Gorgeous beaded jewelry, handcrafted by you―a beginner's guide
Have you ever seen an amazing piece of beaded jewelry and wondered how it was made? Now you have the secrets! This jewelry-making guide for beginners shows you how to create incredible necklaces, earrings, and bracelets that you'll love wearing and sharing.
Master everything from picking the perfect beads to making your own findings (functional pieces, like clasps and earring wires). You'll even get helpful advice for starting your own jewelry line.
Whether you want to create great-looking jewelry for yourself or gift giving, this beginner's guide makes it easy.
The comprehensive guide to the craft of jewelry making!
Craft your path to becoming a jewelry artisan with The Complete Jewelry Making Course: Principles, Practice and Techniques: A Beginner's Course for Aspiring Jewelry Makers. This must-have art book covers every step of the jewelry making process, from creating original design concepts to making professionally finished pieces of jewelry. Author Jinks McGrath lists all required tools and equipment, explains their uses, advises on safe working practices, and then guides her readers through every stage of the jewelry making process in a series of carefully structured tutorials. Beginners and enthusiasts will learn--
Clear, full-color, step-by-step photos demonstrate the methods of fashioning metals by heating, hammering, casting, soldering, riveting, polishing, finishing, and adding surface decoration. At-a-glance panels explain how to apply the techniques and choose the correct materials, from crystals to sterling silver. While this thorough, easy-to-understand jewelry guide is a perfect gift for adults who love crafts, it's also the perfect how-to-guide for transforming hobbyists into true professionals. This complete guide is also ideal for fashion and jewelry courses.
Learn the art of jewelry making with just one, must-have book!
With over 300 unique bead crochet patterns, The Encyclopedia of Tubular Bead Crochet is undoubtedly the most thorough guide to this beautiful craft. Ann Benson brings more than fifty years of crafting experience to this comprehensive book, featuring these topics:
Basic stitching techniques
Materials including beads and threads
Tools and equipment
Over 300 patterns from five-around to ten-around, as well as flat patterns
Multiple finishing techniques including the invisible join
Troubleshooting guide
Design your own blanks
Resources for enhancing your bead crochet experience
Whether you're just beginning or you're an accomplished bead crocheter, there's something for you in this detailed, richly illustrated guide to your bead crochet journey.
In striking shades of turquoise and colorful earth tones, the splendid silver jewelry of southwestern Native American Indian tribes is some of the most admired in the world. Author Walter Ben Hunt spent years steeping himself in the indigenous cultures that created these magnificent works of art, studying the craft and learning to practice it himself. In Indian Silversmithing, Hunt shares that knowledge and wisdom with readers.
Beginning with his deep understanding of native silversmithing as practiced by Navajo, Zuni, Hopi, Santo Domingo, and Rio Grande Pueblo peoples, Hunt explains creative techniques using traditional hand tools and proceeds with descriptions of more modern tools and methods, such as the use of acetylene torches and ready-made solders. Progressing from simple to more complex projects, he provides detailed instructions for making specific jewelry pieces; among the items included are earrings, brooches, bracelets, buttons, belts, clips, canteens, conchos, and squash blossom necklaces. Skills such as stamp making, soldering, tarnishing, and antiquing are fully covered, as are the practical aspects of setting up a workshop, the tools of the trade, where to buy raw materials, and developing a productive mindset and habits.
Indian Silversmithing has been a favorite among crafters for generations, and many of the traditional techniques covered are still widely used today. Not only does this invaluable guide teach you how to make the jewelry yourself, it also explains the meaning behind the various Native American decorative symbols and designs. Photos and illustrations accompany instructions and descriptions of all of the jewelry discussed. A vital resource for teachers and students alike, this venerable guide will serve as an inspiring, must-have reference book for anyone interested in the history and craft of southwestern Native American silver jewelry making.
This edition is a faithful reproduction of W. Ben Hunt's original 1952 edition.
This book is also available from Echo Point Books as a hardcover (ISBN 1648372570).
Have you ever gazed in wonder at a faceted gemstone, at theever-changing interplay of light, colour, and sparkle, and askedyourself how such a thing could come into being? Gemstones have been asource of fascination, mystery, and power for millennia, yet it isonly in the last few decades that the tools and knowledge for creatingthese tiny miracles have been available to the average person.
