Rating: 
Summary: Find a wire work instructor first
Review: Some previous experience with wire work is definitely required before beginning projects in this book. Going into wire work with no previous experience might disappoint you with the resulting tangle. The projects in this books are stunning and very tempting to try but you'll need an instructor to help you to learn wrapping tension and how to use bent wire templates This book would be an excellent textbook to reinforce lessons in a hands-on class. My advice: basic wire work class first, then give these projects a shot.
Rating:
Summary: Great Ideas
Review: The cover of this book doesn't do justice to all the breathtakingly beautiful jewelry designs inside it! I see that several reviewers became discouraged with the instructions and with the device called the "Wigjig". There's a photo of one in the book and it looks like a crystaline pegboard. You place the pegs in whatever holes you want and wrap the wire around these pegs to form innumerable curvy designs with the wire. The "jig" wire designs from all the beautiful projects are in the back of the book, using line drawings to show how the wire is wrapped around the pattern of pegs you should place on the board. I think it looks like a wonderful device for making smooth, professional curves in the wire, and am excited about getting one. I easily found the "Wigjig" website in which not only is it sold, but there is an abundance of free online lessons for using it to create many beautiful projects. I'm quite impressed and can't wait to get started. I think the instructions in this book are quite good, but I have previous experience in jewelry-making, which I learned by taking classes. I haven't seen any jewelry-making books whose instructions are really easy to follow. I think it's just difficult to explain in writing how to do such intricate work, and the best way to understand these type of instructions is to have some kind of prior hands-on experience. Anyone seriously interested in adding wirework to their jewely-making skills should find this book a valuable resource if for nothing else than the inspirational designs shown.
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