Review: The Complete Guide to Wire & Beaded Jewelry

I circle back to wire crafting pretty regularly. Wire is such an intriguing medium for jewelry, and doesn’t require any special soldering or cutting skills. And, thanks to The Complete Guide to Wire & Beaded Jewelry, I can see just how many cool possibilities it has.

Clearly, Linda Jones knows her wirework backwards and forwards, and she’s created an awesome book for beginners and advanced students alike. (Follow that link to her website to see even more pretties.)

The book is organized into several categories of projects, working from beginning to advanced.

I especially loved how the beginner projects were vastly more innovative than beginning wirework projects I’ve seen all over other books. Like these rings, which are made from a single strand of wire. You can add beads, or not.

This brooch is a great beginning project, too – and I could see the same concept incorporated into a pendant.

I have to give Linda props for her absolutely clear step-by-step photography. I learned a ton of new wire techniques just browsing her photos.

I also learned that I really, really need a steel block and hammer! Here’s why:

…So I can make things like this!

And this!

I should say that there are plenty of projects in the book that incorporate beads – some are elaborately bead-y, and some are simpler. But I was most attracted to the purely wire pieces.

With more than 50 projects, there’s room for lots of variety. I should say that there’s no way for me to represent the wide diversity of these projects here.

There’s a whole section of wire link projects, which I adore. Isn’t this a gorgeous dimensional chain?

And this is just charming. Like the pieces on the cover.

There’s a great Tools and Techniques chapter to help beginners with basic looping and such. And again, it’s expressed in fabulous photography as well as clear text.

This one’s a keeper! Mom, I know you’re adding it to your wish list right now….

Tagged as: craft book, jewelry, metal, review