Mastering the Art of Beading by Genevieve A. Sterbenz is a huge reference book on all things related to jewelry making. I've had the book for a few weeks now and its a great reference guide. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about beading and jewelry making.
The first section of the book details all the different beads, findings and tools that one might use. Each item, its uses and characteristics are explained in detail. The jewelry aisle at the craft store can be so overwhelming and the packaging doesn't explain how or where to use anything. This book demystifies all those beads and findings and tells you about everything you've never even seen before.
The second section of the book is projects for necklaces, bracelets, rings and more. I don't know if I'll use any of the designs exactly but it's useful to see instructions for a project from beginning to end.
The final section of the book features jewelry making techniques. This is the section that I'll be returning to over and over again. This book has so much useful information that really the only downside is that it is so large that it's a little unwieldy.
