| Jewelry Making & Beading for Dummies | | | | the book and really cover everything you |
| was first published in 2005 and is | | | | need to know as a beginner. I should |
| probably the most popular book available | | | | also mention that there are simple |
| for teaching beginners about the basics | | | | projects spread throughout both sections |
| of jewelry making and beading. | | | | so that you can practice what you are |
| When the book was published a few years | | | | learning as you go along. |
| back I had already been making jewelry | | | | Looking at this from the perspective of |
| for quite some time so I wasn't really | | | | a complete beginner, I think Parts 1 and |
| interested in getting it. | | | | 2 of the book are all you really need. |
| Now that I focus more on teaching | | | | Part 3 of the book consists primarily of |
| jewelry making I am always looking for | | | | beading projects, and while they are all |
| jewelry making information that can help | | | | very nice pieces of jewelry, there are |
| beginners, so I decided to get the book | | | | very few graphics showing step by step |
| and review it. | | | | how to make the pieces. In my experience |
| Here is an overview of the contents of | | | | working with beginners I think many |
| the book and my opinion about each | | | | would find it difficult to make these |
| section. If you are new to beading and | | | | pieces without detailed instructions or |
| or jewelry making I hope you will find | | | | hands-on help like a class or video. |
| this useful. | | | | So if I were a beginner, I would learn |
| The book is divided into five parts: | | | | everything in Parts 1 and 2, and put the |
| Part 1: Creating Irresistible Jewelry, | | | | book on the shelf for a while, and then |
| Part 2: Discovering Simple | | | | maybe revisit Part 3 later after I had |
| Jewelry-Making Techniques, Part 3: | | | | gained more experience. |
| Implementing Design Ideas, Trends, and | | | | Part 4, in my opinion, goes off on a |
| More, Part 4: Building on Your Jewelry | | | | tangent that I don't think has much to |
| Making Hobby, and Part 5: The Part of | | | | do with learning beading and jewelry |
| Tens. | | | | making. |
| The first part, Creating Irresistible | | | | Things are covered like how to decorate |
| Jewelry, covers from A to Z everything a | | | | other objects with beads, making jewelry |
| beginner needs to know about the | | | | with kids, hosting a jewelry party, and |
| different strings, chords, and wire | | | | tips for what to do if you want to turn |
| options available. There is also a | | | | your jewelry making hobby into a |
| complete explanation of the basic | | | | business. |
| jewelry making tools and the different | | | | I will say that the part about turning |
| kinds of connectors (head pins, eye | | | | your jewelry making hobby into a |
| pins, jump rings, etc.) and clasps. | | | | business has some very good tips, |
| There is also a very comprehensive | | | | especially on how to correctly price |
| explanation about bead types, crystal | | | | your jewelry. It shows you how to make |
| beads, pearls, and stones. A small | | | | sure that you include a cost for how |
| section is also dedicated to explaining | | | | long it takes you to make a jewelry |
| where you can find jewelry making | | | | piece. Most jewelry makers forget to do |
| materials both online and offline. | | | | this and it leads them to significantly |
| The section finishes with a chapter | | | | underprice their jewelry. |
| dedicated to explaining how to best set | | | | The final section, Part 5: The Part of |
| up your workspace. | | | | Tens is so named because it gives you |
| So Part 1 of the book is basically a | | | | three chapters of Top Tens. The first |
| description of "what" whereas Part 2, | | | | top 10 is jewelry suppliers. It is good |
| Discovering Simple Jewelry-Making | | | | but a little dated. New suppliers have |
| Techniques, gets into the "how." | | | | emerged since the book was published |
| Not surprisingly, it starts with | | | | that are better than some listed in the |
| stringing and knotting and how to use | | | | book. |
| crimps. The next chapter is dedicated to | | | | The second top 10 is common jewelry |
| Bead Weaving and focuses primarily on | | | | making mistakes to avoid and has very |
| weaving with seed beads. | | | | good tips for avoiding mistakes that |
| I thought it was a little unusual to | | | | beginners commonly make. |
| focus so much on seed beads as there are | | | | The third top 10 is ideas for making |
| many beautiful pieces you can make | | | | money selling your jewelry. There are |
| weaving with beads other than seed | | | | some very good ideas in this section. |
| beads. So I think this chapter could be | | | | Overall, I would recommend this book to |
| greatly improved by showing more details | | | | beginners as a good resource to get |
| in that area, but still it does cover | | | | started. But keep in mind that if you're |
| basic weaving patterns. | | | | learning style is more suited to |
| Part 2 ends with a chapter on wire | | | | learning by seeing things in action then |
| wrapping which includes how to choose | | | | you may have trouble actually learning |
| wire, basic wire wrapping techniques, | | | | beading by looking at this book simply |
| and a nice section on how to use a wire | | | | because there are not a lot of "how to" |
| jig. | | | | graphics. |
| So Parts 1 and 2 take up about half of | | | | |