Those Bad Bad Beads by V. Blakelock, 110 pp, B&W
This is the book that started it all. It's the first modern book on beadwork that tells you all about supplies and techniques from a contemporary artist's point of view. It is perfect for beginners, but has a wealth of information which you won't find anywhere else, making it ideal for those of you who already do beadwork. Topics included are beads and other materials, loom-work, broad collars, peyote stitch and 3 African techniques, two of which have never been described before. There are chapters on bead embroidery and beaded bags, as well as a bibliography and suppliers' list. It is illustrated profusely with Virginia's fine drawings and has a color cover featuring "The Moth" necklace. This was the first modern book on beading techniques, and the best one for beginners. It assumes you know nothing, and discusses the types and sizing of beads, as well as what threads and needles you should use. It tells you how to build your own loom, and how to use it to create and finish loomed necklaces, chokers, and bags. This book also shows different ways to blend colors, and how to use graph paper to create loomwork designs. Fringes of all kinds are described (including the ever popular "kinky" fringe), as well as most of the popular off-loom techniques. Theee include broad collars, ladders and netting, quadruple helix, Ndebele herringbone, double-needle right-angle weave, and of course, good old tubular and flat Peyote stitch. There are chapters on bead embroidery and beaded bags, as well as a bibliography. It is illustrated profusely with Virginia's fine drawings and has a color cover featuring the "Daphnis Nerii" moth necklace.

The Complete Guide to Bead Techniques by Jane Davis, 158 pp, color, soft cover, 8-1/2" x 11"
Davis' beautiful book covers loomwork, square stitch, brick and ladder stitches, peyote stitch, bead netting, herringbone, right-angle weave, knitting, crochet, and tatting with beads, tambour, embroidery, needlepoint and cross stitch with beads, stringing, wirework and mosaic work! There's introductory material about supplies (beads, threads, needles, tools) and basic techniques for breaking beads, adding and ending threads, and simple knots. Davis explains and diagrams each beading technique, provides a sample for you to make, and then turns you loose on wonderful projects. She also shows ethnic, historic and modern examples of each technique. The only caution I give is that you should be familiar with knitting, crochet and tatting before you attempt them with beads. Davis does not give an elementary tutorial on these 3 topics. If you've been looking for an overview of beading techniques and projects, you'l love this book!

Creative Beading projects from Bead & Button magazine, 256 pp, color photos & graphs, hard cover, 8-1/2" x 11"
Even if you take Bead & Button magazine, here's a great compilation of the best projects from past issues. Techniques include stringing, wirework, weaving, macrame, crochet and embroidery. It's a stand-alone book, with all tools, stitches and techniques reviewed in a concise reference section. The index makes it easy to locate a specific artist or project.

Beader's Stash by Laura Levaas, 143 pp, color photos & drawings, soft cover, 10" x 10"
When you have a beadstore, you're naturally motivated to create beaded stuff. This novel approach to beading projects visits 39 bead shops and presents a project from each one. Each store is given a nice write-up, there's a photograph of the project, and then detailed instructions and supply list for its construction. The advantage here is a wide range of materials, methods and sensibilities, plus an incentive to travel and shop!

The Bead Directory-Choosing Beads by Elise Mann, 256 pp, color, spiral bound within a hard cover, 7" x 8"
This books states that it is "The comlete guide to choosing and using more than 600 beautiful beads." It covers beads made with glass, stone, metal, clay, wood, plastic, and natural materials like bone, horn and coral. There are attractive suggestions for using each bead, and a chapter on the types and uses of findings.

The Art of Beadwork by Valerie Hector, 160 pp, color photos, B&W drawings
This is one of the most stunning books ever published, on the art of beadwork. Hector gives examples of the best of historical and ethnic beading, and then the best of contemporary beadwork. Beautiful projects, by well-known contemporary bead artists, are provided in detailed step-by-step instructions. Both the historical pieces and contemporary projects will give you inspiration (and techniques) beyond your wildest dreams. This book is a must-have for everyone who loves beadwork. And it's an incredible buy.

Colorworks - the Crafter's Guide to Color by Deb Menz, 115 pp, all color (of course!)
I cannot praise this book too much. At last, a book all about color that is easy to read, easy to understand, and wonderful to look at, written with craftspeople, not painters, in mind! All the color theory stuff is here, but then there are chapters just on the unique characteristics of different fiber media (including embroidery with beads!), and on choosing colors and designing for these same media. Photo color examples are given which include knitting, dying, patchwork and bead embroidery. You must have this book - it will surely give you the color tools and design confidence you've been yearning for.

The Beaders' Companion by Judith Durant & Jean Campbell, 104 pp, B&W illustrations, 5"x7", soft-cover, spiral bound
This small book is meant to be used at your work table, hence its small size and the spiral binding, which allows it to lie flat, when opened to any page. It briefly covers every beading technique from loom to off-loom, embroidery, knitting and crocheting. It is a handy reference if you're already familiar with a technique but just need a little reminder of its finer points. It's not a book for beginners. A nice bonus are the pages which show how to connect two different kinds of weaves and the graph papers for loomwork, right-angle weave, Ndebele herringbone, Brick stitch, and Peyote stitch.

Beading in the Native American Tradition by David Dean, 150 pp, color drawings & photos
This book covers all essential Native American beading techniques, both common & obscure, including brick stitch, embroidery, true 3-drop peyote stitch and heddle loomwork. Traditional patterns are included for the different techniques described. The book has history on Native Americans' use of beads, and information on how to research and collect Native American beadwork. Beautiful color photos of both contemporary and historical pieces will inspire you in new ways.

Findings & Finishings by Sharon Bateman, 116 pp, color
Everyone needs help with findings and finishings, and at last, we've got it! This book not only describes in words and color photos the different types of clasps, but shows you how and when to use them. Also included are detailed instructions for the many ways of embellishing your beadwork with fringes, knots, edgings and original findings. There are some projects which illustrate the use of techniques, but you'll really appreciate the gallery section where you can see how different bead artists use what's described in the book.