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Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry: 50 Designs Using Leather, Ribbon, and Cords by Lorelei Eurto and Erin Siegel is published by Interweave. The paperback version sells for $22.95 US, and the ebook version (available through the publishers on-line shop InterweaveStore.com) is available for $17.95 US. Both versions are 160 pages long and include full color photographs of the finished jewelry pieces, as well as many of the supplies and tools, and color illustrations of techniques used throughout the book.

Tools, Materials, and Techniques

The book's front matter starts off with a guide to ribbons and cords, which are integral elements of many of the jewelry designs in the book. Four pages show and tell about a large variety of the fibers such as fairy silk ribbon and ribbon yarn. Then there is also a question and answer page that discusses how to care for these fibers. This is one issue I have had with working with ribbon and other fibers, so I thought this was an excellent addition.

After the fibers are described, there is a section about the findings used to connect them with the other jewelry components and also descriptions of other basic jewelry findings and supplies such as beads, beading wire, and chain. For anyone who has done basic beading, much of this will be familiar, but if you have been looking for the right findings to use with fiber, then the brief explanations here will be helpful.

Next tools and other supplies such as bead boards and bench blocks are described. This is then followed by supplies more specific to fiber such as glues and scissors.

Finally, seven pages cover the beading, wire, and fiber techniques used in the book's projects. This is where there are colored illustrations used with instructions to accompany them.

The Book's Project

The bulk of this book is made up of the 50 jewelry projects. That's right, 50! That is a pretty large amount compared to many jewelry books. And, as the title of this book is Bohemian Inspired Jewelry, obviously, you can count on the designs to be a sort of mix of gypsy meets Mother Earth. This style of jewelry dates back most recently to the 1970s, so it is refreshing to see it back and updated for the twenty-first century. Both authors, Lorelei Eurto and Erin Siegel, are known for their use of fibers and their Bohemian style jewelry, and they bring their years of experimentation to the projects in this book.

While I tend to gravitate to classic designs because they are what I most often feel comfortable wearing to work, I could see myself wearing some of these to work and also some when I'm off the clock. They all seemed very wearable but at the same time fashionable. The "Delicate Things" design, for example, is a necklace project that uses silk cord that is attached to a ceramic donut component and then accented with amethyst and copper beads. Another necklace I really liked is called "Quietude" and uses lampwork discs, basically button shaped, flat with holes in the center, and these are attached using simple knotting of waxed cotton cord.

Some Final Thoughts

While there are a fair number of unique pendants, beads, and cording used in these designs, I don't see this as an issue if you want to locate the exact items used in each project. The author's thought ahead for us and include a list of specific supplies and vendors for each project. This list is provided after all the projects and before another handy list of suppliers.

If I was hard pressed to find anything missing from this book, I would have to say that the techniques are a little on the sparse side for beginners, but on the other hand, none of the techniques used are really that unique. Overhand knots and even something more specific like a half-hitch knot are pretty standard fiber techniques. What you get with this book is the design help to use these techniques and make beautiful jewelry that combines all the good stuff we jewelry makers like: fiber, wire, metal, and beads. If you want to make the designs exactly as shown in the book, you have a list of supplies needed plus techniques you will need as well and the exact vendors who have all these supplies available for you. If you want to jump off and use these designs to inspire your own Bohemian jewelry designs, you can easily do that as well.

Publisher's Site

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