Beaded Images II: Intricate Beaded Jewelry Using Brick Stitch

Get ready to explore an exciting new frontier in bead design! Journey beyond geometric and pictorial patterns to a realm where beads can be sculptured into an unlimited variety of shapes. From birds in flight to rearing horses and clowns with curly, three-dimensional hair, the earrings in this book are truly amazing to behold. Barbara's use of smaller beads (Delica, Hex and 14/° seed beads) allows the creation of amazing design detail in earrings which are small, light in weight, and very original in appearance.

This unique how-to book is fully illustrated and contains complete, detailed instructions, with specific notes for each design. It begins with a chapter of Basic Information, including sections on Beads, Needles & Thread, and Wax, Workspace & Lighting. There are 29 incredible designs, each coded for its level of difficulty from * easiest, to ***** most difficult.

Standard instructions for beading and the essential techniques needed to create sculptured designs (increasing and decreasing the number of beads in a row) are presented in the Getting Started section. To simplify the sculptured patterns, a system of symbols indicating frequently used techniques is also introduced. The steps indicated by each symbol are fully illustrated and explained. Other chapters include Horizontal Base Rows, Vertical Base Rows and a fanciful chapter called Girls, Curls and Clowns with lots of three-dimensional detail. Each of these chapters features creative patterns using the techniques discussed.

Sculptured designs included are: Penguin, Mallard, Mallard Taking Off, Wood Duck, Rearing Horse, Peregrine, Grapes, Junk, Pagoda, Sculptured Rose, Bouquet, Alley Cat, Siamese Cat, Persian Cat, Big Eared Dog, Lion, Yellow Ducky, Flying Peregrine, Hot Air Balloon, Flower Basket, Mask, Derringer, Flapper Girl, Blonde Curly-Haired Girl, Girl With Hat, Clown With Red Bow, Orange Curly-Haired Clown, Hobo Clown, and Wild Hair Clown.

At the end of the book, blank sheets of Bead Graph Paper are provided for Delica beads (vertical and horizontal) and Hexagon beads (horizontal). These can be copied by those who have mastered the books techniques and wish to create their own designs.

An outstanding book for those seeking to stretch their creative legs!

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.