Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #192717 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9781596680340
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review

About the Author

Customer Reviews

Fantastic new beadwork book!
Diane Fitzgerald has written the first how-to beading guide detailing Zulu beading techniques, making these beautiful, intricate bead patterns available to artists and crafts people around the world. The book layout and its colorful photography are as beautiful as the beadwork itself. Fitzgerald includes photographs and writing from her travels in South Africa, where she was introduced to Zulu beading techniques. She includes historical information on the beading tradition, and its evolution through precolonialism to present day - answering questions such as what were traditional beads made out of, and what types of beads do South African women use today? Giving a cultural background to the artwork makes the book informative on many levels.

The "how-to" portion of the book includes 25 stunning projects. Each project includes a list of needed materials, drawings of the patterns in various stages, and examples of finished works using the technique. There is a wide range of projects - from the relatively small and simple "Zulu Love Letter Pins" to the more intricate and complicated "Switchback" and "Spearhead" chains. I believe even novices can follow the well written and diagramed instructions for many of the projects. Experienced and professional beaders will likewise be challenged, charmed and intrigued by the more difficult patterns. Projects include patterns for netted diamond earrings, a zigzag chain, netted triangle and swag bracelet, and a Zulu wedding necklace. Some of the patterns described by Fitzgerald are detailed for the first time ever in print. Beading enthusiasts will be thrilled with this delightful, informative collection of Zulu beading projects.
-Jessica Teel

Finally, an instruction book for Zulu Techniques
Zulu beadwork is characterized by opaque seed beeds in primary colors, often with a white background, and there are a multitude of stitches and designs. The beadwork is complex, modern yet folk-lore in tone.

The book has a set of photos of Zulu men and women wearing various traditional ornaments, and then there are many projects illustrating a large variety of stitch techniques.

One of the items I like is wrapped rope, tightly rolled cloth with beads that makes wonderful lariats or bangles. The Zulu girls' "love letters" are also wonderful--small stamp-sized beading with a number of patterns and techniques that sit on pins. You can adopt these to your craft desires--flags, flowers, mementos all hanging from safety pins. There are netting projects making dramatic collars, some with hanging pendants, others with fringe. All in all, a gorgeous book and long overdue to teach these exceptional beading techniques. Any beader would love this book.

This book got me back into beading!
I used to bead in high school and college (has it been over twenty years??), but I let the hobby go. I discovered this book, and was intrigued by the "cultural aspect" of the patterns. I have seen jaw dropping African beadwork at several international crafts shows, and have always been in awe of the amazing artwork done in Africa using beads. Author Diane Fitzgerald has broken down 25 patterns for a variety of Zulu inspired beadwork projects. I bought the supplies at a local bead ship, and have already made several of the "chains" - there is a triangular tube, and zigzag chain that are easy enough to figure out, and make really interesting bead "chains". I even did the "popcorn" bracelet with my kids!! They loved it!! It uses large beads, and was the most fun afternoon we have had in a long time. While I'm not a total "beginner" - I would say even beginners could use the book. Fitzgerald does a good job explaining the patterns, and there are diagrams showing how to start the pattern, add on to it, and complete it - along with verbal instructions and tips (like how to hold the beads, or to wrap it around a pencil, etc...). That being said, there are some intimidating looking projects as well, so if you are looking for very challenging new patterns, you will find that too. Zulu Inspired Beadwork got me back into beading, and I'm so glad to have this hobby again!