You may already be familiar with Sandra’s bead patterns from her web site as well as kits available from Ready to Bead. I titled this article “Book for Bead Net Connoisseurs” because that is what this book reminded me of – bead weavers who already love this stitch but would like to expand their range of expertise.
While Sandra does cover some of the basics in the introduction of the book, such as the sort of beading thread and needles she prefers, I felt like this book was more geared toward seed beaders that had a little experience already, not necessarily a lot but some details are purposely not included (such as specific numbers of beads used and colors) because the author wants to leave this open for the individual beader to decide. For example, she states: “I have not put any colors [of beads] that I used, so you can be creative and choose your own” (5). For most bead weavers with a little experience, knowing specifically the color of beads or the exact number really isn’t necessary. The instructions are a place for us to start, but we often prefer to make our own bead selections, decide on the final length, and make other creative decisions that eventually turn a jewelry piece into our own creation.
Other than a brief introduction, there are 16 necklace projects included with full-color photographs of the finished pieces and color illustrations for the patterns used to create them. All of the necklaces are gorgeous, but a few of my favorites include the “Wedding Lace Necklace,” “The Butterfly Lace Necklace,” and “The Daisy Drop Necklace.”
You can find out more information about Sandra and her book on her web site: www.SandraD.Halpenny.com.
