A beautiful and inspiring little book that is useful as well. Jewelry, boxes, baskets, and a purse crocheted with wire. Techniques would work with knitting as well. Clear instructions, even if you have never crocheted before and a list of sources for supplies. Clear, illustrated technique instructions, precise photographs of projects, explains and names jewelry-making equipment and parts like fasteners, and even includes a bibliography and index. An excellent gift book.
I’ve looked at these projects for years and never understood exactly how to get the beads on the wire or where to find the wire. Or what size wire one would use. First Tip: You put the beads on the wire, or yarn, first. Then you pull them up or push them further down as you work. Never occurred to me. Second Tip: The wire comes in numbered gauges, the smaller the number, the larger the wire; the larger the number the finer the wire. 26 is stiff but workable; 34, the size of a hair. The author prefers 28-30.
Wire also comes in more than copper and nameless grey metals — gold, silver, brass, and many wonderful shades of green, blue, red, etc. See Artistic Wire.
Crochet with Wire by Nancie M Wiseman. Loveland, CO: Interweave Press, 2005. At Amazon

• The Sky’s the Limit by Steven Gaines
• Elbows and Puzzles

Categories: Pass the Olives: Opinions

Tags: needlework, Wire, Knitting, Crochet, Artists' Materials & Techniques, beads