Creative Bead Weaving by Carol Wilcox Wells

ISBN 1-887374-05-1, Lark Books, Hardback, 144 pages.

The New Beadwork by Kathleen Moss and Alice Scherer was the first inspirational book on beadwork, then came Beaded Amulet Purses by Nicole Stessin and now Creative Bead Weaving. These three books are classics. Carol has opened new doors to beading enthusiasts. There is page after page of artists' beadwork in glorious color. Your mouth will water and your eyes will glaze over when you see the new creativity appearing throughout these pages. Carol has made a supreme effort to give beaders what they have been begging for; inspiration, techniques, how-to projects and best of all mixing beading techniques together. Carol offers clear and easy to follow instructions for Peyote Stitch, Brick Stitch, Right-Angle Weave, African Helix, Netting and the Chevron Chain. She then devotes a whole chapter to combining stitches. Hurrah! Every beading instructor will be thankful for this helpful tool. Carols teaches you how to go from peyote to brick stitch, square stitch, right-angle weave and to right-angle weave surface embellishment. She then demonstrates brick stitch to peyote, square stitch and to right-angle weave. Next is square stitch to brick stitch and to right-angle weave followed by the chevron chain to peyote stitch.

Beaders who know how to move from one technique to another can use this book as a visual reference. You may be working on a specific project and just need a mind jog as to what additional technique to use. Carol also includes photographs with examples of these stitch changes, such as the square stitch to right-angle weave which has a photograph of NanC Meinhardt's amulet purse, Flying Across the Tasman Sea. Carol includes 19 step-by-step projects sprinkled throughout her book. She starts with easy projects such as beaded-beads and amulet purses. She then proceeds to three dimensional figures including little people, baskets and her famous Gilded Cage. Beginners can master the basic techniques first and then try the easier projects. Advanced beaders will love making the cuffed basket and other advanced projects. Carol lists materials required, techniques used, finished size and complete instructions for each project.

I tried the Cuffed Basket. Phew!!! It took me forever. I was in such a hurry to make the basket I read the instructions wrong and failed to count my rows on the diagonal. So I was making 17 rows of one drop and 17 rows of five drop peyote. My basket was beginning to look pretty strange. I went back to the directions and realized my mistake. I started over again and quickly created a basket. I have very weak wrists and never get my stitches tight the first time around so I go back and add thread throughout the whole basket for strength and to define the shape. Next I stuck a hank of seed beads into the basket and let it hang out onto the table surface. It is spectacular. Thanks to Carol, I am now ready to try other combined techniques to make more baskets and other beaded forms.

The step-by-step instructions for some of the techniques are different than books printed earlier. The instructions and graphics are very easy to understand. I have never seen the Circular Brick Stitch technique in print. My first introduction to this stitch was from my beading buddies after they attended a class with NanC Meinhardt at Embellishment - they loved the class. The instructions for the right angle weave are extensive. There are graphics which include increasing and decreasing for flat and tubular right angle weave. Yes!

I was intrigued with the English Beaded Basket photograph on page six of Carol's introduction. It is from circa 1670 and has several beading techniques combined. Beaders have been experimenting for years. Today we are just rediscovering techniques of the past and creating new bead artforms for the 21^st century.

Carol has combined techniques and inspiration into a book for all bead enthusiasts. If you are a bead collector you will want this book for the inspirational beadwork lavishly illustrated. If you are a beader you will want this book for how-to and inspiration. This is the book you have been waiting for and is definitely going into my library. We thank Carol for her great contribution to the bead world and to all the gifted artists who share their work with us in this book.