Beadwork Creates Bracelets edited by Jean Campbell
ISBN 1-9131499-20-9, Semi Hardcover, 94 pgs., $16.95US, Interweave Press, 201 East Fourth St, Loveland, Colorado 80537, 800-272-2193, www.interweave.com

Interweave Press and Jean Campbell have teamed up again to produce another series of wonderful, inspiring books.   This new series ”Beadwork Creates” not only has the beautiful color photography they are known for but great designs form a diverse group of beaders across the nation.

In working my way through the book, I found the instructions up to Interweave’s high standards and most questions about techniques were answered by a quick look in the back of the book.   Since I’m an experienced beader,  I like having the how to information in the back of the book rather than the front like most books.  Some newer beaders may find this cumbersome to be flipping back and forth but if you have their Beaders’ Companion, you can use it for specific instructions!

With this book and the one on necklaces in my library, I shouldn’t need to buy another book for quite a while. I will be able to keep busy using these designs as inspiration after I have made each of them at least 10 times!

- Reviewed by Teresa Barrett

Beadwrangler Note:  I love the bracelet by Dona Anderson-Swiderek with crystals worked between the bead lattice.  The appearance of black at the beginning and end of the bracelet worked into a green and then deeper pink selection in the center is dynamite.  I also like Margo C. Field’s Netted Garden with a darker background and floral 3-D on top.  Color elements can make such a difference.  The Piano Notes by Judi Wood is certainly a new look for bracelets.  Knock me down and kick me twice if Barbara Grainger doesn’t have the most wonderful splendiferous emerald green and gold bracelet worked with square stitch.  I was so excited to see this design because I can make one using beading knitting or Swag bead crochet stitch.

I find the book shape strange.  Although it looks cute, because it is thick and long rather than a larger size and not so thick, it is difficult to keep each page flat to work.  Once those pages are pushed down flat by force so you can work, the book pages no longer close back together and the cover sticks up.  I recently stopped at a book store and the Beadwork Creates books could not even be seen on the book shelf; they were pushed back so you could not see them or the titles.  People may miss the books because they do not see them unless they are displayed separately in a display rack.