Bead and Wire Jewelry Books
I have to confess that I've let this category slide for some time as I typically don't use many beads with my wire smithing work. That's not to say that I haven't previewed a large number of bead and wire how-to jewelry books. What it is to say is that I haven't found many worth reviewing. This is a site about the BEST wire jewelry making books after all and my goal is always to focus on presenting you with the very best books I can find. My impression of many of the bead and wire jewelry making books is that I may have missed reviewing some of the best of them because I've found so many unfortunate books out there that simply keep passing on the same old stuff, rehashed. That's unfortunate since combining beads and wire is kind of a timeless and beautiful pursuit. And there is much gorgeous bead and wire jewelry left to be made.
If you can recommend any other good books in this category, please feel free to contact me via the Contact Form on the left and I'll be happy to take your recommendations for books to review for this site, thanks.
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If you can recommend any other good books in this category, please feel free to contact me via the Contact Form on the left and I'll be happy to take your recommendations for books to review for this site, thanks.
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Boutique and Bead Wire Jewelry by Melody MacDuffee
Boutique and Bead and Wire Jewelry by Melody MacDuffee
Another wonderful book by Ms. MacDufee. This book is another treasure trove of sophisticated and lovely wire jewelry. In part, what you can learn from this book is elegant, delicate wire jewelry making………which is rare these days. Most likely this comes from Melody’s self-described love of lace. What she’s essentially done in Boutique and Bead and Wire Jewelry is this: by using and twisting together thin gauge wires, she combines that wire with delicate beads to create her very appealing and unusual wire jewelry.
This good book starts out with the usual Introduction about all the materials that you’ll need along with a wonderful section called, Motif Boutique. Here Melody teaches you how to make a wide variety of motifs like wire and bead “flowers” or branches. Don’t miss the triple-prong candelabra motif.
After having taught the basics of how to make this wide variety of motifs drawn from nature, Melody builds the projects in the book steadily, going from beginner to intermediate to advanced projects. The beginner section is delightful, incorporating five projects in total including earrings, a fancy wedding set, a comb and ends with a luscious spring garden quartet that includes a necklace, bracelet, earrings and even a tiara!
Section 2 of the book, the intermediate projects, is the most meaty part of the book (although I’d have been satisfied with just the beginner projects because they’re so good).
Here you’ll find at least seven pairs of earrings, a magnificent wedding set with a drop dead gorgeous wedding tiara along with projects on how to set a cabachon with wire (not to be missed). You’ll also find some excellent bracelets and a barrette to make. Twelve projects in all in this section, wow. Be sure to check out the faux diamond necklace and earrings wire jewelry tutorial.
The final section of projects in Boutique and Bead and Wire Jewelry, the advanced section, boasts another six projects that integrate delicate wire wrapping with the twisted wire for some truly special pieces. The Butterfly pin is just smashing and the Crystal Wedding set is very original.
Twenty three projects in all in this delightfully meaty book along with the Motif Boutique training makes this book a must-buy for anyone into beads and wire. Another part of what’s important about this book (that you’ll learn in the process) is which beads to use for maximum effectiveness. Melody has a real knack for choosing the beautiful and sophisticated and her choice of beads is right on…..producing as I said earlier, some very special and unique wire jewelry. In the days when bead and wire books are a dime a dozen and more often than not, just regurgitations of the same old, same old, Melody MacDuffee truly has something original to offer.
Go To Amazon for more information or to purchase
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Another wonderful book by Ms. MacDufee. This book is another treasure trove of sophisticated and lovely wire jewelry. In part, what you can learn from this book is elegant, delicate wire jewelry making………which is rare these days. Most likely this comes from Melody’s self-described love of lace. What she’s essentially done in Boutique and Bead and Wire Jewelry is this: by using and twisting together thin gauge wires, she combines that wire with delicate beads to create her very appealing and unusual wire jewelry.
This good book starts out with the usual Introduction about all the materials that you’ll need along with a wonderful section called, Motif Boutique. Here Melody teaches you how to make a wide variety of motifs like wire and bead “flowers” or branches. Don’t miss the triple-prong candelabra motif.
After having taught the basics of how to make this wide variety of motifs drawn from nature, Melody builds the projects in the book steadily, going from beginner to intermediate to advanced projects. The beginner section is delightful, incorporating five projects in total including earrings, a fancy wedding set, a comb and ends with a luscious spring garden quartet that includes a necklace, bracelet, earrings and even a tiara!
Section 2 of the book, the intermediate projects, is the most meaty part of the book (although I’d have been satisfied with just the beginner projects because they’re so good).
Here you’ll find at least seven pairs of earrings, a magnificent wedding set with a drop dead gorgeous wedding tiara along with projects on how to set a cabachon with wire (not to be missed). You’ll also find some excellent bracelets and a barrette to make. Twelve projects in all in this section, wow. Be sure to check out the faux diamond necklace and earrings wire jewelry tutorial.
