Book Review: Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry

Designing your own one of a kind jewelry is so much more than just choosing the right elements and materials to put together. With the right tools, and a little inspiration, we can create pieces that are as unique as they are gorgeous. Making or decorating your own beads and components can be a rewarding creative adventure.

One technique that really stands out is enameling. By combining metal with heat and glass, designers can create stunning beads, pendants and jewelry components in nearly any shape or color they desire. In Torch-Fired Enamel Jewelry,enamel artist and expert Barbara Lewis explains everything you need to know about torch firing - a quick and relatively easy process that doesn’t require expensive kilns or lengthy firing processes.

Using the torch firing technique - or painting with fire - developed by Joseph Spencer, Barbara shows readers how to enhance ready-made metal beads with stunning color, design and shape new pieces from copper, silver, gold or iron, and even create colorful headpins to accent jewelry designs.

A detailed introduction on the basics of metals, enamels and torch use will help beginners get started in this exciting technique. Barbara also gives a list of some common torch enamel mishaps, and how to fix them. Though the book does cover some essential jewelry making basics like wrapped loops, readers with some knowledge or experience will have an easier time with some of the project techniques, like using collapsible wire needles and dapping blocks.

I wish that I could show you all of the gorgeous projects featured in Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry. There are twenty two projects in all, including necklaces, pendants, earrings, bracelets and rings. Some projects simply feature enameled beads, while others require cutting, etching and firing metals to make entirely unique designs. Readers will learn how to combine their torch fired creations with glass or gemstone beads, fabric, ribbon and chain to create colorful jewelry full of texture.

Each of the projects includes step by step photographs, tips for getting the best results the first time, and lots of guidance and encouragement. If you’ve always wanted to try making your own beads, but are nervous about the heavy-duty process and all that hardware, this book could give you the confidence to buy your first torch!

I would like to thank North Light Books and F+W Media for giving me the opportunity to preview Torch Fired Enamel Jewelry. Inspirational Beading has not received compensation or merchandise in exchange for this review. I have shared my sincere impressions of this book.

Copyright 2011 Inspirational Beading
Barbara Lewis and F+W Media
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