In this book, amateur faceter Tom Herbst lays out the stepsnecessary to transform a shapeless lump of rock into a glitteringjewel that is unique and valuable. Along the way, he explains not onlythe how but also the why, and provides helpful tips in dealingwith many of the pitfalls that confront the beginning gem cutter.
At a bare minimum, this book should help you appreciate thecraftsmanship that gives life to the jewelry you love. Hopefully, however, you will be inspired to attempt your own first gemstone, theinitial step in what may be a lifelong involvement in the captivatinghobby of amateur gemstone faceting.
Happy cutting, and may you make all your meets.
Amateur Gemstone Faceting Volume 1: The Essentials - ChapterSummaries
Foreword
A welcome to the wonderful world of amateur gemstone faceting.
Chapter 1 - Gems and Faceting
Explains the nature and types of gemstones and introduces the hobbyof faceting.
Chapter 2 - Faceting Machines
Provides an overview of the mechanics of faceting machines, including a section on evaluating and paying the right price for yourdream machine or even building your own. Includes a snapshot of thecurrent faceting machine market.
Chapter 3 - Laps
Explains cutting and polishing laps and the relative advantages anddisadvantages of each type. An overview of commercial offerings andtypical starting lap sets should help you make the best choice.
Chapter 4 - Additional Equipment
Discusses the additional equipment you will need or want, rangingfrom dop sticks to polishing compounds to lighting.
Chapter 5 - GeM101: Your First Gemstone
A detailed illustrated tutorial to guide you through cutting andpolishing your first gem, from selecting the rough stone to showingoff your handiwork.
Chapter 6 - Gem Rough
Provides advice on finding gem rough, selecting the right piece, and paying the right price for it. The chapter also discussessynthetic and simulant gemstones and orienting your gem rough formaximum visual impact and yield.
Chapter 7 - Dopping
Explains traditional dopping practice and introduces a hybridmethod which simplifies the process substantially. Includes a thoroughdiscussion of dop transfer technique to ensure proper alignment of thepavilion and crown.
Chapter 8 - Cutting and Polishing
Explains the techniques of cutting and polishing, includingsections on pre-forming, lap and facet sequencing, meet pointfaceting, polishing theory, and charging laps with compound. Extensivetroubleshooting discussions should help you avoid, or at leastcorrect, common cutting and polishing problems.
Chapter 9 - Further Reading
An expanded reading list on multiple faceting-related topics.
Glossary of Faceting Terms
A reasonably complete explanation of faceting terms, includingdirect pointers to the chapter and page where you can learn more.
Index
The two volumes of Amateur Gemstone Faceting comprise 20 chaptersand almost 900 pages. The merged index helps you quickly find what youneed.
This book is a must-have resource for all metalsmiths, including jewelers, blacksmiths and bladesmiths who wish to venture into new areas for their talents. Each technique covered is broken down into practical steps, supported by photographs and illustrations.
Starting with the basics, the book is a benchtop guide which will carry you through the process of embellishing steel by fusing, enameling, etching, Keum Boo, patinating, etc. to create jewelry and other steel decorative objects.
This comprehensive guide offers a wealth of knowledge, techniques and inspiration for beginners and experienced artisans alike. Rich with interesting background information and practical guidance, the book is drawn from the hundreds of hours that the author has devoted to teaching students throughout the world in the art of creating steel jewelry.
--Bette BarnettEasy-to-follow instructions for knotted bracelets with embroidery floss. Colorful bracelets are fun for kids and teens!
Friendship knows no boundaries--it covers the world. It comes in all languages. The idea of making a bracelet to celebrate and share friendship began in Central and South America. The legend of the wish began with the bracelets: One person makes a bracelet and ties it around the arm of a friend, who makes a wish. When the bracelet falls off by itself, the wish will come true!
Friendship Bracelets 101 is filled with all the basics you need to get started making friendship bracelets. Color photos and step-by-step instructions make it easy for the beginner, and a variety of fun designs and knots will keep you learning and creating.
Make a unique gift to share with friends at school or church, or with your club or team mates, with Friendship Bracelets 101!
Ann Benson brings her time-tested perspective and decades of craft experience to the beautiful art of loom beading in a comprehensive book that features:
Fifty unique designs in various widths and lengths
Detailed materials lists including bead color numbers and quantities
Finishing methods galore: clasps, buttonholes, magnetics and more
Sizing your project for the perfect fit
Tools and equipment that won't break the bank
Resource information for beads and fibers
And so much more!
