Laura McCabe's Embellished Beadweaving: Jewelry Lavished with Fringe, Fronds, Lacework & More

by Laura McCabe

Book Overview

Laura McCabe creates elaborate beaded embellishments which she combines into stunning jewelry. Her definitive guide to weaving and embroidering with beads is the third volume in Lark Jewelry & Beading's bestselling Beadweaving Master Class series. Combining traditional techniques with modern materials, and showcasing a wide variety of bead types, this book presents 18 beautiful jewelry projects incorporating motifs drawn from nature, such as flora...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1600595146
• ISBN13: 9781600595141
• Release Date: May 2010
• Publisher: Lark Books (NC)
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 8.5" x 10.0"

Customer Reviews

A Modern Book of Treasures with a Nod to Classic Roots

This book draws the reader in instantly. Just one glimpse of the fabulous necklace on the cover will lead to the delightful realization that a master of jewelry design is at work. Laura McCabe is famous for her beadweaving, and rightly so. The reader can clearly see the whole intention of a piece of jewelry which she has designed, through her beadweaving skills. At the same time it is obvious how her choice of embellishments specific to each piece add a sort of remarkable brilliance and depth to her designs. If you are new to beadweaving, have no qualms. The book begins with an introduction which explains the point of embellishment. The author knows that if you embellish your beadwork with further beads, you reach another level. Beads are empowering in more ways than one, and she notes many of the purposes of wearing or carrying beads. Then the question is asked, "How do we use these beads to their best advantage, to make ourselves beautiful and add fanciful details to our world?" She answers her own question by revealing the point of this book: to "provide the knowledge and inspiration to take your beadwork to the next level by embellishing beads with yet more beads..." I particularly like the freedom this book imparts in the introduction by Ms.McCabe. As she says, "Although I give you step by step instructions, don't feel you have to reproduce the projects in this book exactly; instead, use them as basic building blocks for your own embellished forms. I genuinely hope you'll take what you learn here and apply it liberally to your own creative endeavors." This quote marks an exciting and challenging beginning to what is a super fun and educational journey into the world of embellished beadweaving. Chapter One is a succinct commentary on beads through history. The beautiful photographs of both antique and vintage beaded items such as purses and Victorian beaded wrist warmers counterpoint the author's own modern offerings. She seems to possess an ability to soar in her designs the way the master painters do in their paintings. It adds a third dimension to appreciation of art within jewelry design, to my mind. Chapter Two contains a nicely laid out list of items required for the basic beader's kit. If you want to make this sort of jewelry, this is what you need to have at the ready. I found this very illuminating, as the author took the time to explain why she chooses certain products over others. Chapter Three is devoted to the basic stitches and techniques. This is great! I assure you that all is well explained, and here you will garner the understanding of the stitches which you will need to build your embellishments upon. This chapter contains nice clear graphics which are easy to grasp, even for a beginner. Chapter Four is a Comprehensive Guide to Embellishments. This is really fun! The author's intention is to take the reader, step by step,through organically inspired embellishment forms. She exudes a femininity and sensuality in her work w

Glitz is Over Rated this Book is not!!!

First, I am in the bead business so I am biased. Most of us do not get to walk down the red carpet. Crystals are way too over rated!!! In this book, Laura uses Japanese and Czech seed beads to accent natural materials and frosted(matte) glass, as in her "Nudibranch Bracelet"(page 83). Laura states, "embellish means to decorate, to enhance, to add beauty through ornamentation or fanciful details". The components are not the star, but the artist is. Laura's jewelry can be worn at your local coffee shop or at your most cherished event. Either way, they make you feel unique, not one of the crowd. Thanks Laura.

A Great Addition to the Beadweaving Master Class Series

Laura McCabe's new book is the third book in Lark Books wonderful Beadweaving Master Class Series, so it has high standards to live up to. I think it does a pretty good job of that. The books in this series focus on one or more techniques and explore many ways to vary or embellish those techniques and this one follows that format. This book begins with some background information including: beads through history, basic beading kit, basic stitches and techniques. Then the meat of the book begins on page 27 with Chapter Four: A Comprehensive Guide to Embellishments. Here Laura describes more than twenty different embellishment techniques that are used in the projects found later in the book, such as simple bud, simple flower (uses a flower bead), simple leaf (uses a leaf bead), simple drop, simple dagger, flower cluster, berry cluster, basic beaded leaf (leaf made of seed beads), frond form, star flower, pointed peyote petal, rounded peyote petal, lacy stitch rosebud (lacy stitch=netting stitch), cherry blossom, pokeweed, basic peyote leaf, peyote grape leaf, tentacles, coral/branch fringe, bubble fringe, dagger fringe, peyote frond, rings and rods (for toggle clasps) pagoda (I just gotta do this one soon!), and bell flower. There are photos of each technique, written instructions and clear diagrams in color. The diagrams are such a big help if you are not quite sure what the written instructions mean. Sprinkled throughout this chapter are photos of various pieces of Laura's beaded pieces. Just browsing through this chapter many ways of incorporating these techniques into my beadwork kept leaping to mind. It's inspirational and makes me want to head for the beads. Laura specifically invites you to take these ideas as springboards for your own: "use them as basic building blocks for your own embellished forms. I genuinely hope you'll take what you learn here and apply it liberally to your own creative endeavors" That's a real teacher talking and that is exactly how I envision myself using this beautiful book. Chapter Five discusses color and design. Chapter Six contains 18 projects aimed mostly toward beaders of intermediate skill level. The projects may be described as lovely, detailed, beautiful, lush, strange, or thought-provoking, depending on your point of view. They are not projects that appeal to me to simply copy. But they do provide ample inspiration to get me thinking about how I would use the featured techniques in pieces of my own design. At the back of the book there is a gallery section featuring embellished beadwork of other artists.

Great book

I have been a Laura McCabe fan for a number of years and this book fantastic. She takes a handful of beads, a needle an thread an turns it into art! It's great to see how her creative process works, taking things from nature and transforming them into beautiful pieces of wearable art. The diagrams and the instructions are very helpful. I have all three books in this series so far and constantly find myself going back to them for reference in my beadwork. The basic stitches and techniques sections are great. Thank you for another great book and keep them coming!