Media Reviews: Make Wire Beads

Make Wire Beads
by Lisa Van Herik
BeaDifferent Press, P.O. Box 2475, La Jolla, CA, 92038, 2000.
Soft-cover (spiral-bound), 8-1/2" x 11", color, 64 pages, $17.95.

Reviewed by Pat Moses-Caudel.

You know you possess a great book on making wire beads when you reach for your wire and begin to play, while reading the book for the first time. This is what happened to me!

Using simple tools and an assortment of wire, you can create many designs to make unique jewelry. The book gives examples of 44 styles to duplicate or to which you can add your own unique twist (sorry, no pun intended). Make Wire Beads is written in a friendly manner, with tips, tricks, and ideas to help you create some wonderful designs. You can add or make things as simple as you desire. There are pictures of each bead, with instructions to guide you through the process. I like the fact that the beads begin with very simple designs, and as you progress and get more confident, your abilities grow and you can finish the book with more intricate designs. If you already possess some knowledge of working with metals and tools, you can start midway . . . and review the easier beads.

This is a spiral soft-back book, with explanations on how to best use the tools and a very good explanation of different types of wire available, from round to square wire, from copper to fine silver to brass, as well as the new Artistic Wire.

I would like to make one suggestion for all of us who love and wear wire designs: keep wire’s flexibility in mind. Some of the lighter (smaller) gauges of wire will pull out of shape when met with the determined fingers of a child. And we all know how determined a child can be.

This is the first in a series of seven BeaDifferent books, all based on utilizing wire as a design medium. The author has quite a background in jewelry desing using various forms of materials, as well as a background in design and graphic design. Metalsmithing or wireworking is a passion of mine as well, and I truly understand the lure of wire and beads. I look forward to the rest of the series. Visit www.beadifferent.com for further information.