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Carolyn Cave and Kalmbach Books have provided an outstanding
new offering in the world of beading: Stitching with a Handful
of Beads. One look at the cover says it all: this is a unique
guide to making some of the loveliest necklaces, bracelets,
earrings, pendants and rings around. At first blush, the designs
are so beautiful that I was sure they’d be too difficult
for me to make, but with Ms. Cave’s illustrated instructions,
making these designs was less daunting than I thought. The
wonderful intro section covers beads, tools and materials,
as well as basic techniques and terms. I especially appreciated
the section on making chains and the various stitches, a few
of which were new to me, such as the St. Petersburg Chain
and the Albion Stitch.
I love
the full color photos of the finished designs, as well as
the intricate illustrations that make it easy to follow the
various stitches to make the designs. I have to say, Ms. Cave
makes following her instructions easy. The designs are all
exquisite and many of the resulting necklaces and earrings
are simply breathtaking. Of course, I have my favorites: “The
Waterfall Necklace” using the St. Petersburg chain stitch,
the magnificent and eye-catching “Khione Bracelet”,
and the superb “Serenity Bracelet” using pearls
and seed beads. All these designs would make wonderful presents
for friends and family, but don’t tell anyone: many
of these finished pieces are so magnificent that I’m
keeping a few for myself!
Stitching
with a Handful of Beads is a book you’ll want to
keep by your side, next to your jewelry supplies. It’s
one you’ll refer to again and again as a source of inspiration
and one that will stir your creative ideas for years to come.
Notes:
Carolyn Cave is an award-winning bead artist and the author
of Beautiful Designs with SuperDuos and Twin
Beads from Kalmbach Publishing. |