Book Spotlight: Beaded Bugs

Of all the sources beaders have for inspiration, nature is one of the most abundant. The colors, shapes, and patterns that Mother Nature creates provide an endless supply of ideas for beadwork, and few are quite so intriguing as the realm of insects. For hundreds of millions of years, these essential and enchanting creatures have evolved some of the most wonderful colors and patterns for camouflage, defense, and even courtship. In Beaded Bugs, renowned beader Jean Power teams up with professional model-maker Nicola Tedman to recreate these unique features with beads.

Like all great beading books, Beaded Bugsbegins with a quick primer on beads, tools, and essential materials needed to complete the projects. All 30 beaded bugs are constructed with a simple variation on ladder stitch, using a two-needle type weave with beading wire. The introduction to beading and reading the pattern charts is suitable for beginners and expert beaders alike.

Jean and Nicola have organized the projects from least to most difficult, to guide you through the process of constructing these 3-dimensional creatures with seed beads and wire. Beginning with butterflies and ending with beetles, there is a little something for every nature lover. Each insect featured is modeled after an actual species, including the black swallowtail, banded demoiselle, death’s head hawkmoth, three-banded ladybug, and fiddler beetle.

The instructions and diagrams are very easy to follow, and most of the projects are modeled after a basic structure. Once you’ve mastered the first dragonfly or caterpillar, you can easily try the next pattern, or even create your own. The only thing missing is blank color charts for making your own unique insect patterns.

I can’t decide which of the projects is my favorite - they all have such wonderful qualities. The butterflies are enchantingly beautiful, the caterpillars adorable, and the beetles are delightfully realistic. Imagine having a tiny beaded ladybug to watch over your workspace!

I would like to thank Andrews McMeel Publishing for giving me the chance to enjoy "Beaded Bugs: Make 30 Moths, Butterflies, Beetles and Other Cute Critters". Inspirational Beading has not received paid compensation for including the book in this blog post. I have shared my honest opinions about this book.

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading
Jean Power, Nicola Tedman, and Andrews McMeel Publishing
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