Merry-go-round - Favourite Reference

Jump on our merry go round and join a group of artists/crafts-women from around the world as they link hands and tell you a little bit about their lives in craft.

Do look up the answers from the rest of this band of crafters (links to your left).

If they haven't posted yet, remember we all live in different time zones and check again later...

This month's theme:

What is your favorite publication(s)? Is there a book, books, magazine, or website that has become the bible of your art/craft?

There is actually a book that I keep going back to all the time : Sara Withers's Perles : Toutes les techniques, actually translated from The Encyclopedia of Beading Techniques. You can find it in French on amazon.fr, or in English on amazon.co.uk.

It really acts as my bible as it deals with all the basics in beading and even gets you started in wire-wrapping and bead-weaving.

Since acquiring it and exploring several techniques very easily and confidently thanks to it, I have also discovered beautiful books on off-loom weaving by Carol Wilcox Wells.

I have also been lucky enough to read the great French tutorials on wire-wrapping that our fellow merry-go-rounder Fabs, of Easterya, has been offering on DaWanda.

Books are really my first, most spontaneous ressource, but as French translations and shops are always slow to catch up, the internet is a close second, so I keep hoarding books and web bookmarks, whenever I want to explore a new technique.

I also find that an introductory kit is very often good value for money, as they are a way to take a first step fairly safely. Such a starters' kit allowed me to make my first silver clay piece (mentioned here a couple months ago) and therefore helped me build up confidence. The visuel help is very important to me, so a step-by-step, on paper or on DVD, is always welcome.