Craft Gossip

Independent craft blog since 2007

Simply Gemstones Book Review

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simplygemstones
Simply Gemstones: Designs for Creating Beaded Gemstone Jewelry by Nancy Alden

  • Paperback: 144 pages
  • Publisher: Potter Craft (July 14, 2009)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0307451356
  • ISBN-13: 978-0307451354

    • If you’re a jewelry maker, chances are you have lusted after a gemstone or ten.  Be it majestic turquoise, fiery opals or sparkly diamonds, todays fashion runways are glittering with gemstones more than ever and so can you.

    There use to be a time when the only place you could buy an semi precious or precious bead like an emerald was at a jewelry store but now they can easily be found online and in local bead shops.  ”Simply Gemstones” author Nancy Alden is your gemstone fairy godmother. She brings back her popular Beadworks series with this book focusing on greating great gemstone jewelry.  As with her other books, she makes the process easy and shows even a novice how to create stunning gemstone jewelry. 

    This book begins with a primer on gemstone basics and introduces the read to common as well as uncommmon gemstones such as Cornflake Pearls, Pink Sapphire, and Black Spinel, among others.  There is over 5o projects in this book and they lean toward simple strung necklaces and bracelets. The use of an amazing colored or shaped stone can make even the a simply strung necklaceinto a masterpiece.  The book as lots of eye candy and is a great resource for someone who isn’t familiar with gemstones.

    Have you read?

    Knit a Classic Aran Cardigan with this Free Knitting Pattern

    Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time. 

    Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring. 

    It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. 

    This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row. 

    Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves. 

    Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body. 

    The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy. 

    This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn. 

    [Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]