4 comments about Beyond Basic Stained Glass Making: Techniques and Tools to Expand Your Abilities (Stackpole Basics).

1. Excellent book which includes techniques, tools and tips to improve the stained glass beginners abilities. It also has very good pictures by Alan Wycheck.



2. This is a very good book with outstanding photography and functional book binding. The basic skills reviewed are a bit redundant and don't advance the readers knowledge very far but it is a good review for beginner stained glass artists. The author should consider writing another book which assumes basic skill sets and focus on taking the reader further into advanced techniques and project design.



3. Very nice layout, easy to follow instructions. Love the binding. Looking forward to the projects.I would recommend this book to anyone interested in stained glass.



4. This book is fantastic! I love the step by step pictures and the detailed instructions. I have purchased other stained glass making books but this is by far the best one. I look forward to making some of his projects because he makes it look so easy.

2 comments about Fenton Art Glass: A Centennial of Glass Making 1907 to 2007 (Schiffer Book for Collectors).

1. The book is beautiful and exactly what I was looking for! Fast shipping, too......very pleased. Thank you and Happy Holidays!



2. Any collector of Fenton art glass and many a collection catering to glass collectors will find this an invaluable review, offering glass from all of Fenton's decades of production under one cover - some 100 years of glassmaking history. 3,000 pieces are profiled in over 600 color photos, along with their latest values and examples of changing styles. It's a 'must' for any serious collector's specialty collection, especially those of glassware collectors.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch

5 comments about Introduction to Stained Glass: A Step-by-Step Teaching Manual.

1. I found this book great for anyone who wants to start stained glass. Needed supplies, basic techniques reguarding every aspect to get rolling. Cutting angles, and circles, foiling and soldering, much more, I dont think I could of started without it. If your at all interested in stained glass, this book is a must. Any questions you have, this book covers it. Well worth it! Also useful as a referance manual. Good luck!



2. I bought this book as an addition to my stained glass class through the local high school. It is great. It helps fill in the gaps and reminds me of what I forgot.

   This book covers both copper foil and leading. While I can't speak for the leading, it has excellent information on the copper foil method. It's information on equipment is also up to date. Though the cover is in color the rest of the book is in black and white. This is probably why a book so jam packed with information, was so inexpensive. I didn't find the black and while photos to be a negative at all. There are pictures of everything and this is great. So many books just give you patterns and words.

   Its tips on glass cutting I found very useful, since you don't always run into everything in class. It saved me some broken glass. Its troubleshooting hints on soldering were handy as well.

   Also there are some projects in the back. I haven't made any but they have complete instructions (pictures too) and the patterns included.

   The contents since ... does not provide it, is as follows:

   1. HISTORY - GLASS Glass making, Stained glass, Jewels, Nuggets and Bevels, Color selection,

   2. TOOLS OF THE TRADE Glass cutters, Pliers, Soldering Irons and Accessories, Lead tools, Miscellaneous Equipment, Safety Equipment, Grinding Equipment,

   3. SUPPLIES Supplies, Work Surface, Lead Supplies, Copper Foil Supplies, Shopping list,

   4. GLASS CUTTING Theory,

   Holding the Glass Cutter, Scoring the Glass, Breaking out the score, Scoring using a straight edge, Grozing, Cutting inside curves, Cutting Circles, Semi-circles or ovals, Cutting large sheets,

   5. WORKING WITH PATTERNS Pattern Making, Using a Pattern for Glass cutting, Photocopying your patterns,

   6. CONSTRUCTING A LEADED PANEL Introduction, Step by Step Instructions, Lead Soldering, Cementing,

   7. CONSTRUCTING A COPPER FOILED PANEL Introduction, Step by step instructions, Soldering copper foil, Solder Troubleshooting Hints,

   8. CONSTRUCTING A COPPER FOILED LAMPSHADE Step by step instructions, Alternate Assembly method, Special Construction, Joiner pieces, Square corner construction,

   9. FINISHING YOUR PROJECT Hanging hardware, Spider, Vase caps, Frames, Antique Patina, Polishing or Waxing, Overlay Details, Cleaning your project, Reinforcing your window, Replacing a cracked foil piece,

   10. FULL SIZE PROJECTS Diamond panel (Bevels), Sunburst panel, Butterfly, Rainbow and Cloud, Standing Angel, Dove, Fruit Cluster, Six Sided Flower pot, Eight Sided Flower pot, Traditional cone lamp, Classic Lamp, Floral Lamp, Floral Tray with Dividers, Floral Lidded Box, Sailboat Panel, Cattail Panel, Floral Panel,




3. My biggest complaint about this book is it's design; the gutter width (the "blank' area between facing pages) is far too narrow for the columns of text closest to the binding of the book to be read with any ease whatsoever. One would literally have to tear the pages out of this book to read them without wrestling with the binding. Forget about having this book lay open as you work.

