Julia Pretl's Big Book of Beadwork
Despite Pretl’s efforts to entice beginners, crafters will need plenty of patience as well as experience in knitting, crocheting, and/or beading to get the most from this three-part book. That said, the book is a true treasure trove of projects and patterns. Each part deals with a different bead craft—knitting small beaded bags, crafting neck pieces reminiscent of Egyptian jewelry, and building ornate bead boxes. Pretl includes word maps and graph patterns for her 30-some projects, and a DVD, keyed to the first part of the book, clearly shows how basic knitting techniques (both right-handed and left-handed practices are shown) can be adapted to beading projects. Readers can also download a selection of of patterns. Finishing techniqes for each type of project are described, with samples of each completed project shown in glorious full-color photos. This isn’t for every collection, but it’s a fine choice for libraries where beading books are in demand. --Stephanie Zvirin