PMC Decade came out in Spring 2007. There is a copy in the library and it is a beautiful book! In addition to two articles, “Progress and Potential” by Donald Friedlich, and “The Science of PMC” by Darnall Burks there are 200 pages of work by artists including well-known polymer clay artists Celie Fago, Gwen Gibson and Kathleen Dustin. McCreight’s introduction is charming and the other articles are quite informative. The pictures will knock you out. McCreight says: “…I have collected what I consider to be some of the most exciting work currently being made with metal clay. The selection is personal, biased, and fleeting—a current snapshot of a crowded street. I am confident of two related but opposing facts: First, that in a not too distant future, designers will look back on this work as seminal, and, paradoxically, that the work created in the second decade of Precious Metal Clay will dramatically surpass the work we admire today. That, thank God, is the nature of art.”

McCreight opens the introduction thusly: “In August 1994, Ron Pearson met with two men from Japan to discuss a new art material. He invited me to sit in, and the next day, two business executives laid out on his kitchen table several trays of silver jewelry that they said was made from something called Precious Metal Plasticene. They showed us a clear plastic box that held a beige-colored lump wrapped in plastic, and said that the jewelry on the table was made from this stuff. Yeah, right.”

I have Cindy McEwen’s personal copy of this book, which features her lovely three-strand Cinderella necklace, a confection of pearls, vermeil, and seed beads accenting Cindy’s own golden scroll-work focal bead. The author says the book is salvation for people with bead lust. The thirty-seven projects are not difficult; the allure is in the glorious large beads showcased, from handmade glass to big chunks of yellow opal. Most of the finished designs are shown on a model, which helps to get a feel of the scale of the pieces, some of which verge on over-the-topness. A fun book to page through, though

I took from our library The Blue Bead by Kate Boyan because Carol Ann Carr told me to and I am obedient. Actually, she remarked that no one had taken it out and she liked it so, I decided to look at it.

It’s wonderful! The illustrations are marvelously intricate bead embroidery pictures that accompany the story and cover much of every page. The story follows the path a “Russian” blue bead made in Bohemia in the 1700s and takes it to present day Alaska. It’s a complicated and imaginative journey including sailing vessels, prospectors and a variety of animals. What a great book for children! Especially the children and grandchildren of bead addicts. This book came from the Bartkys. We will have copies for sale at the booksale.

I am buying this book!! Soon!!! Having taken 3 polymer clay classes I have a little knowledge but this book is an encyclopedia of techniques with step by step pictures to guide us as well as great hints and all the basics. It covers the subject from mixing the clay to finishing a necklace. More than 25 different techniques are beautifully explained and illustrated. The only issue I had is with the colors on a couple on the faux stone which may be accounted for by the area of the world from which the stone she used as a model comes from and where the stone I am familiar with come from but this can easily be addressed by experimenting a little.

This book is beautifully photographed containing 40 projects and 127 pages. The projects are broken down to nine necklaces, eleven bracelets, twelve earrings and nine rings. This amount of rings is quite unusual. It contains more beading projects than stringing projects. Some of the necklaces are repeats from Campbell’s other book, Beadwork Creates Necklaces.

Techniques used are bead crochet, wire work, bead stitches and stringing.

The instructions are detailed and fairly easy to follow. Each project has a thorough list of tools and supplies needed. In addition, there is a “techniques” chapter.

The skill level ranges from beginner to advanced. This would be a nice book to add to most beader’s libraries.

Like many of us, Van Horn was attracted to beads at an early age, and she combined them with an interest in embroidery and needlework. She was self-taught, and her early efforts in beading on fabric resulted in heartbreak - lots of beads broken and missing over time.

So she wrote this book to give directions for doing stitches in the most secure way possible, so your beads will stay where you put them. The first two chapters are a thorough discussion of the tools of stitching with beads - she covers different kinds of threads, beads, fabric, backing, storage, traveling with beads, and colorfastness. The chapter on stitches has clear directions and useful illustrations. For inspiration, there are photographs of the author's works, including clothing, embellished quilts, beaded buttons, and cabochon pendants, but I'm sure the photographs don't do the pieces justice. This is not a book of instructions for making the items shown, though there are several patterns for making bezels for cabochons. Instead, this book gives you the fundamentals for combining beads with fabric, and then shows you the heights to which you can climb once you add an obsession for fabric to your beader's stash.