Whether you're a novice or an accomplished maker, this book will bring something special to your crafting and give you hours of beading pleasure.
Create beautiful wire wrap jewelry with 20 beginner-friendly projects
If you're interested in making your own jewelry, wire wrapping is a great technique to start with. The jewelry is easily joined and decorated by shaping, twisting, wrapping, coiling, and weaving wire. In this jewelry-making guide, you'll learn how to create 20 projects that will progressively build your skills.
Create beautiful wire wrap jewelry that will dazzle your friends and family.
Get all knotted up This fun guide has all the information you need to make your own jewelry using knotting techniques. You'll learn how to evaluate, select, and care for pearls and gemstones; how to select findings and tools; the pros and cons of different stringing materials; and much more. Clear step-by-step, fully illustrated instructions show you exactly how to knot between beads and attach various types of clasps and finishes. You'll soon be crafting beautiful, ready-to-wear pieces.
This seed bead graph paper book has 100 pages and is 8.5 by 11 inches. There is plenty of room on each page to create unique bead designs. Each page has rows of 80 bead spots across and columns of 80 going down. There a line dividers every 10 spots.
Note: This is Volume 2 of Amateur Gemstone Faceting, containing Chapters 10 to 20. To track down Volume 1, search for Amateur Gemstone Faceting Volume 1: The Essentials.
Have you ever gazed in wonder at a faceted gemstone, at the ever-changing interplay of light, colour, and sparkle, and asked yourself how such a thing could come into being? Gemstones have been a source of fascination, mystery, and power for millennia, yet it is only in the last few decades that the tools and knowledge for creating these tiny miracles have been available to the average person.
In this second volume, amateur faceter Tom Herbst helps you expand your faceting horizons. You will learn about the optics and mathematics behind the magic of gemstones. Subsequent chapters on the properties and treatment of common gem materials will help you identify and make the most of your valuable rough.
To really expand your horizons, try faceting on your computer, visualizing gemstones before committing the stone to the lap. Nothing can match the satisfaction of creating and cutting your own unique gem cuts. Chapters on general design principles and a specific case study should help you on your way. Finally, faceters are inveterate tinkerers, and the concluding chapter lays out ideas for multiple do-it-yourself projects, including instructions for building a precision digital angle encoder for your faceting machine.
Happy cutting, and may your horizons expand before you.
Chapter 10 - Gemstone Mathematics and Geometry
Introduces the essentials of trigonometry needed for faceting, including tangent ratio scaling. Discusses gemstone symmetry and maximizing yield from a piece of rough.
Chapter 11 - Gemstone Optics
Explains the wave nature of light and how its interaction with matter produces colour, refraction, internal reflection, and luster.
Chapter 12 - Gem Material Properties
Explains the optical properties of gemstones (colour, refractive index, dispersion, saturation, colour change, birefringence, and pleochroism), as well as their physical characteristics (density, hardness, crystal structure, cleavage, and inclusions).
Chapter 13 - Gemstone Treatments
Explains the procedures and ethics of gemstone treatments, ranging from heat and radiation to oiling and exotic techniques.
Chapter 14 - Common Gem Materials
Easy to read tables of properties for the most common gemstone materials, with a focus on faceting-related information.
Chapter 15 - Faceting on Your Computer
Use your computer to maximize your enjoyment of faceting. Describes commercial and freeware gem design and optimization software, and includes a tutorial on three-dimensional rendering - literally cutting the gem inside your computer.
Chapter 16 - Designing Your Own Gemstone
Provides guidance on expressing your individual artistic urges via gemstone design, from simple modifications to existing cuts through creating your own, new, unique, gems.
Chapter 17 - Establishing the Gem Outline
Explains the CAM, OMNI, CLAM, and ECED pre-forming methods.
Chapter 18 - Case Study: Designing the Briar Rose
Chronicles the conception, development, and execution of a novel hexagonal cut, including hints on channeling inspiration into actual facets.
Chapter 19 - New Gemstone Designs
More than twenty new and unique gemstone designs for all skill levels.
Chapter 20 - Do-It-Yourself Projects for the Frugal Faceter
A collection of do-it-yourself projects, ranging from a better drip tank, to an inexpensive dichroscope, to adding a true digital angle encoder to your faceting machine.
Index
The two volumes of Amateur Gemstone Faceting comprise 20 chapters and almost 900 pages. The merged index helps you quickly find what you need.