Teach Yourself VISUALLY Jewelry Making and Beading (Teach Yourself VISUALLY Consumer Book 6)

I bought this in soft cover book form back in 2011 and have enjoyed it greatly! Haven't tried the E book version. The reason I am writing this review now is that I noted a very bad review and thought I might take a moment to balance the scale some. That review said if you want to make crappy cheap jewelry for yourself or a gift that someone would just throw in the trash then this is the book for you because it only shows you how to make crappy cheap looking jewelry. Well, I don't have the latest version so I can't say what jewelry projects are in the newest version but if they are like mine, they are VERY basic. IF you have NO creativity and want a book that has step by step instructions on beautiful jewelry, full of designs with lists of everything you need....then NO this book isn't for you. BUT if you want to make and design your own jewelry but just don't know how to do it or the names and uses of the tools and materials.....then YES, you have found the RIGHT book! Each project may not be something you like BUT it is meant to teach you a certain set of skills using tools and materials that once mastered, you can THEN use those skills to design and make your own beautiful jewelry! The book is very easy to use and the photos are great. It has a wide variety of styles and materials to learn about. I still keep mine handy even after seven years, I will use it to refresh my memory if I haven't worked with certain tools or materials in awhile. Or if I forget the proper name of something. This is a great book for all ages, please give it a chance and enjoy creating your own masterpiece! Again, I can't comment on the E book version as I haven't tried it.

I've been playing at jewelry-making for six or seven years and have read several books on my hobby, but THIS one is the one I was looking for. How I wish I had read it as soon as it came off the press. Michaels does an amazing job of taking each element of the work, and giving details often overlooked by others, details that can make all the difference. In each description of needed items she includes numerous ideas and helpful hints and ideas on how to best use each thing she describes. I've not encountered such an in-depth book in terms of actually working our craft. The visuals are excellent; I was amazed to find that II was never left trying to figure out anything (as has always happened with other books) Okay--I'm dense, but dense people like to do things well too! Chris Moyer has done a Grade-A job and I heartily recommend this book to anyone the least bit interested in jewelry-making. A must-have. Chris, it's clear that you have an excellent understanding, and a brilliant mind to categorize so well the huge amount of information needed for this hobby-work. I especially appreciate the warmth of your presentations and know that other readers will tune into it as well. At no time did I feel like a dunce listening to a teacher; I felt, from start to finish, like "Grasshopper" being led by a "Master." Thank you for investing so much of yourself into giving the rest of us what we need to also be very good at our craft (Ariel I.). Very good visuals--images that truly explain. That missing data is only part of

THIS BOOK IS JAMMED PACKED FULL OF INFORMATION! For the beginning, this book is a must-have! There are such clear, detailed, step-by-step instructions that have clear, beautiful photos that go with every single step so that you can't go wrong! There are 290 pages of instructions, guidance, projects, techniques, etc., all with vivid color photographs. This is for all kinds of jewelry-making, too, with chapters that are labeled as Beginner and Intermediate. You can learn all kinds of bead stringing, bead weaving, basic wirework, advanced wirework and macrame' knotting and beading. This is the one-stop, go-to book instead of having a book shelf full of diverse books.

I'm new to jewelry making...bracelets, and this book hits all the stuff I wanted to know, is helpful and saves me time from spending time online and/or videos for all the questions I have (my local bead shop classes are for advanced people and I'm not there yet anyway) Nothing like a good book to get info & get back to your design or jewelry making! There are even supply companies listed, definitions of things, how to pictures and most things that a new jewelry making person just getting started would need to know or will eventually want to know. It's my favorite so far for the basics & a jumping off point.

If you want to get into beading & jewelry-making, Chris Franchetti Michaels's Teach Yourself VISUALLY Jewelry Making & Beading is a fantastic place to start. It's a thick book loaded with photographs, and it tackles a comprehensive spread of topics. Thorough charts detail everything from the common lengths for various styles and sizes of necklaces (both men's and women's), bracelets, and anklets to common finishing methods used for different stringing materials. Photos clearly display techniques for knotting strings, creating eyepins and headpins (not to mention clasps), and making your own Byzantine chain from jump rings. Wire gauge is demonstrated visually, with an image of each gauge's thickness, and with examples of what each gauge is used for. The book goes through bead-stringing techniques; wire-work; bead-weaving (by hand and on a loom) and even macrame. If you truly want to delve into beaded jewelry as more than just a way to make a few pieces for yourself, then I highly recommend grabbing a copy of Michaels's book. It's extremely valuable and highly instructional. The use of brief, clear instructions combined with a ton of tables and photographs make it a quick read that teaches you an incredible amount of material. It's also a fantastic quick-reference book for use while making your creations.

I have bought several books on making jewelry and I believe this is the best one by far. There are lots of large,clear, colour photos illustrating each step or tool, lots of charts to help you compare things such as size of beads, gauge of wire, typical lengths for bracelets and necklaces, etc. There is a well-designed appendix with additional information such as websites for books, magazines, videos and DVDs and other reference materials. Projects are arranged according to difficulty, starting with the easiest ones and moving on to the more challenging pieces, giving you a chance to practice your skills before launching into something more complicated. Although this book is highly recommended for beginners, it is also very useful for intermediate level craftspeople.

Love the book

As a beginner it really helped me to see all the basic techniques. Then I can adapt for my personal designs. Well written with great pictures.

Various style and technic design for jewellery making

Love this book!! It explains all the ways you can create jewelry!! Very well explained and the images help a lot!!! From basic wire work to bead weaving patters, stringing techniques, from easy projects to more advanced... They tell you what you need, and how to use it. They give you tips, step-by-step instructions...that even a newbie like me can do it!! What I like about it is that they explain to you, all the techniques out there ( bead weaving, wire, bead stringing, macramé) and so on!!! Don't regret buying this book at all!!!!