WOMAN'S WEEKLY GUIDE TO BEADING

Another quality title from Search Press, the family run publishing house with over 30 years? experience, this time in conjunction with Woman's Weekly magazine. If you can't get to a beading class or workshop close to home, this skill-building book is the next best thing for the beginner and the improver. It features hundreds of detailed how-to photographs and is carefully annotated so it is easy for you to see what you should be looking at. Guest designers share some of their favourite patterns. Quick-start projects for beginners who are impatient to try out their skills don't need much in the way of materials or time. Beading clinics troubleshoot the most common dilemmas. Jean Power explains all the basics including stringing, beadwork and using wire to stunning effect. There are colours and 3D in such beautiful designs as a trellis bracelet with an open lattice constructed in cubic right-angle weave and accented with Swarovski pearls and crystals, turning cabochons into beautiful pendants, centrepieces and eye catching jewellery - easy once you know the basics of bezeling which holds your gemstone firmly in place using different stitches for the odd-shaped cabochons. For those you can use raw and peyote or tubular peyote stitch. Loom work is the only beading work technique that requires a piece of equipment and straight strips are ideal for bracelets and you can widen or narrow by changing the number of warp threads you use and the colour and patterns are endless. A Gritty Tweed Bracelet by Norma Jean Dell combines two-hole Super Duo beads with seed beads in a modified raw stitch and a piece of raw can be bent and folded in any direction, making these pieces very comfortable to wear. Square stitch, herringbone, brick, ladder and all about increasing and decreasing, not only jewellery but a small beaded purse or bag, the possibilities are endless. Guest designer Abby Hook uses woven wire to secure and embellish a drop stone with Celtic-inspired flowing design named a Mermaid's Teardrop Necklace and Kristin Smith Ornate Frame Earrings adding spirals and sparkling briolettes for a touch of elegance. All about hammering, making coils, measuring, cutting and fitting, wrapped and turned loops and using chains, multi-strand magic, pearl knotting, crimping and stringing, using elastic and throughout essential tools and supplies and guest tips. 160 page large softback, colour photos.