Speaking of your beader's stash, Interweave Press has a new title with designs from 39 bead shops from all over the country, including Twisted Fringe Tassels from Doris Weinbaum, owner of Bead in Hand of Oak Park. To create the book, the editors wrote to beads shops in the US and Canada asking for projects, and received over 300 projects from nearly 90 bead shops. A panel of jurors from Beadwork magazine chose the projects that made it into the book based on “best and most creative use of color, texture and technique.” The projects range from simple tassels on silk cord to a bead embellished tic-tac-toe set. The instructions are those typical to Interweave publications, with hand-drawn illustrations. I personally have a hard time reading a pattern for a project, so I need the pictures to figure out if I can tackle something, and for most projects the illustrations are clear enough. This book really doesn't have too many ideas for using up your “stash” - most of the projects would cause you to have to run out score a few more grams of the cool glass. There are a couple of projects that look to your “stash” but overall it's kind of an odd mix of techniques and projects. Interweave Press has sent us a copy of Beader's Stash for the library. Bead in Hand has a lovely lariat in the book.

This is a fun book to page through even if you aren't a bride, in a bridal party, or even related to a bride. In fact, I can't quite picture any of the brides I know tackling the projects in this book, even if they will make their weddings “more personal, creative and heartfelt.” But there are lots of fun ideas for anyone who is planning an elegant party or decking themselves out in the outfit of a lifetime. Beads embellish invitations, candleholders and cake plates, and are featured in lovely jewelry. Most of the jewelry pieces are done in bridal pearls and crystals. Most of the projects are straightforward, though the hand loomed beaded purse is for “advanced loom workers only.”

Although I don't write book reviews very well, I think this is such an important book that I didn't want it to arrive unheralded. I hope you will see more erudite reviews in bead magazines and non-bead literature. For those of you who were smart enough and able to get to the May meeting, you had an opportunity to meet Valerie Hector and have a book signed by her and our other members who are featured: JoAnn Baumann, NanC Meinhardt and Laura Shea. As an aside, Valerie has used The Art of Beadwork for a long time before our Art of Beadwork Show and has graciously never asked us to change our name.

The forward is by Lois Sherr Dubin who is the author of The History of Beads from 30,000 B.C. to the Present, (1988), the seminal book on beads according to Valerie and many others. Dubin's book and The New Beadwork by Kathleen Moss and Alice Sherer (1992) which documents the beginning of contemporary American beadwork, are referred to in the introductory pages as books most important to Valerie. There is an extensive bibliography at the end of the book.

I suggest that The Art of Beadwork is the third book (including the two referenced above) that we should all own and look at often. Unfortuately, The New Beadwork is out-of-print but I'll bet you can find it on e-bay or Amazon.com. It will be worth it. All three of these books are in our library.

Two quotations appear early in the book: Albert Einstein said "Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world," and Joyce Scott said "You must enter the door to inventiveness. Be fearless." I love that these two are quoted on the same page, above and below a piece of Valerie's jewelry.

The Art of Beadwork begins with a brief overview of the history of beadwork. It continues with descriptions and photos of the many styles of beadwork across centuries and continents. As have many other artists, Valerie finds inspiration in old pieces of art, specifically, in her collection of 18th century pieces of Asian beadwork in her personal collection. This led her to ask "a number of artists to choose a piece of beadwork from another time or culture and let it inspire them to make pieces of their own. There were only two rules: There had to be some visual correspondence between the old piece and the new one; and the artist had to make something wearable. Sometimes, (she) asked an artist to work with a specific piece. Usually, (she) sent from three to twelve color photocopies of old pieces and asked an artist to choose among them or to suggest a different piece altogether." Most of the artists worked this way and most were willing to share their techniques.

