100 Beaded Jewelry Designs has easy-to-bead (mostly) necklaces, bracelets, brooches, and more. It is divided into three main sections, plus one large 32 page section on basic techniques.
If you look through this book, you'll see that Stephanie used many different materials, like natural elements like shell, slate, wood and agate. She has also used beads from Venice, Japan, China and the Czeck Republic, plus several glass ones.
The first section is Classic Lengths. These necklaces are adaptable to fit any neckline. The second section has chokers. These are worn high around the neck of just at the base of the neck. Many of these necklaces have matching items to compliment the pieces. The third section is Lariats and Longer Lengths, they are single lengths of bead work and are worn by wrapping it together in the front. Lariats are elegant necklaces that can be worn for a casual or more formal look.
All of the designs in this book are wonderfully done and the photography is very clear. The designs in this book are fairly easy to work, so that beginners can do them. There are also plenty to challenge the more experienced beaders.
The last part of this book is basic techniques. These techniques are off-loom. The stitches of peyote, brick, square, right-angle weave, herringbone, and covered plus with full instructions for fringing and finishing.
I love this part of the book. The directions here are the best in this book. I wish the projects were as detailed. Some of the projects were a little hard to follow.
You can do so many more designs than 100 with this book. You can put your own variations to them or just change the color. One of the designs I made was originally a necklace, but I made it a bracelet instead. It looked really nice. Just learning the different stitches can often open so many new project ideas. For example the peyote spirals, can be dangle earrings. The flat circular peyote stitch, can make a nice pendant and if you keep going on that herringbone stitch,you could end up with a nice bracelet.
Stephanie has shown many ways to bring together a diverse collection. You can see her love of embellishment, color and texture in all of her designs.
So, all in all, I do recommend this book. I have made many of the projects in this book, but with my own twist. Beaded Jewelry Designs is in my bead book library.
You can find this book at Amazon.com.
