Finally, I picked it up again, and took my time, looking through it in page order, trying to stop myself from rushing through it so quickly. That’s the thing about this book, and it can be a good or bad thing depending on what you are looking for and also depending on your jewelry making skills. It is a really unusual mixture of techniques and materials, so that means, it’s hard to figure it out with just a quick glance.
For those looking for a book you can pick and make items from right away and follow the instructions exactly, this might be frustrating. For me, it didn’t come off as a basic beginner’s book. But for those who are looking for innovative ways to incorporate usual materials such as buttons, ribbon, and silk into your jewelry designs, then this might be a good choice. The designs are big and bold, like the “Basic Weave Necklace.” They can also range on the Avant-Garde like the “Squiggle” earrings and necklace project.
There is a mixture of techniques, some you may be familiar with some maybe not. For example, bead crimps are covered (flattened with pliers rather than curled with crimping pliers), but there are also cord wrappings and a little wire crochet in there too.
While the book suggests beginners could tackle these projects, I would hesitate to propose this. Maybe someone who is relatively new to jewelry making could handle some of these projects but not someone who has never strung a bead. Perhaps the beginner-slash-intermediate jewelry maker might be a good fit. More advanced jewelry makers will not be overly impressed with some of the techniques, but I would guess you’ll still find a few new methods to try, and the unique material combinations will catch your interest.
Bottom line? I think there is something here for everyone, but again, it depends on what you’re looking for because the designs are so unusual (in a good way for the most part) that they may not appeal to every one. Next time you’re at the bookstore, go buy a cup of coffee, pull Bella Beaded Jewelry off the shelf, and give it a good review yourself so you can decide if it’s a good choice for your jewelry book collection.