So, this book is full of old and new. Some of the best bead artists of our time have been generous with their time, ideas, patterns and graphs in an effort to create new work inspired by old work. The book is jam-packed with photos, text and diagrams. I found this book inspiring. There are patterns to follow, pictures to admire and work that is some of the best the bead world has to offer. We have learned a bit about the history of bead work from our speakers at meetings and many beadworkers have talked about their inspirations. But, here it all is. Some of the work is lyrical and some is confrontational. The fact that all this work connects directly to the past helps put our beadwork directly into a context—one apart from the rest of contemporary jewelry.

My hat is off to Valerie for a unique idea for a book among the all-too-many beadwork books being published today. And, of course, as those of us who know her knew she would, she carried it off brilliantly.

Lark has published four wonderful books this fall: 1000 Glass Beads, 1000 Rings, 500 Beaded Objects, and 400 Polymer Clay Designs. The first three are in the library and they will also be for sale. They are small but thick books with mouth-watering pictures. I would like to buy 2 of each and make wallpaper of every picture. (My oldest son as a young teenager taped copies of the Sports Illustrated covers on his bedroom walls. When he ran out of space, he started on the ceiling-at the end away from his bed. At the end of this project, everything was covered but the area directly above the bed.) I think I would start at the ceiling above the bed and go to sleep at night looking at these pictures-those I could see at that distance anyway.

The books closest to our hearts are, of course, the 1000 Glass Beads and the 500 Beaded Objects. According to the solicitations for the glass beads book, the original intention was 500 but to their credit, they couldn’t stop. Our members in the book are: Sher Berman, Ofilia Cinta, Kim Fields, Karen Ovington, and Larry Scott. Cathy Finegan, past president of the International Glass Beadmakers was the juror. What a job that must have been! She’s written a short introduction to the world of glass beads and the rest of the 400 pages are pictures of glass beads.

Carol Wilcox Wells was the juror for 500 Beaded Objects. For those who don’t know, Carol was our 3rd president back at the end of her residence in the Chicago area. Members appearing in this book are: JoAnn Baumann, Virginia Brubaker, Jean Campbell, Cary Gaspar, Valerie Hector, NanC Meinhardt, Karen Ovington, Chris Ann Philips, Susan Wolf Swartz, and Donna Zaidenberg. There are other familiar names in this book; some of these people have spoken at our meetings, taught around the country and their work is in shows and magazines often. (Did you notice Karen Ovington is in both?)

400 Polymer Clay Designs includes jewelry with beads and without and sculpture, human forms, sculpture, books, two-dimensional objects and more. I began my bead life making polymer clay beads which lead to buying wooden beads to go in between. Polymer is still very close to my heart. For any of you out there, if you still think that polymer clay is crafty rather than artistic, look at this book and you will see how very far many have come. Jennifer Bezingue is our only current member in the book. Irene Semanchuk Dean juried this stunning collection of examples of creativity.

1000 Rings opens with a quote by Yuki Murata: “Experimentation keeps an artist alive and humble.” Robert Ebendorf whose own work is varied and exciting is the juror. The medium of rings lends itself well to drama and confounding the usual ideas of design. There are few beads but much inspiration, some laughs and lots of beautiful work in glass, metal, plastic and more.

The above four are more directly related to our bead world. The others which are now out are: 500 Figures in Clay, 500 Teapots, 500 Wood Bowls, and 400 Wood Boxes.

