Lifestyle Book Reviews
Book Review: Stitched Jewels
By Sandy Amazeen May 3, 2009, 2:36 GMT
From our beloved baby “blankie” to the cozy sweater that warms us, fabric touches us at every stage of life. So it’s no surprise that today’s crafters love to work with it...and that we love to accessorize with it. Stitched Jewels presents 25 exquisite projects incorporating cloth, textiles, and other materials, all created by top designers. Because the craft involves such a wonderfully wide selection of techniques, these artists can ...more
If you are like most crafters you probably have carefully hoarded stashes of fabric pieces stuck away for no other reason then they are too pretty to throw out. With the help of a little easy wirework, embroidery, beads and machine stitching you can start creating lively jewelry that shows off those precious scraps and this book shows you how. Some designs, such as the Floating Tulle Earrings are as simple as threading cut shapes onto long ear wires. While its an interesting concept worked in tulle, clever crafters will likely expand upon the idea by fusing different fabrics together before cutting. A few designs, like the Fully Felt Wristlet or the Collar to Cuff are interesting concepts but have limited appeal. These are countered by patterns like the lovely topstitched Lotus Choker & Earrings set or the Sun-Kissed Lemons necklace. In addition to full color close-up photography and written instructions including a cookbook style materials list for each design, there are a number of gallery photos sprinkled throughout showing a variety of fabric jewelry created by other artists.
Most of the patterns are quite easy although there are a few that could prove quite challenging. Many require some experience with wirework to create even looking frames and attachment rings so beginners will want to practice making round eyes and neatly done wraps before getting started. While the photography is top notch, it would have been better to eliminate the soft focus background which hid the finish details on pieces like the Swing Set earrings. The mix of designs and techniques make this collection something of a mixed bag, more for the beginner and intermediate crafter. Experienced artisans would be more likely to use the material presented as a springboard to create their own patterns.
