The Art & Elegance of Beadweaving by Carol Wilcox Wells
ISBN 1-57990-200-6, Hardbound, 160 pg., $27.95US, Lark Books, Division of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 387 Park Avenue South, New York, N.Y. 10016

Carol is internationally known as an artist, instructor, author and host of annual bead retreats.  I first met her years ago when we were both teaching beading classes at a bead retreat.  Carol had just published her first book, Creative Bead Weaving which is a classic in the beadwork world.   The Art & Elegance of Beadweaving more than equals it.  The color photography is superb and highlights each beaded item for a lip-smacking, eye-goggling experience.  Carol’s touch of excellence can be seen on every page.

You will find the projects rich in diversity and color quality.  Projects include beaded beads, chevron chains, crocheted ropes, herringbone stitch, peyote stitch and spiral ropes and each of these chapters are filled with beadwork items to make and special techniques.  In the material, tool and tips section, the instructions and illustrations for making slip knots, square knots and weaver’s knots are easy to comprehend.

Carol’s combination of designs, color and style results in exquisite beadwork.  In addition to Carol’s designs, there are projects by contributing beaders.  As I look through the contributor names, I realize I have met most of these professional beaders in person or by email.  Combine Carol’s designs plus the contributors and you can’t miss.

Every project includes step-by-step instructions, illustrations and a full color photo of the project.   Carol provides inspiration through galleries by each subject covered; beaded bead, crocheted ropes, herringbone stitch, chevron chain and peyote stitch galleries..  Color photos of beadwork are sprinkled in with some of the project pages resulting in more inspiration.

Many of the illustrations are printed in color and others are in black and white gradations.  There are color photos on almost every page.  The beaded beads are diverse with spoke, netted, spiral, spiky, caterpillar, scrunch, caged and woven beads.  For each of these beads many adaptations can be made to the basic design.  I could not decide which I liked best, they are all wonderful.  Just when I thought I had seen all the beads, I turned the page and found the Bellissimo beads and dimensional right angle weave beads along with an introduction to those techniques.  There are enough beaded bead projects here to keep you busy for a long time.

Carol’s 3-D chevron chain takes you another step forward in beading.  The project is Carol’s mini pagoda basket using chevron techniques and I have never seen anything like it before.  Several chevron chain patterns and more projects are provided for experimentation including a chevron collar.  Carol includes more photos of her baskets and vessels using this technique.  I especially like Carol’s Aspen Basket with aspen trees worked into the pattern.

The bead crochet section demonstrates how bead crochet and beading can work together.  Carol’s beaded beads combined with a bead crocheted rope is just one of the many gorgeous designs.  The gallery sections gives you more ideas of what can be accomplished when you combine techniques.

Carol takes you step-by-step through crocheting with beads using a slip stitch and working to the side of beads rather than standard crochet with the slip stitch worked under one of the stitch halves or both.   Crocheting to the side of beads is also old technique, however, you will you will find new exciting ways to create patterns and add various shaped beads with the rope patterns in this section.  Carol will walk you through this technique and explain every step.  Her illustrations and narrative are easy to follow.  All the projects are slip stitch with the exception of mine, which is a single crochet necklace made with gemstone chips.  When it comes to bead crochet ropes, patterns of single crochet can be worked with slip stitch and vice versa, however, you are limited in the ways a bead can set when using slip stitch only and both ropes will feel different when finished.   Depending on stitch placement, if you use slip stitch in place of single crochet in a pattern, the beads may not line up and look like the original pattern.

You will learn to read a bead graph for crochet which looks a little like peyote or brick stitch except the bead pattern works in a slant in one direction just as the actual ropes progress in spiral shapes.  There are samples of rope patterns in photos showing how the bead size and type can make a difference in the look and weight of a rope.  Carol has a great idea for making information tags to go with the samples so you do not have to reinvent those steps over when you want to make the same rope again.  Now is the time to add bead crochet to your beading portfolio.  Bead crochet is growing in popularity, learn now and push the envelope of creativity.

The herringbone section includes variations of working the stitch, some easier than others.  Whether you want to work in a circle, begin with a bead ladder, start with even or odd count or start the beginning with multiples, increase or decrease, you will find the answers here.  The Chinese Lantern by Carole Horn in the gallery is dramatic and organic in appearance.  I could easily see the two dangles becoming legs to a herringbone critter body.  Carol uses herringbone as if it were loom weaving to create a face which is all charted.

There are twisted/spiraled and lacy necklaces too.  Of course, peyote instructions are included and the spiraled bracelet, beaded rings and zigzag necklace are a hit not to mention Carol’s metal chain combined with peyote beaded earrings!

The spiral ropes are gorgeous examples and the variations of rope types bracelets and lariats are appealing.  There is a fun component necklace with photos showing you how you can combine the pendant section with different components for a completely different look.

There is no doubt every beader should have Carol’s book for inspiration, experimentation and as a stitch reference.  If you do not have Creative Bead Weaving, get it while you still can and it will make a nice mate to The Art & Elegance of Beadweaving.