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A Beady Eyed Women’s Guide to Exquisite Beadwork
The Series
By Jeannette Cook and Vicki Star
 
The simple and accessible format is full of tips and tricks. Following the instructions should lay the groundwork for the beadworker to combine various techniques and create their own unique designs and projects.
Combining 30 years of beading and teaching experience, Vicki Star and Jeannette Cook have produced a series of easy to use instruction books, consisting of five “Primers”, each covering specific bead-working techniques, with a sixth to be released later this year. Suitable for novice bead-workers, each book guides the reader through several projects step by step, in a short 20 to 30 pages. The spiral bindings allow the books to lie flat, making it easy to follow the concise and clearly illustrated instructions.
The Challenge Project from Intended as workbooks, there is adequate space for the reader to add their own notes, sketches, and scribbles, and readers are encouraged to photocopy some of the graphs for use in making their own patterns. The simple and accessible format is full of tips and tricks. Following the instructions should lay the groundwork for the bead-worker to combine various techniques and create their own unique designs and projects.
These author-published books are pricey at $14.95 for 20 -plus pages of black and white text and diagrams, though the slick covers do have full color photos depicting the completed projects. They are full of practical, useful, and easily applied information, which probably accounts for their popularity.
Books in the series include: A Peyote Stitch Primer: The reader is led through several sophisticated projects, covering flat peyote stitch as well as tubular, flat spiral, curls, and ruffles,
A Netting Primer: Covering 8 different techniques and over a dozen projects and ideas, this primer sets a strong foundation in several netting styles (sometimes called bead lace). Sculptural Peyote Brooch from A Bead & Weave Primer: Including instructions for creating a simple loom from readily available and inexpensive materials. By using the innovative weft variations and embellishing with beads, fetishes, feathers, and charms, readers can produce three-dimensional works of art. A Fringe & Edge, Tassel & Trim Primer: Covering variations on embellishing just about anything with beads.
Sculptural Peyote Projects Primer: Using an array of textures and colors, the authors have created beadwork projects they compare to miniature stained glass wearable art sculptures. Both Star and Cook teach classes regularly at various venues in Southern California, and together they conduct “Beady Eyed Retreats” four to six times a year throughout the country.
InstaReview
- Published by Jeannette Cook and Vicki Star,
- PO Box 60691, San Diego, CA 92166.
 Spiral bound, paper, 8 1/2” by 11” format,- $14.95 each.
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