Wire Wrapping: Book Review: Make Wire Beads 2011

Have you ever been inclined to try your hand at wire jewelry making? If you have, one of the very first things you need to learn is about wires, ie; how each different kind and different gauge (thickness of the wire) actually works in your hands. You need to get a good working "feel" for the wire. While there are many different techniques and methods to wire working, wire wrapping is quite popular because it's probably the easiest type of wire working to learn. Why? Well, as it says, you essentially just wrap the wire around itself or around a dowel or some other forming tool.

Make Wire Beads hit the bestseller list on Amazon ten years ago, sold out rather quickly and since has been available mainly as used copies selling for outrageous prices. Why? It's the only book of its kind about making simple (but sometimes complex looking) beads by wire wrapping. And anyone, regardless of experience level can make these clever little beads, absolutely anyone.

This book has forty-four individual "recipes" for making each of it's forty-four wire beads. What's unique about this book is that there are four different wire wrapping techniques employed in making the beads in the book. A nice treat, Van Herik spends at least a good third of the book explaining and illustrating how to master those simple techniques. There's also a basic principle that the book is based on: by altering the gauge of the wire, the type of wire and the size of the dowel that the bead is built on, an infinite number of beads are possible. That's surely a legacy for your own creativity.

Another lucky feature of this book is that the author makes her own comments following the individual bead "recipes" to warn the reader of any potential glitches or problems they might encounter.

Among other things, you'll find information about basic bead structure (how to make it solid and reliable), twisting wire, controlling the weight of your beads and tips for the most successful winding method. As I said before, a hefty section of this book is all about understanding the basics before you get started: tools, techniques and all manner of other nifty tips and tricks to make your Make Wire Beads experience the most worthwhile it can be.

This well thought out, clever and informative book is jam packed with everything someone would want to know about getting started making wire beads and jewelry. No wonder it sold out so quickly years ago. It's great to find it back on the market at last.

For more wire jewelry book reviews go to: Best Wire Jewelry Making Books