Knit and Crochet with Beads by Lily Chin. Take your knitting and crocheting one step further—add beads. Add some spice to your needlework! Lily Chin, possibly the world’s most well-known knitter and crocheter, has developed her savvy design talents to include the trendy approach to knitting and crocheting: adding beads, beads, and more beads. Beading is the hottest new craft craze, and in her upcoming book Knit and Crochet with Beads (Interweave Press, May 2004), Chin shows the needleworker endless possibilities for including beads into knitting and crocheting patterns.
From delicate to flashy, beads transform garments into masterpieces. “Beads add instant texture and color,” Chin says. “Beads impart a special quality to our handknits and crochets, setting them apart from mass-produced ready-to-wear. Beads personalize a garment…and render it dear, perhaps priceless. After all, part of the reason why couture garments garner five-figure prices is their handwork or beadwork.”
Chin offers an array of 23 projects that fall into two categories: beads that are knitted or crocheted directly into the pattern, which can create some of the most visually stunning new fabrics; and beads that are used as accents, such as on pockets and collars.
Knit and Crochet with Beads explores 16 techniques, from sewing beads onto your favorite pillow, crocheting with a beaded chain to form a beautiful amulet bag, or knitting with the beads pre-strung onto the yarn to form an elaborate choker. Projects include: a mock cable tank top that creates the illusion of cables by its beaded pattern; a knit jacket with beaded tambour swirls, combining knitting and crocheting; a delicately crocheted stole, complete with flashy, gold beads; and lots, lots more.
Knit and Crochet with Beads also discusses how to plan your own patterning, enabling the knitter or crocheter to add their own style to unlimited patterns using a variety of different beads. Not only do beads show up on runways, but they are added to everyday clothing, home décor, and accessories. Avid or beginning knitters, crocheters, and beaders will appreciate Chin’s easy-to-follow instructions and clear illustrations. The textures and colors of Knit and Crochet with Beads are stunning and appealing. And now that crochet is gaining in popularity, Chin addresses this craft with the tasteful and unique patterns that new enthusiasts are demanding.

Bead Crochet A Beadwork How-To Book by Bethany Barry. Beading meets the timeless craft of crochet. Why crochet when you can Bead Crochet? (April 2004, Interweave Press) Here’s a book that highlights the most recent innovative craft pairing, with stunning projects sure to inspire enthusiasts of either craft. This isn’t the typical tutorial on how to make crocheted ropes or purses—Bead Crochet takes both crafts to a new level.

“Beading is an exploding field of colorful creativity, and bead crochet offers unique and exciting ways to use and play with beads,” says author Bethany Barry, a self-taught beader and teacher for nearly 30 years. “Crochet is an extremely forgiving stitch, and unlike traditional seed-bead stitchery, crochet mistakes are easy to pull out and redo, or hide. The possibilities are virtually endless.” Inside Bead Crochet, you’ll find: basic crochet techniques and tips; basic beading techniques and tips; four-color illustrations that make patterns easy to understand; a dozen exciting projects using a variety of cords, yarn sizes, and textures including: a cuff inspired by the night sky, a versatile talisman necklace, classy spiral earrings, a playful beaded collar, a bejeweled circle purse, and more; projects presented at all skill levels, with step-by-step instructions for each.

Bead Crochet, tenth in the Beadwork How-To series, also features an inspirational photo gallery and instructions for using beading techniques to embellish crochet projects. This inventive technique opens up a whole new creative range for beaders and crocheters alike, making Bead Crochet a sure bet for the crafter’s personal library.

Wilson, Alexandra (ed) 2003 The Bead is Constant. Accra, Ghana: Ghana Universities Press. i-xv; 153pp. ISBN: 9964303033. $27.95 paperback. Available from African Books Collective, London.

Filled with life histories and personal stories of a broad range of people involved in the antique and contemporary glass bead market in Ghana, Alexandra Wilson’s book, The Bead is Constant, fulfills Peter Francis, Jr’s adage that, “it’s not about the beads, its about the people.” Maps, glossary of bead names in Krobo (one of many languages spoken in Ghana), full-color photographs of bead sample cards, bead traders, and Queen mothers in full regalia complement eight excellent essays. Contributors include archaeologists James Anquandah, Leonard Crossland, and J.E.J.M. van Landewijk, overview and introductory chapters by the editor Alexandra Wilson, and 13 interviews with traders, manufacturers, chiefs, and Queen mothers by various local authors. While the technical and historical data are sparse and uneven in quality, the book excels in demonstrating the central importance antique and contemporary glass and powdered beads continue to hold for Ghanaians today.

In an interview with Jemima Sackey, we learn firsthand information about a Ghanaian bead family and the local business practices of the Dutch-German trading company, J.F. Sick. Mrs. Sackey’s father was a wholesale manager for J.F. Sick and her mother was a Queen mother, so beads have been a “constant” in her life since birth. As a child Mrs. Sackey learned how to thread beads, to polish them on a grinding stone, and to heat blue glass beads to change their color from translucent to a locally desirable opaque bead called “koli.” In the 1950s, Mrs. Sackey recalls that when the Dutch representative for J.F. Sick brought new bead sample cards to Ghana, her father took orders for these new beads from local traders, and for his own business, using a passbook or credit system. Once the beads arrived at the port in Ghana, her father transferred up to 100 cartons of beads to his own warehouse alone. The family then made monthly payments on their debts to J.F. Sick as they sold off their stock.