The final section of projects in Boutique and Bead and Wire Jewelry, the advanced section, boasts another six projects that integrate delicate wire wrapping with the twisted wire for some truly special pieces. The Butterfly pin is just smashing and the Crystal Wedding set is very original.
Twenty three projects in all in this delightfully meaty book along with the Motif Boutique training makes this book a must-buy for anyone into beads and wire. Another part of what’s important about this book (that you’ll learn in the process) is which beads to use for maximum effectiveness. Melody has a real knack for choosing the beautiful and sophisticated and her choice of beads is right on…..producing as I said earlier, some very special and unique wire jewelry. In the days when bead and wire books are a dime a dozen and more often than not, just regurgitations of the same old, same old, Melody MacDuffee truly has something original to offer.
Go To Amazon for more information or to purchase
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Contemporary Bead and Wire Jewelry by Nathalie Mornue and J.E. Tourtillott
Another interesting book by Lark, Contemporary Bead and Wire Jewelry is a compilation of forty plus rather appealing wire and bead jewelry making projects with several truly compelling wire jewelry designs.
The book includes individual wire and bead jewelry projects from a wide variety of jewelry designers intended to provide a wide choice for wire and bead enthusiasts. And it does that very well indeed. The introduction to this book suggests that this particular ensemble of wire and bead jewelry elevates the craft. It's true. Here you'll find some great inspiration and even some real originality in an arena that's been a bit beaten to death with rehashed designs with minimal technique.
As with most Lark books, Contemporary Bead and Wire Jewelry has a solid "Basics" section, explaining the various tools and materials that you'll need for the wire and bead jewelry projects within. This is followed by a six page Wire Techniques section that provides some very basics of wire smithing. While again, you will find considerable inspiration in this book, what you won't find is step-by-step photos or illustrations; just the text instructions. From that perspective, this would be what I'd call a good intermediate book since you need to have had some wire jewelry making skills to effectively complete many of the projects.
Having said that, there are simple wire jewelry making projects peppered throughout the book. "River Flow Brooch" by jewelry designer, Rachel Dow, is one such example. This pin is stunning and reeks of Modernist Jewelry from the Calder l950's era. Using a thick gauge sterling wire, Ms. Dow has created a jewelry piece that only requires bending and a little bit of filing. Gorgeous. The Anemone Choker by jewelry designer, Elizabeth Larson, is yet another stunning and original piece that requires very little skill. "Stargazer Armband" by wire designer, Hanni Yohthers, offers yet another stunningly simple but elegant and sophisticated wire jewelry piece. There are certainly numerous earring projects that a beginner might tackle as well and if you're a crocheter, you'll have no problem handling the crocheted wire jewelry projects in Contemporary Bead and Wire Jewelry.
For an interesting intermediate project, take a gander at "Ruby Wave Bracelet" for some delicious abstract wire smithing.
In summary, the only flaw I found in this book was the spartan illustrations and how-to photos. This book might target skilled beginners or, as I said before, intermediate skilled wire jewelry enthusiasts. This book is weighted towards inspiration.
For more info about this book or to purchase click here to go to Amazon
The book includes individual wire and bead jewelry projects from a wide variety of jewelry designers intended to provide a wide choice for wire and bead enthusiasts. And it does that very well indeed. The introduction to this book suggests that this particular ensemble of wire and bead jewelry elevates the craft. It's true. Here you'll find some great inspiration and even some real originality in an arena that's been a bit beaten to death with rehashed designs with minimal technique.
As with most Lark books, Contemporary Bead and Wire Jewelry has a solid "Basics" section, explaining the various tools and materials that you'll need for the wire and bead jewelry projects within. This is followed by a six page Wire Techniques section that provides some very basics of wire smithing. While again, you will find considerable inspiration in this book, what you won't find is step-by-step photos or illustrations; just the text instructions. From that perspective, this would be what I'd call a good intermediate book since you need to have had some wire jewelry making skills to effectively complete many of the projects.
Having said that, there are simple wire jewelry making projects peppered throughout the book. "River Flow Brooch" by jewelry designer, Rachel Dow, is one such example. This pin is stunning and reeks of Modernist Jewelry from the Calder l950's era. Using a thick gauge sterling wire, Ms. Dow has created a jewelry piece that only requires bending and a little bit of filing. Gorgeous. The Anemone Choker by jewelry designer, Elizabeth Larson, is yet another stunning and original piece that requires very little skill. "Stargazer Armband" by wire designer, Hanni Yohthers, offers yet another stunningly simple but elegant and sophisticated wire jewelry piece. There are certainly numerous earring projects that a beginner might tackle as well and if you're a crocheter, you'll have no problem handling the crocheted wire jewelry projects in Contemporary Bead and Wire Jewelry.
For an interesting intermediate project, take a gander at "Ruby Wave Bracelet" for some delicious abstract wire smithing.
In summary, the only flaw I found in this book was the spartan illustrations and how-to photos. This book might target skilled beginners or, as I said before, intermediate skilled wire jewelry enthusiasts. This book is weighted towards inspiration.
For more info about this book or to purchase click here to go to Amazon