It is always interesting to discover how something is made, and learning how glass beads are made - and were made in the past - makes for fascinating reading.  There is also much about designing your own pieces and then some gorgeous projects using a wide range of techniques, including stitching, macramé, stringing and knotting. 

If you live outside the US, many of the glorious beads are not going to be easy to find, and many are the type of art pieces which are not going to come cheap.  But as this is a book on designing, there is plenty of food for thought and I was soon combining the techniques and creating some of my own summery, fun pieces using what I already had.  This is the sort of inspiring book which is good to look at, and can be mined for both inspiration and information on a variety of techniques.  Another one for the keeper shelf!

If you cannot find jewelry making materials locally try SearchPress.com for a list of suppliers.