Joop Knol came to Ghana from Holland in 1953 for two years and has never left. In fact, he was trained in the local bead business by Mrs. Sackey’s father. He recalls that Mrs. Sackey’s mother, Maame Bruce, one of the two biggest buyers in Ghana, would often come into his office at closing time with a huge bundle of coins as payment. After several hours of counting the coins (including looking for counterfeits), Mr. Knol arrived at the total, only to be told by Maame Bruce that he was off by five pounds. Later, after he had successfully counted the coins on several different visits, Maame Bruce finally trusted him enough to leave her payment with him to be counted the next morning.

Unlike Mrs. Sackey and Mr. Knol, Esi Degbor began to trade beads seriously only after she retired from her career in teaching in 1976. When her pension proved too small to cover her health costs, she remembered the business advice she received from her grandmother years earlier to invest in beads. So she started selling beads: first to friends at church, then in the market, and finally from her garage, now converted to a storefront in Accra. She traveled to Washington, DC in 1995 for a bead show and was a founding member of the Ghana Bead Society.

J.F. Sick beads are now so expensive in Ghana that many Ghanaians can no longer afford to buy them for important ritual events, such as initiations, naming ceremonies, weddings, and funerals. In their place, the markets are filled with locally manufactured powdered glass beads. Many of the designs of these powdered glass beads are replicas of the ritually most important antique beads, for example, chevrons (powa), early millefiore (ader), and koli. The successful powdered glass bead entrepreneur, Nomoda Djaba, also known as Cedi, tells the story of his life and business. His nickname, often confused with the local currency “cede”, derives from a joke his maternal grandmother played on guests at his naming ceremony. His grandmother was so enthralled with her new grandson, she charged everyone one cede to hold him, and since he was such a cute baby and everyone wanted to hold him, his grandmother made a lot of money from the joke, hence his nickname Cedi.

The warmth and openness of the interviews is no doubt a reflection of the high regard in which Ms. Wilson and her project is held. For this reason alone, the book is a significant contribution to the study of beads. However, I know of no other book in which the passion for beads is so powerfully expressed, and for this reason, it deserves to be read by all.

Dean begins his book with "A Short History of Beads and Beadwork in America," an overview of Native-American history. He tells us, among much more, that, "After the mid-1870's, most Native people were relegated to reservations. Ironically, this is also the time when beadwork production reached an all-time high." Among the reasons: 1) No longer being nomadic, the women had time to produce craftwork for pleasure. 2) Trading posts had more and more beads. Craft guilds began to spring up in many tribes where young girls were taught beadwork. Beadwork became "a way for native women to hold on to their Indian identity." Also, as schools were established by the white culture, children were taught European techniques and introduced to European patterns and ideas.

The short history is well written and quite interesting, the pictures are wonderful and, often, include previously unphotographed pieces. David did academic homework for this book in addition to his wonderful beadwork we have seen. The short bio on the flyleaf reminds us also that David is a serious dancer.

Dean also has a section on "Researching Native American Beadwork," the topic he discussed with us last spring. The Gallery is separated into types of beadwork with explanations, photos and instructions. There are patterns in the back of the book with graphs. The book ends with an excellent bibliography.

David Dean is a BSGC member who has given several lectures and workshop for us in the past and during his last visit signed 24 nameplates to be placed in these books, all of which were sold to those who signed up for them. He has self-published two previous books, Native Pocket, and Art of the Soul. We will have all these books for sale at our Bead & Book Sale. We thank David for his support of BSGC and wish him well with his new and impressive book.