   The black and white photos are of poor quality, disapointing in a book about a medium charecterized by it's vibrant colors. The designs provided with the book are, well- ugly.

   The author is vague in his recomendations regarding tools and supplies, suggesting (infuriatingly) that one consult their "intructor or supplier". Step up to the plate, name names! I bought your book you weenie. What kind of soldering iron did YOU shell out your hard-earned money for?

   I wouldn't have bought this book if I had seen it in a bookstore where I could pick it up and leaf through it. Ugh.

   Do yourself a favor. Do a "Google" search for "stained glass instruction" there are guys willing to part with all the info in this book for free. Save eleven bucks.




4. If you've never touched stained glass, this book is great. Its got accurate info on leaded and copper foil glass, and projects that progress from easy to difficult.
   However the book feels a bit thin, and as mentioned already the inside margin along the book spine is less than 1/4", meaning you absolutely have to cut all the patterns out of the book with a razorblade very carefully.
   
   If you've been doing glass a while, I would look for a different book.



5. The book was in good shape and new condition. The instructions are precise and informative.

5 comments about Flameworking: Creating Glass Beads, Sculptures & Functional Objects.

1. I am a new lampworker, more interested in soft (Moretti/Effetre) glass, so this book wasn't as helpful as I had hoped since it focuses solely on "hard" glass. But the techniques and instructions are well written and would be very helpful.



2. I like the book a lot and am more than pleased with the projects. I love that there is a progression of more difficult projects that build skills. Unfortunately, the writing and pictures are not set up alongside each other, and where the directions are not easy to follow, the photos are not right beside the text (rather, they are on a different page) to clarify the directions.
   This book is a lot better than the couple of books I have read in the library which had lots of pictures but no really clear directions to help a person make the projects they describe. So, I give this one a 4, and I do recommend it to people who do basic bead making and glass fusing and know a number of the simpler techniques. This book will take you further and make flameworking and fusing many times more fun.



3. I am new to flamework. I ordered this book to prepare me for a seminar. It was ideal for this purpose. It is written clearly. The photographs help to illustrate the author's points. I would recommend this book to anyone who is new to flamework. To be fair, the book does not focus on beadwork. It provides an overview of flamework including the making of beads and figurines.



4. As a novice flameworker this book has given me the desire to move forward and do more than just beads. It provides detailed instructions with pictures to move into other types of glassworking.



5. I haven't had the opportunity to take any flameworking classes and I progressed quickly through the skills described in the beginning lampwork books. I felt like I'd stalled in learning with lampwork. I saw lampwork by artists that I wished I knew how they'd done that and this book finally crossed that bridge for me. It's rather advanced and requires a larger torch than I have but at least I can see things to work towards.
   
   I like this book.

4 comments about Easy Mosaics for Your Home and Garden.

1. "Easy Mosaics for Your Home and Garden" is inspiring. In a fun and easy to follow style, the book explains in words and pictures how to create a number of beautiful mosaic projects both for indoors and the garden. The instructions are clear and photos very helpful. The author makes mosaic art non-intimidating, by using a non-fussy easy clean-up approach. I have had a lot of fun using the book as a step-by-step guide in making projects with family members-some of whom had never touched an art or craft project before. Each project results in a beautiful or whimsical piece of mosaic art. Definitely a fun guide and great book!



2. There are lots and lots of great easy ideas. I feel really inspired after just looking through the book! The technique the author uses is different from the one I've always used, but it looks fun and probably a great way for kids and other beginners to start. I'm anxious to try it, and I plan to incoropate a lot of the ideas from the books into my future mosaic projects!!



3. I checked this book out from the library and, after renewing it once, realized I just needed my own copy. There are details, like suggesting soaking pieces before using them in a mosaic, that I've not seen elsewhere, and I checked out over a dozen mosaic books.
   
   The pictures are clear, directions thorough, and there are several projects I'm interested in trying.
   
   Backyard Mosaics by Connie Sheerin is the other book in this genre I'd recommend, simply because there are many projects that look useful as well as fun.



4. I bought this book, knowing nothing about making stepping stones or working with stained glass. Great book! I have made some beautiful stepping stones (using tumbled stained glass). . . this book gave me the basics and some great ideas. I recommend it for anyone interested in crafts of this type!

5 comments about Making Glass Beads.

1. This book explains in details on how to make beads and just the basics of setting up your own torch, etc.



2. This book is good and has lots of info and useful tips. My only problem is that the images of the projects are quite small. I like to see big, clear images so I can follow them easily. But other than that, a really good book which I am glad I purchased.



3. I bought this book without ever having touched a torch in my life and with this book and "The Complete Book of Glass Beadmaking" by Kimberley Adams I've been able to make cute little beads right from the start.
   I recommend buying two different books to learn lampwork beadmaking because I found that the two I bought used slightly different techniques to form beads. I was able to achieve more success with one technique over then other in many cases.



