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“Dimensional Flowers, Leaves & Vines” by Barbara L. Grainger
February 7, 2010 at 9:40:44 PM
 

Dimensional Flowers, Leaves & Vines Barbara L. Grainger Best Price $27.49 or Buy New

I became aware of this book after seeing a photo of a �Netted Flower� online.  When I discovered which book the flower was in, I put it on my holiday list and received it soon after.

To my knowledge, this is one of the first books of its kind, if not the first; most books about beaded flowers are about those made with wire and beads.  These are bead woven flowers, leaves and vines (using thread as opposed to wire), and every single one is spectacular.

The book contains 45 pages and is staple-bound.  Don�t let the smaller number of pages fool you - there is an abundance of patterns/projects contained within.  The staple-bound format helps to keep the book open as you work, so there�s no need to prop the pages open, as with a regular bound book.  I find this very helpful every time I work on a project from it.  Plus, the pages are 8 �� x 11�, and with that nice, larger-than-normal format, everything is easy to read.

I like the way this book is organized: Rather than seeing a picture and then a pattern following it, each project is shown in a beautiful picture, with a �Materials & Components� list and an �Overview,� telling you which component instructions to use, giving any special instructions and nicely breaking up the patterns into very clear steps, so they don�t become daunting.  The �mix and match� approach allows for the use of the instructions for more than one project, and also allows the reader to be inventive, by using these instructions in innovative ways to create other items.

The projects are very visually appealing, and the instructions are extremely clear.  Thread paths are illustrated in great detail.

This book covers many different bead weaving techniques: brick stitch, netting, peyote and square stitch, plus a bit of bead embroidery.

Another outstanding thing about this book: Not every project is jewelry.  Though I mostly like to make jewelry, it�s refreshing to see things such as beaded branches, ginger jars, rocks�there�s also a great window hanging, draped over a glass branch (a real branch can be substituted for this, of course).

The author calls the flowers in this book �fantasy flowers,� but I think many of them look enough like the real thing to make this a perfect book for anyone who loves the idea of making bead woven flowers.  And anything that�s more �fantasy� than real (such as the �netted flower�) only adds to the appeal of this book.  I personally return to it again and again.

To see some of these gorgeous beaded pieces and more, please visit Barb's Showcase /pages/showcase/showcasePlayer.php?ss=1&i=217

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