Hip to Bead by Katie Hacker is a great 99-page project book from Interweave Press by an author who has written many instruction manuals in the world of beading. It offers 32 projects that cover bead-stringing, working with wire, knotting hemp and other stringing material, stitching beads to cloth, and bead-weaving.(COPYRIGHT: I'm so sorry to have to put this here, but I've had trouble with online content theft. Readers are welcome to print my articles for their personal use, but I do not allow my text or photos to be copied to anyone's online site. No one may use my content without written permission from me.)
The book is 91 pages and features gorgeous full-color photos of the finished project on every page. The jewelry-making steps themselves are not illustrated with photos or line drawings, but they are simple enough not to need further visual help. Something that I especially appreciate is the use of models throughout who are actually wearing this jewelry in the photos. It's always good to see what this stuff looks like on someone's wrist or neck.
Almost every project comes with a sidebar of "Techniques and Tips." All of this side-bar material is listed separately at the beginning of the book in a handy list for quick reference. Here is what you get in the table of contents.
Introduction. The author summarizes the intent of the book in one page.
Basics. Eight pages of photos of all the supplies and tools you would ever need.
Projects – Easy Assembly
Chic Antique Button Bracelet. Glue buttons to a bracelet with connectors and links.
Stylish Scrapbook. Glue a pattern of beads to a scrapbook cover.
Found Object Charm Bracelet. Attach fun junk to a chain-link bracelet with jump rings.
Projects – Super Stringing
Chunky Nugget Necklace. String big and small beads with simple clasp for choker or bracelet.
Double Trouble Choker. Uses tiny beads spaced with tubing over memory wire.
Follow Your Heart Faux Lariat. Puts a focal bead on a long faux suede cord.
Twice as Nice Necklace. String beads and metal-charms for a double-strand design.
Time to Bead Watch. Make a beaded watchband from big lampwork beads and spacers.
Fit-for-a-Queen Bracelet. A big focal bead + multiple strands of seed-beads. Pretty!
Great Lengths Necklace and Bracelet. A beaded necklace and bracelet can be attached together.
Luscious Lariat. Beads "float" evenly spaced with crimp beads along bare beading wire.
In Vogue Purse. Bead strands and charms decorate a clutch-purse.
Projects – Getting Wired
Quick and Easy Earrings. Try the 10- 15- and 30-minute dangly earring projects!
Sparkly Beaded Barrettes. Use wire to attach metal sliders and beads to a clip-style barrette.
Rock 'N Roll Cuff. Attach unusual silk-tube beads to a suede cuff-bracelet with wire.
Y Not? Necklace. This is a rosary-style necklace made of delicate beads and chain.
Cha-Cha Bracelet. This expansion bracelet looks like a metal watchband; attach beads to it.
Glamour Girl Chandeliers. Seed-beads strung on wires form dangling earrings.
Clever Candle Wrap. Large glass beads wrapped on wire decorate a wire bracket for candles.
Mod Millefiori Necklace. Another rosary-style necklace made with chain, beads, and millefiori disks.
Projects – Knotty but Nice
World Beat Choker. String beads and knotted leather cords on a choker for a tasseled look.
Center Stage Opera Necklace. Use suede cord, chain, and beads for a long double-strand look.
Knock-Out Knotted Necklace. Suspend a dramatic disk from a rope of gemstone beads.
Knotty Hemp Belt. Wooden beads decorate a knotted hemp macramé belt.
Projects – Rich Stitches
Trendy Tank Top. Sequins and seed-beads embellish a tank-top neckline.
Retro Beaded Journal. Bugle beads decorate a fabric journal-cover.
Aloha Flower Frame. Back-stitch tiny beads to a felt-flower you glue to a photo frame.
Funky Felted Purse. Blanket-stitch bugle beads to the edges of a purse flap.
Projects – Woven Wonders
Bejeweled Crystal Bracelet. Weave large beads on silver wire into a glittery cuff bracelet.
Oceanside Bling Necklace. Use right-angle weave to turn seed beads into bigger bead-units.
Creative Cause Bracelet. Use peyote-stitch to embellish a "cause" bracelet with seed beads.
Righteous Right-Angle Weave Bracelet. Use right-angle stitch to weave a pretty cuff bracelet.
Supplies
Index
I myself have tried the Ten-Minute Earrings project and the Found-Object Charm Bracelet project. I'm looking forward to trying the Fit-for-a-Queen Bracelet. Highly recommended!
Hip to Bead by Katie Hacker, ISBN 1931499950, copyright 2006, Interweave Press LLC, page 46. Available at Amazon.com through this link:
Hip to Bead: 32 Contemporary Projects for Today's Beader
