book when I placed my order.  My first exposure to a book on bead woven flowers was Barb Grainger�s excellent �Dimensional Flowers, Leaves & Vines,� and I was concerned I�d be getting a rehash of that.  No need to worry: �The Beaded Garden� is an excellent reference, too.  I like the idea that I can use both books together as a stepping off point to create other flowers.

Peyote and brick stitch are used throughout this book.  Netting is also used.  While the book has only a few �basic instructions� for peyote and brick stitch, I feel it�s best for a beginner to instead consult a book like �Creative Bead Weaving,� rather than expecting the author of an advanced book such as this one to offer in-depth instructions in basic stitches.

In addition to flowers, you also get instructions for creating various garden creatures, something I haven�t seen before in any book on bead woven flowers.  There�s a beetle, butterfly, dragonfly, small dragonfly and caterpillar.

This book is useful to both someone who wants specific patterns for creating flowers and also someone who wants inspiration (and a little head start) to create their own.

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