4. Excellent book for beginning "beaders" like me! Step by step instructions and great photos.....you won't be dissapointed



5. I'm interested in learning how to make beads and several lamp workers suggested this book to me before taking the plunge (before buying all of the supplies). I think after reading and re-reading this book I'll be confident enough to give it a try! The book shows how to make simple starter beads and progresses to the more involved, difficult beads. I feel it's a great starter book and may even give the pros some tips to improve their technique. I'd recommend it to anyone who's thinking about giving glass bead making a try!
   
   Photos are beautiful; simple beads are photographed for a newbie's sake, and more challenging beads are shown on every page to show what can eventually be done with practice. Plus the "hot tips" are wonderful!

1 comments about Glass Kiln Casting.

1. Glass Kiln CastingThis book was very easy to read and follow. It had visual representations so you could see what you need to do.

5 comments about Collectible Glassware from the 40s, 50s and 60s (Collectible Glassware from the Forties, Fifties, and Sixties).

1. This is another important addition to my library of collectible, kitchenware and depression glass books.

   More than 40 new patterns are included and pricing and many pictures have been updated. I like the alphabetical listing because it is easy to find the patterns I'm looking for.

   As an avid collector, I find this book invaluable in helping me pay reasonable prices for my collectible glassware.

   I would give this book a 5 star rating if it had more information on Fenton's Hobnail pattern. This pattern is often wrongly identified with other similar hobnail glass pieces and it would help me immensely if the pictured pieces showed the manufacturer's number.

   I heartily recommend this book to collectors and dealers.




2. I always find gene florence book the most helpful for research. I did find somethings that where discontinued I would have liked referenced. I still rely on his resources.



3. Gene Florance is, I think, the best person to go by, when it comes to depression glass and collectible glassware. his books are like the bible to me.
   one of the best things about Gene's books, they are easy to follow and the pictures are AWESOME! I'm a better person to compare pictures than try to read what someone is telling me. so thats why, I dont leave home without him/it!



4. This guide was great if you don't have any other volumes. The pricing so far seems to be very accurate to the market. If you have another earlier edition of 40's 50's 60's there are not very many new patterns in the book. Great photo reference.



5. I found the book to be very informative about the collectibles I have interest in collecting. It even gave me insight on others that I have seen and may consider collecting. Great, Great book!!!

5 comments about 390 Traditional Stained Glass Designs (Dover Pictorial Archive Series).

1. This book is great for traditional patterns, specially for the ones from Great Bretain. It shows different types of patterns depending on the period of influence, like Edwardian, Art Deco and others. I wished the patterns showed some color!!!!



2. I've been looking for ideas for simple patterns; this book helped me a lot!



3. This is an excellent resource book for stained glass artisans. It has a variety of styles and eras in easy to duplicate drawings. Projects range from easy to intricate, designs (in some instances) can be mixed and matched.
   
   Dover has a good selection of stained glass books which provide wonderful references to many and varied types of stained glass design.



4. This book is not my cup of tea, but it's great for someone who's looking for a design from a certain era. The book is broken down by the different eras or styles: Victorian Geometric, Art Nouveau, Victorian Floral, Edwardian, and 1920's. All the designs have a lot of horizontal and vertical lines in them. Also, it's all in black and white so you have to use your imagination to color it. The back of the front cover and back cover has examples in color.



5. The cover gives 14 color examples. The 78 pages are packed with
   an average of 8 black and white outlines to a page.
   This is a lot of ideas but would be challenging to enlarge for
   pattern making. A limited range of symetric styles are divided
   into four groups.

5 comments about Fuse It.

1. If you are new or have some experience with fusing glass, this is THE book to start with...maybe stick with! The projects begin with the basics and work up to complex -- and if you are creative you can modify the project to fit your skill level. Based on the other warm glass books (too many to name here), I found this book was the one I grabbed for nearly every aspect of general glass fusing, particularly when using the fiberboard product discussed and used solely in this book. The author describes other tidbits that are not covered in projects, but if you are savvy enough, you can follow her lead in expanding your own projects when doing the ones given in the book (e.g. making pendants, jewelry items). I strongly recommend this book for its clarity, training and inspiration to use your own creativity with warm glass for YOUR design ideas.



2. This is good book for theose that are involved in the fusing of stain glass.



3. Good information provided simply. I use this alot as a quick guide to firing schedules. There are many good simple projects that introduce a variety of techniques or applications for fusing.



4. I enjoyed this "how to" fusing book. There were some interesting projects and the photography was very nice. This book along with her second book (or is this her first...) Introduction to Fused Glass, offers newcomers to this additive art/craft(?) some insight into using fiberboard to make molds. This really opens the door to a great deal of creativity. I also think there that this might be a good purchase for someone with a bit more experience as well. Like I said, some great projects.



5. If an author does not have a grasp of the English language, including spelling, sentence structure, word usage and grammar, the author should hire a professional proofreader. If said author cannot be bothered to hire a professional proofreader, I cannot be bothered to read the author's book.