Leather is a versatile and easy-to-use material, and leather jewellery is very much on trend; the author currently demonstrates leather jewellery making on JM TV. This is one of the few books devoted entirely to leather jewellery.
This book introduces a range of jewellery items, including pendants, bracelets, bangles, earrings, rings and a few items of men's jewellery - all using leather and suede, in addition to beads and pre-bought chains and jewellery findings. The techniques involved are simple and require very little in the way of specialist tools.
April 2015
It is not difficult to obtain bags of leather offcuts, and when leather bags or garments wear out you can give them a new lease of life. You don't need much leather or materials to create a whole jewellery box filled with fun and fashionable pieces. There is a page near the front showing you what you need to obtain, and most of it (if not all) you will already have. A rotary hole punch, awl, good cutting out scissors, eyelets...nothing too expensive or hard to obtain for many of the pieces. However, for some more crafted items tools such as leather glue, leather polish, a polymer mallet and the stamping tools are rather more specialized. It depends on what you want to make and how far you want to take your leather craft. There is something for all levels and tastes from wet forming leather to cutting simple strips, plaiting, rolling into beads, fringing, stamping and polishing. Pieces include necklaces, rings, chokers, bracelets, cuffs and bangles. Most are bold, chunky items in natural shades or bright colors that are sure to catch the eye and have a modern appeal. Each project has a full page picture plus materials and written instructions. Patterns are not needed for the simple shapes and neither is a lot of jewellery making knowledge. It is great to see a book on a subject that does not get much coverage that is so beginner friendly and easy to use.
* Myshelf.com *October 2015
This amazing value series offers a range of imaginative and inspiring ideas, with each book containing 20 projects. In Leather Jewellery, Natalia includes something for all levels and tastes, from wet-forming leather to cutting simple strips, plaiting, rolling into beads, fringing, stamping and polishing. Projects include necklaces, earrings, rings, chokers and cuffs and bangles in natural shades and bright colours. Each project is given a double page spread with clear, step-by-step instructions that are easy to use.
* Love to Make *Summer/Autumn 2015
My first impressions of this book were that it offered a nice selection of projects that illustrated the scope of starting to work with leather and the techniques required. Each project has an A5 image and a page outlining materials, tools and required instructions. There is a range of techniques employed in the 20 projects. Many projects use wet forming so that the leather can be moulded and shaped. Metal stamps are used to create a texture in the leather. The projects are innovative - multiple leather strips are used to create a 'soutache' like surround to a gemstone cabochon, cut to create ruffled flowers an moulded to create roses. There are several statement cuffs that when combined with wire and beads give a modern edge to leather. The projects within the book are marketable and would fit well with the current trends of up-cycling in art. The accessible cost of this publication makes it a useful source of inspiration for anyone interested in mixed media jewellery.
* Bead Society For Great Britain *Natalia Colman is an author, teacher and jewellery designer who has had a passion for jewellery all her life and uses it extensively in her fashion styling work. Natalia has produced a range of jewellery making books including Silver Clay with Style and best selling DVDs Silver Clay Made Simple and Further Adventures in Silver Clay. Natalia lives in West Yorkshire with her daughter Estella who is following in her footsteps as an avid jewellery maker. http://www.bynatalia.co.uk/