This book is great fun! Once I got it in my hands and browsed through its colorful pages, I couldn’t wait to try to make my own bracelet! This is the first book where I’ve really been able to understand the technique for crocheting a cylinder with beads. And, if I can understand it – so can you! Trust me on that.
The authors, mother and daughter, take the crocheter step by step through all the information need to be successful with bead crochet. As a beader myself, I thought I knew a lot about beads. Not so! The Freed’s carefully and quickly detail the best kinds of beads and ‘wire’ to use for crocheting their pieces. They have especially clear and helpful pictures of both the best and not so great beads to use for various applications, making it easier to select the beads you’ll want to use either in person or online.
The easiest projects are simple chain stitch bracelets or necklaces using beads of all shapes. I, however, was drawn to the circular crocheted bracelets and necklaces. I own a couple of the lariats that my grandmother wore. They are so pretty, but not colors I will wear, so I’ve wanted to make my own. Using the techniques described in this book, especially the suggestion to start with ‘cheater beads’ (larger than those chosen for the project) has inspired me to dig through my rather large bead stash to work on my own necklace.
This book will get you moving from the most basic projects up to those which are much more challenging – double teared circulars, knotted and bow-tied circulars, dangly earrings, and many others. Every step of the way, there are detailed instructions and close up photos to insure your success. If you’ve ever wanted to jump into bead crochet, this is the book for you!
To see a slide show of projects and instructions, check out the information here.
Book Specs:
St. Martin’s Press, July, 2012
136 pages, durable softback with satin finish and lots of color photos
ISBN: 9780312672942
$22.00 USD
Thank you for the review. I’ve been on a real binge of crocheting with beads lately. I haven’t really made any jewelry using crochet and beads but it’s something I’d like to do.
I’ve made the rope type necklace using the peyote stitch and seed beads an it takes a very long time just to make a choker. I think crochet would be much faster, especially for a lariat like your grandmother made.