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Home / Craft Product Reviews / Beads/Jewelry Products / Craft Book Reports: Beaded Jewelry Books from Lark Jewelry and Beading

Craft Book Reports: Beaded Jewelry Books from Lark Jewelry and Beading

August 28, 2012

Lately, I’ve had a LOT of eye candy hit CTD WHQ- including an influx of beautiful books on beaded jewelry. A few of them are just inspirational, coffee-table style books, and one is SO FAR out of my league I couldn’t do it justice. So since we are in back-to-school mode here, I thought it would be fun to talk about Showcase 500 Beaded Jewelry: Photographs of Beautiful Contemporary Beadwork (500 Series), Maggie Meister’s Classical Elegance: 20 Beaded Jewelry Designs (Beadweaving Master Class Series)
, and Sabine Lippert’s Beaded Fantasies: 30 Romantic Jewelry Projects (Beadweaving Master Class Series)
book-report style. You know, give you some pictures and an overview so that you a) know what’s out there and b) can decide if you might want to learn more about it.  So let’s GO!

First, let’s start with the Showcase 500, compiled by Ray Hemachandra for Lark Books. It’s the one on the top right of the photo.) It’s described on the website thus:

Today, a large community of highly skilled beaders creates work that’s every bit as much art as craft. This gorgeous book showcases 500 images of the world’s best contemporary beaded jewelry, produced by 275 artists whose work is notable for exceptional technical expertise, innovative combinations, and sheer beauty. Beaders of all levels will find much to admire–and inspire–in these pages.

So while this book doesn’t have any instructions, it’s filled with eye-candy and wonder. There are are all kinds of rings, earrings, necklaces- even beaded “sleeves!” Here are a few images from the book:

Some of the designs are simple.

Others are more sculptural!

 

And this paperclip necklace gets you thinking about supplies in a whole new way.

There is a lot to digest, and I can see myself flipping through time and again for visual inspiration.

Next, let’s move onto Maggie Meister’s Classical Elegance. It IS an instructional book and it contains 20 beaded designs.

It’s described this way:

This entry in Lark Jewelry & Beading’s bestselling Beadweaving Master Class series showcases the amazing work of renowned beader and teacher Maggie Meister. Drawing on patterns and motifs as diverse as classical Roman arts, Middle Eastern textiles, and European architecture, Maggie has created 20 exquisite projects for beaders to make that incorporate a variety of stitches.
 
Her magnificent pieces include wonderfully creative earrings, necklaces, and cuffs, among them a Matriarch’s Cuff, which builds on the design of a 17th century Jewish wedding ring; a Sappho Necklace that incorporates designs from ancient mosaics; and a Santa Sofia Pendant that borrows shapes from the onion-dome church steeples found throughout Europe.
 
What I like about this book is the chapters are organized by inspiration – such as ancient and antique jewelry. You get a brief glimpse into what inspired the author, a photos of the inspiration, which is then followed up with the original designs. I love the peek into Maggie Meister’s creative process. Take a peek at some of the photos:

I love the peek into the designer’s thought process & inspiration.

Then you see how she arrives at her designs….

Which include detailed instructions.

 

Lastly, let’s look at Sabine Lippert’s Beaded Fantasies. It, too, is a step-by-step book and it has amazing designs. The description:
Lippert combines seed beads, crystals, and glass pearls to create gorgeous, innovative beading projects. All feature her trademark tiers of beads that are layered into gorgeous jewelry. Every piece uses the most popular and beloved stitches in beading: right angle weave and peyote.
 
Most of the bracelets, necklaces, earrings, pendants, and chokers here are new, but Sabine has also included a few of her favorite classics. An inspirational photo gallery of beadwork from leading designers, including Sabine, rounds out this must-have book.
As I mentioned before, the beadweaving in this book is way out of my league- but I fully appreciate the designs nonetheless. As a matter of fact, the “Medal Pendant” which features a way to weave a bezel for a chaton just might be on my list to try. After all, if I could master it than perhaps I could do the same for polymer pieces!
So let’s take a look:

The designs in this book are certainly “romantic”- very girly all the way!

Some of the designs are more straightforward, like this one.

And the gallery in the back is almost worth the price of the book!

 

I hope that you get a feel for these books- and the links will take to Amazon (my affiliate links) where you can learn more about them and buy them at a discount, if you wish. I know that just looking at them has inspired me to get more into beadwork!
Disclosure: samples provided for review. Please support CTD and use the highlighted affiliate links. 

 

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Posted in Beads/Jewelry Products, Books, Magazines, Events, Craft Product Reviews |

Comments

  1. Vicki O'Dell The Creative Goddess says

    August 28, 2012 at 16:16

    Ok, now I think I’ll have to get the Beaded Fantasies book. I love seed bead work!

  2. Shawn Truesdale says

    August 29, 2012 at 05:40

    The bead work is amazing. Blends of different colors and designs that can go back to ancestry. I never knew bead crafting can be this good. It’s like the artwork has its own meaning hidden within the design. Great book.

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Hi! I’m Jenny, the co-host of Hands On Crafts for Kids on PBS and the Head Dummy behind CraftTestDummies.com where you’ll find craft product reviews, tutorials, and craft industry news.

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Jenny Barnett Rohrs is Head Dummy and Pied Piper behind CTD, which focuses on reviews, tutorials, and craft industry news. Jenny has appeared on HSN, Scrapbook Soup PBS series, and is currently the co-host of Hands On Crafts for Kids on PBS.

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