Alice Scherer wrote an article in the Nov/Dec 1992 Fiberarts Magazine. Given that almost 10 years has passed, I thought it would be interesting to review this article which you will find in our library. The New Beadwork, the book she wrote with Kathlyn Moss also came out in 1992 and although the artists are the same, all the work is different. In the June 2001 Bead Words Newsletter, Laura Shea wrote a review of the book suggesting that we all need to have a copy of this book in our personal bead libraries.

Some of the artists featured in this article are now household names: Joyce Scott, Valerie Hector, Jacqueline Lillie, Lindsay Obermeyer, Joanne Laessig to name a few. Ed Derwent is a Chicago loom worker whose huge tapestries have been seen in a number of shows, and Jeanne Leffingwell's very large bead hangings are found in several public buildings on the west coast and in Alaska and there are more. The pictures are marvelous.

She introduces the article: "From the softly rounded hills of the Idaho Palouse to the gritty streets of Chicago, from the ringed city of Vienna, Austria, to sere windswept Santa Fe, contemporary beadworkers are quietly pushing out the boundaries of the craft. Their tools are wire and steel, computers, needle and thread, a rich variety of beads, and the lenses of their inner selves. With these, they are producing works, both great and small, that celebrate the essence of beads. Exploring the nature of small, colorful, shiny objects built incrementally to create a unique and interesting whole, they magnify the important aspects of beads by their massing of them. Many hard bits join together to become soft, flowing. Scintillating color is joyfully and lavishly utilized.

Using light, color, and translucence with a rich, nubbly texture, today's beadworks are making statements never before made in this material. Created in isolation, undriven by the marketplace, the work is quirky, unique to each artist's vision."

If you don't own the book already, check the book and article out of the library and read them in addition to looking at pictures.

Several issues ago I reviewed The New Beadwork. Another classic favorite of mine has recently been reissued after being out of print for several years. Beaded Amulet Purses, published in 1994 by Nicolette Stessin was the first of its kind and introduced the modern variation on beaded purses. The purses presented in this book were nearly all prototypical of the genre of what most of us just call "amulet bags". The bags were executed in a variety of stitches including loom work (done by Japanese bead artists) and off-loom work (peyote/gourd, netting, and single-needle right angle). This was the first book to give directions for single-needle right-angle weave (pioneered David Chatt). The cover features a right-angle weave bag by David in his highly recognizable color palette.

A number of the patterns that appeared in this book have since become part of the bead lexicon-Carol Wilcox Wells' "Bird in a Gilded Cage," her "Damask" pattern, and Sue Jackson's "Picket Fences" pattern to name just a few. I recognized Carol Perrenoud at the Bead and Button show last summer because she was wearing her "The Other Side of the Garden Wall" bag which is featured in the gallery section of the book.

For so many of us, the amulet bag or "beaded amulet purse" was the first Delica/seed bead project we ever did. Until this book appeared, I had not seen so extensive a pictoral collection of fringe. I first saw twisted fringe in this book -especially on Wendy Hubick's wonderful bags. Stessin showed how many different ways one could make a bag with beads, various stitches, shapes, sizes, sizes of beads, fringes.

While recovering from a serious back strain, I pulled out (no pun intended) my copy of The New Beadwork. Looking at the pictures I noticed how many artists I have had the opportunity to hear speak or take a class from through BSGC.

Lois Sherr Dubin writes, "The New Beadwork documents the most recent point on the continuum of this ancient tradition, which dates back thousands of years. And yet the pieces illustrated in this book were crafted during the past two decades-a period of profound societal change. Most of the artists acknowledge this duality of influence, their deliberate layering of the new upon the traditional."

The text portion of the book consists of a foreword by Lois Sherr Dubin, and an introduction/essay written by Kathlyn Moss, titled "Captured Light". Only 9 pages long, the foreword and essay are well written; a joy to read. In her essay, Kathlyn Moss outlines the cultural, historical and artistic influences that brought us to the "new" beadwork of today. The bead art pieces included in the book are inspirational. Published in 1992, the book pre-dates certain bead art forms we now take for granted, such as the amulet bag, computer generated patterns of celebrities, famous artwork, Delica beadwork.

As I went through the artists' work I noticed the names that aren't included- the artists who had not yet arrived on the bead scene. I found it fascinating to observe how the beadwork of some of the artists has progressed and developed. The book remains a wonderful introduction to the beadwork of the end of the 20th century and a fabulous harbinger of the next millennium to come.

