The Beadweaving Master Class series is aimed at advanced beginner to intermediate beadweavers. The books will be challenging for advanced beginners, for intermediate beaders, they are inspiring and informative books that show possibilities you may not have thought of for beading.
Sabine Lippert's Beaded Fantasies has been one of the most anticipated beadwork books of the decade. That may seem like hyperbole, but it's the absolute truth.
The reason for that is because Sabine's designs have a lavish, rich quality with a wonderful color sense. They are reminiscent of richly gem encrusted fine jewelry. Pearls, crystals and rivolis sparkle, shimmer and glow encased in seed beads. The opportunity to learn how to make this kind of jewelry is irresistible.
The book lives up to the excitement. The pieces all use easy to find supplies. If your local bead store doesn't carry them, they are easy to find online. The stitches are variations of stitches you probably already know, netting, ladders and right angle weave. It's the bead sizes and the way the stitches are used that creates some of the most wonderful fancy wearable seed bead art around.
The instructions are clear, you will need to follow both text and diagrams to create the projects. The diagrams are there to clarify parts of the text but the bulk of information is in very clear step by step format in the written instructions.
My favorite projects in this book are nearly impossible to choose. Each project shines, sparkles and inspires. The attention to detail also reminds me of fine jewelry. Like master goldsmiths, Sabine's designs are detailed and gorgeous from every angle. The back of the finished pieces that people don't usually see are just as lovely as the front. A pair of earrings that sparkles from the front view with crystals has pearls on the back. The delicate settings for the rivolis have geometric open designs on the back.
If I have to pick favorites though, they are
- Aisha Earrings- spherical shapes, they show the gem encrusted feeling of the jewelry in this book very well. Pearls, crystals and metallic seed beads in two colors, these are very dressy earrings.
- Granada Brooch- generally brooches don't make my favorites list, but this one is special. It's a rivoli framed in pearls made in a new and exciting way. It's one of the most adaptable techniques in the book.
- Les Fleurs Necklace- this was a toss up for favorite necklace. This one wins for the delicate and rich effect, it's a very feminine piece that would work well in different color schemes for all sorts of dressy occasions. I can imagine in blues and whites for a bride, or in colors shown for any black tie event.
I strongly recommend this book to people who love right angle weave, pearls and crystals.
Published by LarkCrafts
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