Findings & Finishings (Beadwork How-To Book)

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful, well instructed
Review: this is a great resource book. You don't just get great finding ideas and instructions, but beautiful examples of the work. It inspired some new ideas. Very enjoyable and beautiful.

Rating:
Summary: really useful information
Review: this is one of the more satisfying Beadwork publications. there is a good amount of information on the subjects of the title, findings and finishings, enough to really help and inspire the beginning and intermediate beader, and also provide the experienced/expert beader with ideas.

along with commercial findings, the book gives examples of and instructions for custom, beader-made findings for bracelets, necklaces and earrings done with beads and wirework. there are projects that use the techniques and most of these are very good. there are suggestions for some quick and fun projects, too, especcially using earwires.

the finishings section includes a couple of fringe variations i haven't seen before, instructions for adding straps and attaching findings.

while none of the various ideas are presented in depth, there is a lot of useful information. the graphs are very good. the section on basic techniques is pretty basic itself and probably wouldn't help a real beginner, but would be be good at jogging the memory of an intermediate or experienced beader.

the gallery secton is, as usual with Beadwork books, worth the cover price. the examples range from fun and funky to beautiful and elegant. most demonstrate the finishing part of the book, with fringing and embellishments; only about half display original findings. since this book isn't about a single technique, it would have been nice to have the the techniques used in the gallery pieces identified (is that necklace crocheted or african helix? or embellished peyote?).

even with its drawbacks, this book definitely belongs in any beader's library. it has a lot useful information in one place (so much easier to use than going through several years of back issue magazines or all the other bead books in your library) and inspirational ideas and photos.