Cover Image: Bead Jewelry 101

Bead Jewelry 101

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Member Reviews

This is a wonderful step-by-step guide to jewelry making that takes the mystery out of the process. It is a great resource for the amateur enthusiast, and gives easily followed directions.

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DIYers unite! If you have been looking to make your own beaded jewelry but just haven’t gotten the hang of it or don’t know where to start, this is a good book to turn to. From an introduction to basic tools and techniques you will be ready to take on one of the projects in the book.

Using the easy to follow, step-by-step instructions help you from start to finish, you’ll be wearing your own custom designs in no time. Get your creative juices flowing and give this book a try.

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I will so be trying out most of the steps in this book to make Bead Jewelry. Easy to follow steps - great job

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I have been playing around with beads for sometime but have never really know the extent I could take my hobby too. This book is well written with clear and precise instructions with lots of pictures. In the beginning, there is a clear explanation of all the materials needed and then there is a large number of projects showing how to use the different elements of beading. I found this book all a beginner would need. I received this book as an ARC and will be using it often to help support my hobby.

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My review can be found on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2918151259

Here is also a copy of my review:

For a semi-beginner jewelry maker such as myself Bead Jewelry 101 was supremely helpful. The book offers very clear descriptions and photos of all the materials you'll need to start making your own jewelry. It includes, among other things, a chart for bead sizes, photos of pliers and other tools, and detailed explanations of different chains, clasps, parts of earrings, wire, and of course - beads! Lots and lots of beads! Ever heard of a rondelle or a bicone? You'll find images to these beads and more at the very start of the book.

Then, the book explains how to construct your jewelry by using some of the basic techniques of working with wire (and other materials). Meaning, you'll find out just how to use all of those pliers you'll need. There is a link at the beginning of the book that'll help you with this step - the link leads you to a webpage filled with instructional videos on different techniques.

And after the tools and techniques, the book lists a wide variety of projects with instructions, photos, and my favourite parts of the book: tips and quick reference boxes. These informational tips will tell you the things you absolutely need to know in order for you to successfully complete your projects without accidentally destroying your beads, choosing the wrong number or amount of items for your project, and so on. For instance, a reference box might tell you how to determine the desired length of your necklace or how to properly stack beads of different sizes.

Lastly, here are a few pluses and tiny minuses that I'd give this book.

Pluses:

+ Clear instructions with excellent photos.
+ A link to videos which help a lot (especially with getting started).
+ Lots of varied projects: earrings, necklaces, bracelets, etc.
+ A few projects made of recycled materials - which I loved!
+ The extremely helpful tips and reference boxes.
+ A well-constructed book with a straightforward layout and contents.


Minuses:

- While there are plenty of awesome projects in this book, I found that they weren't really in my style. And this is just a personal preference thing, I'm sure. The projects and the beads used in them seemed somewhat bohemian and artsy - perhaps too flashy for my taste. There were a few simple earrings and bracelets that I found charming, though. And of course, the projects can always be altered to suit personal tastes.

- I've seen a few videos of how to attach a crimp bead/tube, and I found the technique in this book slightly lacking in explanation. Perhaps there are several good or correct ways to do it, but I would have hoped for three additional pieces of advice concerning the crimping:

1) When the crimp tube is placed on the crimping pliers (to be crimped for the first time), the wire should be placed so that it is split on either side of the little notch in the pliers. The wire shouldn't just be mushed inside the tube haphazardly, but it should be carefully placed so that it's divided. (If that makes sense?)
2) The video attached to the crimp bead instructions said to cut the wire right after the tube has been attached/crimped shut. I would advise, however, that you leave a short tail of the wire, and then string it back inside the beads next to the crimp tube, if the wire fits inside the beads, that is. That's how you'll make sure that the wire doesn't stick out too much or come loose too quickly if the crimp tube somehow opens.
3) I might have missed it, but I didn't see a mention of crimp tube cover beads anywhere? As in, if you wish to cover the crimp tube with a lovely metal bead cover, you could add that after the crimping. Also, especially with bracelets, some jewelry-makers have suggested using a wire cover (a tiny horse-shoe shaped metal bead) to go around the bent wire. But as with any book and hobby, it's impossible to list every tiny little detail imaginable. This book, however, does a great job at covering all of the necessary basics of beaded jewelry making.

I would recommend this book to anyone who considers starting jewelry making as a hobby!
It's also an excellent reference book of terms, materials, and projects.

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Bead Jewelry 101 by Karen Mitchell and Ann Mitchell is a definite must have for beginning beading enthusiasts. The introductory pages are full of information on the hundreds of types of beads and findings that are available. The photographs are clear and colorful. For each project there is written as well as photographic instruction. So for those of you who are visual learners this book is a handy reference guide. There are many projects covering how to use head pins, jump rings, and various other items in excellent detail.
The authors chose wonderful and versatile projects that can be adapted in many variations. Well Done.
I would like Quarto Publishing, the authors and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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Some very nice pieces to make, with nice, clear instructions and photos. Many pieces are quite simple and ideal for beginners, tying jewellery making for the first time. But some nice ideas and back to basics ideas even for people who have been making jewellery for more years than they care to count, like me! I especially like some of the jump ring based pieces.
A good clear intro for beginners on tools, equipment and types of beads and a good mix of projects to suit most people.

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A good basic introduction to Bead Jewelry. Clear instructions and lots of photographs. Some nice projects to make too.

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I have always wanted to try to create my own jewellery and when I saw this book,I was initially attracted by the cover.

The content did not disappoint!
The instructions as clear and they are accompanied by lovely and easy pictures.
As a beginner,I have found this book very informative and easy to follow.
I particularly appreciated the part where tools are suggested.You don’t often know where to start as a beginner.

There are different ‘projects’ or ideas(earrings,bracelets etc.) to recreate and easy techniques are explained step by step.

I really enjoyed this book! A great way to get into the bead jewelry craftmanship.

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Beautiful book. Great and easy to follow step by step instructions. Informative of what tools are needed from what to use, beads, findings etc with some lovely ideas of what and how to make it. Well illustrated of what you need and what to do. Great for beginners. Overall a very good book. I would definitely recommend to anyone especially any crafter starting out and interested in beading.

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Great book for beginner beaders or those who want a bit of a reminder of the first steps. The book is incredibly well laid out. It starts running through all of the tools and materials that one will come across, and gives great advice on starting out and on selecting items to invest in.
It then deals with construction techniques before moving on to a large number of patterns. These are brilliant. Whilst they are suitable projects for beginners, they look as though they could have been bought from any good jewellery store! There are a wonderful mixture of earrings, bracelets and necklaces and a few others such as glasses chains, all arranged in the type of findings e.g. beading wire, headpins, chain etc.
Highly recommend this book.
Thanks to NetGalley for a Kindle copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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I was just granted Bead Jewelry 101 and I could not wait until I read the book. Needless to say I devoured it immediately. The instructions are easy to understand and great for a beginning. The images and appealing and the projects are just right. Having done some jewelry of my own in the past I wanted to learn how to do the endings correctly. This book did the trick.

I was provided this book free of charge in exchange for my honest opinion.

Highly recommend you buy this book and I give it a 5 star ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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