Complete Jewellery Book Review

Complete Jewellery is one of those books that not only makes jewelry appear easy to create, it gives such detailed instructions and photos that you truly believe you can do it, too. All projects are rated Easy, Intermediate, or Advanced so you know exactly what you’re getting yourself in for.

The first chapter covers tools and materials, giving a detailed explanation of both. It includes lists of and definitions for:

Basic equipment
Tools for stringing
Tools for wire wrapping as well as a gauge guide
Tools for polymer clay
Tools for textiles
Tools for advanced techniques and a small gemstone buying guide

The next chapter is on stringing, including classic bead stringing and with flexible beading wire. Several projects are then demonstrated. Next is wire wrapping. I was surprised at how clear and detailed the photographs are. I really feel like I can master wrapping a briolette, something that has always managed to escape me before. And I love this sweet little ring that is listed as one of the easy wire projects.


The next two chapters are on materials that many jewelry artists don’t work with in general. The first is polymer clay. Clay tends to be a little intimidating, I think. If it’s not done correctly you can end up looking like you’re wearing your third grader’s art project. The projects shown in the clay chapter are simple in design but high impact. The next rather unlikely material is what the book refers to as textiles. What it covers is crochet, needle-felting, and fabric wrapped beads. I’d like to adapt these needle-felted ball earrings in my own color scheme.


The last chapter covers advanced techniques. These include:
making ear wires and head pins
making French wire
using a chasing hammer to add texture
projects using gemstones

And if you’re wondering about the spelling in the title, this book is originally a title from the UK. However, there are standard measurements as well as metric ones. I didn’t see anything else in the book that would be exclusive to Britain (or Europe in general) so don’t let that hold you back from getting this great book.

Complete Embellishing Book Review

Tight budget? Bored with your current wardrobe and home accessories? Just want to stand out from the mall crowd? Creative Embellishing by Kayte Terry was written just for you. It contains “easy techniques and over 25 great projects.” The adorable headband on the cover is what really caught my eye what with headbands being all the rage now. It has a very Anthropologie feel to me.


The book starts with tools and techniques and a comprehensive section on sewing basics. This includes a variety of things such as hand-sewing, machine sewing, making pockets, patchwork, embroidery, crochet, felting, fabric printing, and basic appliqué. There are also simple directions for using beads, buttons, and sequins.


The rest of the book is divided into Garments, Accessories, and Home Furnishings. Each project is rated by its difficulty – Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced. There is a complete material list for each one that includes metric as well as standard measurements. The instructions are detailed enough that even the advanced projects are easy to understand and follow.


This book really embraces the DIY culture that is so popular at the moment. Most of the garments and accessories have a romantic feel to them while the 5 or so home furnishings are more modern. There’s a youthful vibe to the book as a whole. If you’re looking for that little bit extra that makes you unique, look no further. Complete Embellishing can help.


To wrap up book week this is the book I'll be giving away. I'll be taking all the comments on the book review posts from this past week (including this one) at 8 pm central time this evening and drawing one name. That person will receive Complete Embellishing compliments of Anova Books.

Update: The book giveaway is now ended. I will post the winner first thing in the morning! Thanks, everyone, for playing!

Big Book of Fashion Illustration Book Review

If you’re looking for eye candy look no further than the Big Book of Fashion Illustration by Martin Dawber. And when they say big book they mean it. We’re talking 384 pages of juicy pictures. It features a foreword by Karen Santry, Associate Professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York and Executive Vice President at Fashion Art Bank Inc. After that Martin Dawber has written a small introduction and the rest is just art. It’s divided into seven categories – Womenswear, Menswear, Youth Culture, Children, Sport, Accessories, and Beauty. Each of those is then divided further into subcategories.


Oh, if you’re a subscriber to the elongated nine-head-length stereotype, you’ll want to look away now. Fashion illustration has taken leaps and strides in the last 20 years. There is no set template that’s followed anymore. Not just in size but in technique. You’ll see not only drawn and painted pieces but several other methods as well. Naturally there’s digital work and photography. But there’s also collage work. In fact, UK-based illustration duo, Jacqui Paull and Carl Melegari, have this to say: “We like to fuse two elements together to achieve our goal. It is more innovative and exciting. We mix a combination of techniques - photography, hand-drawn elements, Xerox, flat graphics, - all collaged together using Photoshop to give a more individual approach.” (taken from the introduction)


I got the book because my drawing skills are seriously lacking. At this point, you’re wondering how this would help, right? Because I have a dozen drawing books and they all tell you the same thing. Draw this particular way, with this particular pencil, on this particular paper. And I get so sick of drawing realistically. I don’t want to draw perfect people. As I flip through this book I see that I can throw all that out the window. Yes, I *can* draw a perfect-looking nose but why? There’s no character, no soul. I’m hoping it will inspire me to work on my individual style. And, it also makes me want dust off my Wacom tablet so I can develop some mad digital skillz.


I’m not the intended audience for this book, I’m sure. But there is so much that I’m getting out of it. If you have any desire to draw people or just need a creative shot in the arm, I highly recommend this book.

Cloth Dolls for Textile Artists Book Review

Cloth Dolls for Textile Artists comes to us courtesy of Ray Slater - textile artist, costume maker, doll artist extraordinaire. The dolls and surface techniques presented in this book are nothing short of stunning.

The author begins with a list of basic tools and equipment, general information, stuffing the doll, and the most general of info on machine embroidery. Since there are only a few pages devoted to this I would suggest that this book is definitely not for beginners.

She gives patterns for everything from the stump doll to the jointed doll and several variations in between. She’ll show you how to make a flat face, beautiful needle-sculpted one, or a completely 3- d head. The directions for the painting the face with colored pencils are excellent as well.


But really it’s in the embellishing and costuming that these dolls really take on their character. The author’s talents as a costume maker are brought out to play. There are a multitude of techniques for fabric surface treatments including dyeing, painting, beading, embroider – hand and machine, couching, appliqué, stamping and more. You’ll also learn how to make wrapped cords and braids, cutwork fabric from sheer polyester, fabric with water-soluble film. And then she shows you beautiful needle-felted hair and examples of headdresses from the techniques in the book.


While this book is not for the timid, it *is* for those who want to make a statement with their dolls. The techniques can be accomplished with the step-by-step directions and patterns. The photos are highly detailed and inspiring. I believe this is a book that should be on every dollmaker’s shelf.


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