If you are a relatively new beader and are unfamiliar with this book, I recommend adding it to your bead library as soon as possible.

Laura took quite a while to review these books because she would become so delighted with each part that she had a hard time going on. This is a general description of the six Russian-language books now available at your local bead stores and through BSGC at the May meeting. Maybe we'll be able to convince her to write more for the next newsletter. Thanks, Laura, for this much.

A bead diagram is worth a thousand written directions, to paraphrase an old saying. Browsing through the new Russian bead books reinforces the concept again. Beading is such an international language. We have books available to us in the USA in Japanese, German, French, Italian, and now Russian.

The new Russian books have rich illustrations and photographs. They are worth buying for the pictures alone. Imagine taking the daisy chain to extremes of elegance and intricacy. The daisy chain variations remind us that some of the simplest techniques are still under-explored. And although some of the diagrams show thread paths that we might alter or adapt, there is a valuable wealth of artistic beady inspiration on each page.

I love the Russian name for what we call gourd or peyote stitch. The Russian name is "mosaic". And their term for Comanche or brick is "tapestry". There are 6 new books including seedbead work, wire flower work, bead embroidery and even macramé.

The title of the largest collection (white cover with blue netted necklace) translates roughly to The Art of Tribal Beadwork (contemporary school). (I'm translating from a year of college Russian taken eons ago with the help of a new Oxford Russian- English dictionary.) The chapter titles include looking at chains and bands, netting stitches, square stitch, jewelry applications and on.

Here is a survey of the magazines about which we think you should know.

The Crafts Report is a monthly about the business of craft. I was first introduced to it when they ran a wonderful article by Myra Schwartz, reprinted in our January 1997 newsletter. Each issue has a column by Steven Meltzer (our March 2001 speaker) a photographer who can be reached at: stevefoto@cs.com. Each issue focuses on craft galleries in a specific area and Illinois will be featured next in July 2001. Check out the magazine, try a subscription or look up: www.craftsreport.com. It might appeal if you are getting into or are in business.

American Style comes out quarterly and has a yearly "25 Top Arts Destination" list. This summer's issue pushes Chicago to #11, down from #5 last year and #8 the year before. Wonder what went wrong with us! What's new: Saugatuck, MI, #8, was not previously on the list. See Around the Country for an intro to Saugatuck/Douglas MI. Also, "Rounded to Perfection," an article with wonderful pictures of beads and beadwork, featuring Dan Adams and Cynthia Toops and others.

Lapidary Journal, a monthly that has been around forever and has bead-related articles every issue, including a Jewelry Journal with bead and gem projects. Its Buyers' Guide in May and the Bead Annual in October are the two issues of most interest to beaders.

Ornament, a quarterly, began as The Bead Journal and is a scrumptious magazine of personal adornment. Its co-editor, Robert Liu, was our September 2000 speaker. The summer 2000 issue has an article about Larry Scott, whose glass beads you will find at our September Show. (He'll be there with them; talk to him, you'll enjoy it.) It's both a visually beautiful and informative magazine about beads, beadwork and other forms of art-to-wear.

Bead & Button, Beadwork and Jewelry Craft are the three bi-monthly bead magazines to be found in bead stores, our library, bookstores and everywhere you look. If you are unfamiliar with them, find them immediately. You may decide you don't want every issue, or don't want all three, but if you don't know about them, you're ill informed. They have lots of ads, projects and articles about bead makers, jewelry makers, off-loom and loom projects and all sorts of related things. Soon, or already,

Adornment, now in its second year is "the first newsletter to cover the full spectrum of the jewelry world and related arts...(are you a) collector, dealer, historian, jeweler. museum curator or just interested in jewelry." www.adornment.net. 1333A North Ave. PMB 122, New Rochelle NY 10804. Maybe it's worth it; I've not looked at it.

There are other magazines, like Fiber Arts which is the fiber equivalent to Ornament and Threads, a magazine with some fiber embellishment articles. If you know of other magazines which should have been included in here, please let me know.

Judith Schwab