Review: Create Jewelry: Stones

Here’s a lovely new book from Interweave Press. It’s part of the Create Jewelry series from Marlene Blessing and Jamie Hogsett.

Chaledony bracelet. All photos here are from Create Jewelry: Stones.

I’m excited about Create Jewelry: Stones because, while I love the subtle color and heft of gemstones, it’s hard to find well-designed jewelry made from them. All of the designs in this book are beautifully simple, letting the materials shine through.

The first section gives a bit of fact and lore about each of the stones used in the book. It doesn’t cover any of the metaphysical properties of gemstones, which I find fascinating, but of course that’s not everyone’s cup of tea.

Coral earrings.

I really loved Jamie Hogsett’s use of interesting findings with the stones. Again, simple settings that magnify the beauty of the materials. Aren’t these earrings pretty?

Onyx and Amazonite. And you can position it around your neck in lots of different ways. It’s really cool worn off-center.

There are three groups of designs: Classic, Special Occasion, and Fashion Forward. Plenty of necklace, bracelet, and earring projects to inspire. This is a great book for someone who’s had a little jewelry-making experience and wants to take their work to a more elegant level.

Carnelian and seed beads. Those woven wrappers are really interesting.

Most of the designs are strung, but there are also elements of bead-weaving and wirework. The step-by-step instructions are very clear – mostly text, but with trickier steps illustrated.

Watermelon Tourmaline. Such amazing colors!

Anyway, I had too many favorites to show you them all. You can see more of them on the on the Interweave website. If you make jewelry, do check this one out!