Beaded Images : Intricate Beaded Jewelry Using Brick Stitch

Ready to break out of the traditional brick stitch earring mold? This is the book for it - with new ideas and techniques designed to allow the reader to do just that! Several features produce earrings whose designs are more detailed for their size, lighter in weight, and very beautiful and original in appearance.

First, the designs use smaller beads: 14/ seed beads, hexagon beads and Delica beads. There are no bugle beads in the bodies of the earrings. Second, by increasing and decreasing the number of beads in each row, the shape of the earring is adapted to many different outlines. Third, there are patterns with vertical base rows rather than horizontal ones as seen in most earrings. Finally, some designs are three-dimensional; for example, a beaded bow can be added to an otherwise flat wreath.

All of these techniques are fully explained and illustrated, along with basic information on beading and getting started. There are 33 brand new patterns, including 9 Christmas designs, and each one is coded for the level of difficulty. Included are four full-color plates and one black and white plate. Once learned, the reader may use the methods featured in Beaded Images to create original designs. Blank graph sheets are included to facilitate this process.

Diamond Earring patterns included are: Rose with Stem, Rose with Leaf, Iris, End of Trail, Blue Butterfly and Red & Gold Butterfly. Sculptured Earring Patterns are: Purple Triangle Design, Beige Shield, Shield with Porcupine Quills, Red & Black Design, Multi-Color Star on Black, Chevron Design, Striped Design, Hummingbird, Peacock, and Parrot. The Vertical Earring patterns are Vertical Rose, Vertical Flower with Stem, Abstract Rose, Small Flowers on Navy, Multi-Color Snowflake, Clear Blue Vertical Design, Lantern, and Three Diamond Design. Christmas Earrings and Pins include Christmas Stocking, Santa without Fringe, Snowman, Candy Cane, Christmas Tree, Santa Earring with Fringe, Santa Pin with Fringe, Reindeer Pin, and Wreath.

An outstanding book for those seeking to stretch their creative legs! This book has been a best seller since the day it was published.

138 illustrations; 4 pages in Full Color.

Barbara Elbe is unique as both a person and an author. She received her first pair of beaded earrings as a gift and was curious as to how they were constructed. So she went to the bookstore and bought a book on the subject. In a short time she was both proficient and bored with basic designs. Already a portrait painter, she decided to put her artistic talents to work on beads and began designing her own earrings. She was looking for a more versatile and dressier look and she found it when she began to experiment with smaller beads and different shapes. Barbara wrote her first book, Beaded Images, because she wanted others to see that the possibilities for beaded earrings go far beyond what is normally seen. During the writing process, she bought her first computer and plunged in, learning to create the pattern graphics presented in her book. Beaded Images was very successful and Barbara's creative juices kept flowing, so Beaded Images II was created. She hopes her second book will be as well received as the first.

Barbara was born in San Francisco, worked in the California State Parks system for 12 years, and currently lives in northern California. She and Larry, her husband of 30 years, have both retired early so that they can spend time at home with each other. Larry is also an artist and now helps Barbara with her designs.