Russian Necklaces (Russian Language/no translation for author or publisher)    ISBN 5-255-01348-X, Hardbound, 238pgs., full color, $26.95, retailers contact Helby Imports for wholesale orders, book #BK2438, retail customers can contact Helby for the nearest bead or fiber store carrying this book. HELBY@IDT.NET, www.helby.com, 908-474-1000, fax 908-474-2100.

Russian Necklaces is a beautiful book full of inspirational beadwork with all the how to illustrations and graphs to make the projects without understanding the language. The first chapter is about the history of beading in Russia. The photographs of antique religious beaded paintings, icons, bags, headdresses and beaded Faberge eggs throughout the written type makes this obvious. I would love to know what this chapter has to say regarding beading history in Russia.

There is a chapter dedicated to color theory and includes the color wheel, examples of tints and shades, and combining colors with beads much like the paintings created during the Impressionist period. Small samples and finished beadwork are included as examples.

There are several pages for charted motifs; the netting includes Right Angle Weave patterns. Some of the charts can be used for loom weaving and square stitch. These motifs include florals, geometrics, crosses and butterflies.

Each chapter is lavish with color illustrations and graphs, many with step by step figures of the beading technique. One or more photos of the finished items are included for each project. I can’t begin to describe the exceptional work that went into making the illustrations extremely easy to comprehend even without the written instructions.

Right Angle Weave and what we often call the Dutch spiral pervades this book with intricate finished beadworks. Variations upon variations of these stitches plus square stitch, embroidery and bead embellishment are included. Antique Russian beadwork is sprinkled through out the projects to show work of the past compared to contemporary work of today

There is a chapter dedicated to both bead loom weaving and embroidery. What really caught my eye is the crochet chapter with glorious bead crocheted doilies, they are just exquisite. There is a page of bead crochet techniques and again, I wish I had the translation of some of the samples they include. There are international symbols for crochet plus illustrations of adding beads to crochet. There are pattern layouts for some of the doilies that include international symbols allowing you to make the patterns without requiring the written instructions. There are also some beautiful bead crocheted collar patterns with international symbols provided. A crochet hook is shown in some of the illustrations. There are a few pages with sweaters that were knitted and include different symbols and references compared to the crochet section. There is one sweater with a very ornate collar that was bead knitted.

There is a chapter of bead tatting that begins with illustrations of tatting with thread and then how to add the beads. Lovely little bead tatted snowflake shapes, bead tatted collars and blouse panels are shown in dazzling color. A graph is provided for each collar pattern and panel for working. There is also beaded necklaces with bead tatting added as embellishment.

How to make your own beaded Faberge egg is shown with graphs and illustrations plus gorgeous photos of Russian beadwork examples. There are close up color photos of beaded icons and book covers.

Wire beaded florals sweep through one chapter with many different flower and leaf shapes. A photo of each flower accompanies the how to illustrations.

Throughout the book are examples of not only using seed beads but other type beads also for shaping and unique effects.

Russian Necklaces is a book for beadwork graphs and patterns, variations to beading techniques, a reference and as an inspiration of talented Russian artists. An excellent compilation of Russian beadwork.