Beaded Wild Animals

Beaded Wild Animals
Gifted by Design Originals
www.d-originals.com
Reviewed by Molly Fletcher, Editor, AllFreeJewelryMaking.com

Bring your favorite animals from the zoo and aquarium home with you. Beaded Wild Animals contains 10 projects, each with several variations, for tropical fish, reptiles, birds, bugs, and more. These gorgeous beaded creatures make great key chains, mobiles, pendants, and pins. Unleash your wild side with the tips and tutorials in this whimsical book from Leisure Arts. 

Author Suzanne McNeill has written over 200 craft books, each as educational and entertaining as the last. The founder of Design Originals, McNeill was named Winner of the Craft and Hobby Association's Industry Achievement Award. When she isn't designing, writing, or running her publishing company, McNeill is an art instructor and champion for crafters everywhere.

Beaded Wild Animals is perfect for intermediate beaders who aren't afraid to improvise. Most of the tutorials involve the peyote stitch and indicate where the piece is should narrow to achieve the proper shape. Additional color options accompany each project, though these alternatives do not come with their own graphs.

Whether you love sea creatures, land dwellers, or high fliers, there is a project in Beaded Wild Animals for you. From household pets to the most exotic animals on display, this book has it all. Patterns include:

• Bear
• Phoenix
• Butterfly (2 varieties)
• Hummingbird
• Turtle
• Frog
• Seahorse
• Cat
• Fish

My favorite tutorial in this collection is the hummingbird. The wings and tail are so graceful, and the bright golden eyes give this beaded bird an extra dash of style. Beaded Wild Animals has all the information you need to get started on your own crafty zoo or aquarium right away. Intermediate beaders will be able to whip up several of these projects and give them as gifts or party favors. Break into your bead stash and go wild!

BONUS! Enter to win a copy of Beaded Wild Animals here. Contest ends 5/3/15.