Brilliant Beading Book Free Download

One of my greatest influences - Robin Atkins - has decided to retire her first book - One Bead at a Time and has generously made it available as a free download.


I love her work and have a few of her books including this one but it is a wonderful opportunity to start your collection for free.

Book review - The Beader's Color Palette

This book arrived today from Book Depository (the best way to order books). As a beader and quilter, I love reading about colour and this book is a wonderful resource. It is not only for beaders though - as a quilter it is also a brilliant way to analyse inspirational images for perfect colour combinations for your quilts.

Margie Deeb has written a book with 220 different colour combinations which are themed into categories

• Elements
• Artists Historical Palettes
• World Cultures
• Gorgeous Planet
• Living Colour

I am really impressed with the inspirational photography and the matching beading projects. Each category also has 4 projects of different levels with clear instructions and clear colour step by step photos.

Although I don't usually make jewellery - my work is usually bead embellishment on quilts - I am definitely inspired to give some of these ideas a try. I do have one or two beads to play with.


This book won the Best How-To Craft book of 2009 by the prestigious Library Journal and I am not surprised as is it beautifully produced and inspirational.

Here is one of my latest little pieces

In the Mail

You probably know I am a fan of Book Depository in the UK - not only because of their great range of books and terrific service but mainly due to the free shipping anywhere in the world. Even down here in Australia. Sorry to the book store owners out there but these prices are usually half what I have to pay here.

I am always looking for great new books on my travels and then if I see them - I check them out on Book Depository and then they magically arrive at home, sometimes even before I do.

This was the case this time and here are my latest additions to an ever growing textile library.
The first one is all about how to make books from scratch - very interesting and I could get addicted - once I start that is.

I got the urge to do some more felting again after seeing all the great textile work in NZ. I have an obscene amount of wool rovings at home gathering dust since I bought them (all available colours of course). There was a lady doing nuno scarf demonstrations when I visited Ashfords and I realised I had all the basic ingredients so I promise I will do some really soon.

I did a class with Lisa Engelbretch in Houston a few years ago and loved it so when I saw this book I had to get it. Now perhaps I will be inspired to use all my pens and inks bought over the last few years.

When my friend Alex was here from the US recently she showed me this book which I really enjoyed. Her copy was actually borrowed from her local library but I think I got to own mine before she left the country. Really interesing ideas for creating landscapes with textures and fabrics.

Next time I might show you the bits and pieces I did actually buy in NZ.....

Book Bonanza

While I was away I had time to check out many books and so purchased quite a few from Book Depository which are arriving at regular intervals - just like Christmas. I love Book Depository as they have free shipping as well as a comparison price with Amazon and they always win out.

But today's mail brought another purchase - Robin Atkins latest book - Heart to Hands - Beaded Embroidery direct from Robin. Now I quite often just flick through books when I get them and sometimes wonder why I bothered. In fact I sometimes wonder why the author bothered but that is a different story. Not so this time!!
I read it cover to cover before I put it down and am so inspired by Robin and her work (again). She has not only given more of herself and what drives her than you could ever expect from a craft book, she has also come up with new ideas and techniques that I am just itching to try.

I really recommend this book to anyone who is even the slightest bit interested in Beading - you will become addicted very quickly - just like me.

Goodies by Mail

I love it when parcels arrive. I have recently be tempted (it wasn't hard) into looking at Book Depository web site. I loved it as it not only gave a direct link to Amazon UK to compare prices, it doesn't charge shipping - even all the way down under.

I ordered three books a week or so ago and one arrived in 5 days and the other two arrived today - about 10 days. I am still waiting for an Amazon delivery I ordered two days before this one.

This is what today's mail brought - both very yummy and inspiring for when I get a chance to do some beading.