Review – Bead and Sequin Embroidery Stitches

On the same shiny, glitzy front as last week’s review, we have Bead and Sequin Embroidery Stitches by Stanley Levy. If you ever think you might want to bead your own cabaret bellydance costume, or just add a bit of shiny glitz to an embroidery project or crazy quilt, this book will teach you how to do it.

Mr. Levy has been doing beadwork since World War II, and has become highly respected in the field, beading many of the costumes for British figure skaters — and later teaching beadwork for the City & Guilds program. It is this teaching background that is wonderfully evident in the book.

One of the first things Mr. Levy tells you is something he tells his students — “do it my way and then go on to do it your way.”Once the basics are known, experimentaiton is what develops good design and new technique.

What I like most about this book is is carefully designed excercises for learning how the materials work with the stitches he teaches. I highly recommend getting sequins and beads specifically to play with and create a sampler of these excercises. The rest of the book contains a chapter of designs you can use to embellish clothing or costumes, or just to practice and frame. The book wraps up with eye candy and inspirational pieces from Mr. Levy and his students.

Very very pretty, and a book I go back to repeatedly when I’m working on a beaded costume.

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