Lynda Musante - Exquisite Beaded Jewelry: Use Basic Techniques to Create Distinctive Designs

Exquisite
Beaded
Jewelry

Use Basic
Techniques
to Create
Distinctive
Designs

Lynda S. Musante

2004 by Lynda S. Musante
Published by

700 East State Street Iola, WI 54990-0001
715-445-2214 888-457-2873
www.krause.com

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Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2004103293

ISBN: 0-87349-808-9
eISBN: 978-0-8734-9808-1

Edited by Maria L. Turner

Designed by Jamie Griffin

Printed in the United States of America

D edication

For Lou, Laurel, and Robbie, who have supported my creative efforts throughout the years and still dont mind going to the bead store in every town we visit.

A cknowledgments

I sincerely appreciate the guidance and leadership from my editor, Maria Turner. Her expert eye and patience were invaluable for the completion of this book.

Id also like to thank photographer Kris Kandler for her suggestions and quiet expertise in the photography of this book, page designer Jamie Griffin for making the pages come to life, and cover designer Mary Lou Marshall for a simply exquisite look.

Julie Stephani, my acquisition editor, youre a dear friend, and it was so nice to work with you after all these years.

Id further like to thank the contributing artists who sent in amazing work for this book, as well as the manufacturers who generously supplied product for my design work.

T able of C ontents

Chapter 3:
Knowing Your Tools and Materials

I ntroduction

Since the earliest recorded time, stone, bone, clay, and shells have been strung and worn as adornment. In early times, beadwork often defined a culture and its wealth. In this book, lets define beading as the act of assembling beads into a wearable decorative embellishment. Beads can be stitched, woven, wired, glued, or embedded. Its the influence and experiences of the artist that transforms theseoften tiny, sometimes largebeads into a work of art.

One aspect that makes beading so attractive is that the artist can explore and combine the same materials and achieve many different results, through the influences of technique and composition.

The availability of beads and materials in shops, shows, and on Web sites also make this art more accessible. Finding beads from most every culture is infinitely easier today than ever before. The Internet has widened the availability for finding beads both the lampwork variety and the semiprecious stones.

Improvisational beadwork featuring lampwork beads by Kristan Childs, Redside Designs.

Ive created with my hands just about all my life. I enjoy experimenting and the discovery of trying out new materials and techniques. I am a self-taught beader for the most part. I love the portability of working with beads, and the ability to work just about anywhere theres a good light. With this in mind, all of the projects in this book are created using basic, readily available hand-tools, beads, and materials.

Focal bead by Ellie Mac.

For me, most of the pieces start off with a loose idea of the bead colors, textures, techniques, and any other materials. Once I begin working, the beads will seem to lead me in one direction or another through how they are going together and what beads I seem to be focused on using. In this book, this process is defined as improvisational beadwork. Projects completed using this method often look more organic, and more often, they are the projects I enjoy the most once they are completed.

The old adage, a picture is worth a thousand words, certainly rings true for beadwork. Throughout the chapters, there are many close-up photographs of the gallery artists work. The goal for these insets is to give you the opportunity to examine the composition and construction of the beadwork. The intricacy of the workmanship is often innovative, inspiring, and intriguing.

I hope to help you build and expand your skills; find your own voice in your beadworkto discover your look; and, perhaps, challenge you to look at your beadwork differently. There are so many variations, techniques, and possibilities found in beadwork, that you could work with the same combination of beads and never make the same project twice. As you become more proficient, I hope youll begin to experiment, to work with new colors or new textures, and to create pieces that reflect you.

Bracelet created with wire, seed beads, and lampwork beads by Kristan Childs, Redside Designs.

CHAPTER 1
A S YOU
B EGIN

Learning the basics is the best way to start any new type of craft. In this chapter, you will find many questions to help jumpstart your thought process in deciding what you want to make. Relax and let the creativity begin!

Comfort,
Considerations,
and Inspiration

Strung necklace with drilled and embellished domino as pendant.

Making your own jewelry is a wonderful way to express yourself creatively, to make gifts for friends and family, or even as part of a home-based business. Jewelry-making can be a very satisfying, portable means of self-expression.