Beads by Mail
Books For Enjoyment, Learning, Inspiration
Our Favorite Reference and How-To Books on Jewelry, Gemstones, Beads, and Related Topics
The BEST Beading book
This book is complete with hundreds of ideas for jewelry designs
and many color photos of detailed steps as well as a treasure trove of beadomania.
Over the years I have seen many beading books but this one stays in top place because it is
complete, the steps are well illustrated and easy to follow, and you will be an expert after doing only a few
of the projects. We no longer sell it but you can get a copy at your local bookstore or Amazon.
Handy & Useful: The Basics of Bead Stringing, Our best Seller
 |
This is a primer, with 82 pages, 12 detailed color photo pages, and innumerable clear, easy to understand drawings. I wish I could sketch so well. The author, D. Kanan, covers Design Fundamentals, Beading Basics, Earrings, Multi Strand designs, Wire Techniques, Seed Beads, Findings, Tools, Glues, as well as the anatomy of a bead necklace, optional endings, how to calculate numbers of beads needed, the knotted necklace, redrilling beads, and much more. An excellent choice if you are budget minded! The size is a handy 5" x 8" (closed) so you can easily keep it open on your bead work surface. (No returns on books.) Basics of Bead Stringing, $11.00 (final sale). |
The books on the following list are available in your public library or bookstore. Some may be out of print.
| Title, Author, Publisher | Comments |
|---|---|
| Guide to Gems and Precious Stones, ed. K. Lyman, a Fireside Book published by Simon & Schuster, 1986, ISBN 0-671-60430-9 | In a handy paperback format, this is one of the most informative sources of gem facts and lore. The color photos of rare gemstones in various stages of development from rough to polished, and how they are incorporated into artistic jewelry designs make this handbook worth searching out. 384 pages with a chapter on manmade gems. |
| Gems and Jewelry, Joel Arem, 2nd ed., Geoscience Press, Phoenix, AZ, 1992, ISBN 0-945005-09-1 | An excellent choice as a companion to the above, or on its own if you can't locate the Lyman book, also printed in small paperback format with detailed color photos of gems on almost every page. 165 pages with useful reference tables. |
| The History of Beads, concise edition, Lois Sherr Dubin, Harry N. Abrams, New York, 1995, ISBN 0-8109-2617-2, $19.95. | My favorite overview of beads, this covers the history and manufacture of beads from 30,000 BC to the present. It has a wonderful fold-out Timeline of Bead History, breathtaking vivid color photos on every page, and the price is ridiculously low for a book of this quality. 136 dense but eminently readable pages with tons of design ideas and bursting with fascinating lore. The first hardbound edition has far more pages in a larger format, but this concise edition is easier to carry with you as you visit bead stores and collections. |
| Harry Winston The Ultimate Jeweler, Laurence Krashes, published by Harry Winston Inc. and the Gemological Institute of America, 1984, ISBN 0-87311-013-7 | This is a thorough examination of the experiences of one of the world's greatest diamond experts and jewelry merchants, Harry Winston, who led a life of fable and legend in his quest for the best and largest precious stones, and the empire he built. At various times he owned the Hope diamond, the Star of the East, the Taylor-Burton diamond, the Napoleon necklace, and many more rare, singular diamonds and other hard stones. Each stone and jewelry design is presented in color in full page detailed photographs. This is an inspirational as well as fascinating tale. |
| Centuries of Jewelry in the West, J. Lanllier, M. Pini, Arch Cape Press, 1983, distributed by Crown Press, New York, ISBN 0-517-67240-5 | An attractive "coffee table" book with exhaustive coverage of the science and art of jewelry from the Renaissance to the present. The first chapter deals extensively with diamonds: mining, polishing, and setting in jewelry. The clearly written text is accompanied by almost 600 illustrations, drawings, and color photographs that enhance and inspire. The reader can easily grasp the evolution of jewelry and understand more about the possibilities and limitations of the jeweler's art. 327 pages, large format. |
| The Jewelry Design Sourcebook, P. Baker, published by Van Nostrand, New York, 1989, ISBN 0-442-23828-2 | Another large format book full of stunning color drawings and photos of jewelry dating from the Bronze Age to the present. The design and layout of the text and pictures are superb, and the authors' coverage of topics, including Art Deco, Victoriana, Baroque, and Postwar Jewelry, is global. 191 large format fully illustrated pages with glossary and index. |
| The Universal Bead, Joan Mowat Erikson, published by W.W. Norton, New York, 1993, ISBN 0-393-31005-1, $17.95. | The author's point is that beads have always captivated humans and stood for more than just a pretty bauble. She examines ways in which beads play roles in human affairs as decorative objects, insignias of rank and power, and currency. The chapter on the magical power of beads is especially helpful. |
| How-To Books for Learning Beadweaving and Other Techniques | |
| Creative Bead Weaving, Carol Wilcox Wells, Lark Books, Asheville, NC 28801, ISBN 1-57990-080-1, 1996, $18.95. | This is my favorite inspirational and teaching book for seed bead off-loom stitches. The how-to illustrations could not be more clear, and the projects are exciting. The full color photos, of which there are many, show some wonderful examples of magic you can work with beads. This is a must-have! |
| The New Beadwork, K. Moss, Abrams, New York, 1992, ISBN 0-8109-3670-4 | A wonderful collection of seed bead art and artifacts by contemporary beadweavers. Bursting with inspirational color photos. Many of these works belong to the "gee whiz, how do they do that!" category, and many are the types of projects we ordinary mortals can accomplish. The how-to instruction is somewhat helpful but not so well executed as that in the Wells book. Nevertheless, this is also a must-have book for anyone considering creating with seed beads. |
| Beadweaving, Ann Benson, Sterling, New York, 1993, ISBN 0-8069-0400-3 | The author is a very creative bead weaver. She provides detailed instructions for many interesting and beautiful bead projects. One of her techniques is sewing seed beads onto cards, which I have found works better if you substitute a medium-weight nonwoven fabric such as interfacing for the card. The color photos are very clear and detailed, and the patterns are unusual. Her list of suppliers is out-of-date, and many of the beads she lists in her instructions are difficult or impossible to obtain, so you must substitute. |
| The Technique of North American Indian Beadwork, Monte Smith, Eagle's View Publishing, Liberty UT, 1983, ISBN 0-943604-02-8 | This is a comprehensive and well-illustrated workbook with complete discussions and directions for beading on or off loom. Many of the beaded objects shown in photos (moccasins, bags, belts, cradleboards, ceremonial regalia) are breathtaking. Beading styles of many tribes are covered: Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Chippewa, Comanche, Cree, Crow, Huron, and more. |
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