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Bead &
Felted Tapestry Crochet by Carol Ventura
Her third book in a series, Bead & Felted Tapestry Crochet, is the next progression of Carol’s work. She has created projects with all beads in tapestry crochet. It is amazing what happens when you add the beads – pure magic! She also added instructions for felting tapestry crochet. Instructions and illustrations are provided for tapestry crochet, with and without beads, using both the right and left-hand. Carol explains gauge, adjusting tension, decreasing, increasing and loading beads onto thread, including the use of a bead spinner. By the way, that is one of my bead spinners in the photo. The paper, print, and photos are high quality, resulting in the projects appearing as if you could reach in and pull them out with your hands. There is an artistic quality to the whole production of the book, and the book actually feels good to the touch and extremely pleasing to the eye. There are seven beaded, six felted and three projects with both bead crochet and felting combined. Bags, earrings, bracelets, amulets, baskets, and a hat are created using these tapestry techniques. There are patterns that are completely covered with beads and others are partially covered with beads and other areas of fiber. For felting, there is a photo example of a bag before felting and one after felting. The difference is a real surprise. The felting brings a soft muted finish to the bag, whereas when worked without felting, the pattern has more clarity with an exacting appearance. My choice of bags is the Let’s Face It Tote; the face is abstract and yet you can see the image. At the same time, the negative space can change your view of the face to see only shapes and diagonals lines instead. There are color graphs for each project; and patterns set up with each row/round listed separately instead of all jammed together in a paragraph or two. The hat has a beautiful brim and can be sized to fit any head size when felted. The reversible bead crocheted basket is great for interior design; the side with the beads can be set outside or inside; both sides, with and without beads are beautiful. Carol’s baskets will be a real plus to your home. There are large oversized bags to very the small bags, all with unique handle designs; bags with zippers and those with fold-over flaps. You will find more than one bag you want to make. Carol has authored a dynamic, artistic book, that you can’t do without! I keep all three of her books where I can quickly grab them up and start crocheting. |
