Beading Vintage-Style Jewelry: Easy Projects with Elegant Heirloom Appeal
In many crafters' eyes, there is no such thing as too many how-to-bejewel books. After all, as the thinking goes, there are infinite varieties and combinations of wires and threads and beads. Although technically speaking, Stevens-Heebner and Calla have produced a good compilation of necklaces, brooches, bracelets, and earrings to fashion, few of the 50 designs stand out. Could it be that many copy vintage pieces—and, by comparison, lack the real fire of the originals? Or could it be that the four categories—classic, romantic, dramatic, and elegant—are fairly nondifferentiated? For sure, the basics and fundamental techniques are covered; instructions are well written and include illustrations (as necessary) and the requisite color photograph or two. Level of difficulty is not indicated. And more layout space could be filled with pictures instead of words. A journeyman's perspective of the beading hobby. Jacobs, Barbara