This book is a gold mine for beaders, scholars, and antique collectors. It is the only book to offer an extended, illustrated history of bead crochet snakes as well as five patterns for beaders who want to make their own snakes.

Bead Crochet Snakes illustrates how these beautiful, shiny serpents fit into the rich tradition of bead crochet as practised in Turkey and other parts of the Ottoman Empire. The book also explains how the snakes were constructed, the fascinating story of snakes made by Turkish prisoners of war during World War I, and the subsequent craze for bead crochet snake jewelry.

Beaders can gain inspiration from the many photos of bead crochet items as well as make their own snakes to exhibit or wear. Patterns are provided for a snake necklace, a rattlesnake necklace,two matching bracelets, and a memory wire snake bracelet. The projects will also teach beaders an alternate stringing method, the bead single crochet stitch, increasing and decreasing, crocheting on two sides of a foundation chain, and two methods of fastening on a new thread.

Publisher: Reckless Beading Press; 1st edition (January 27, 2007)
Pages: 112 Pages
Book Size: 10.7 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
Year: 2007
ISBN: 0979164907  -  978-0979164903

Errata Info:
Although a number of eyes looked at the manuscript for Bead Crochet Snakes before it was published, we missed a few mistakes. Corrections are noted below.

DESIGNING WITH BEAD SINGLE CROCHET
p.66, last paragraph should read:
Sample C, third from left, is accomplished by putting the crochet hook through both thread loops, doing a yarn over, pulling the yarn over through the thread loops, sliding a bead down, then pulling a second yarn over through both loops on the hook to complete the stitch.

RATTLESNAKE NECKLACE
p. 78, stringing for the Lower Body Increase should read : 165 striped beads, not 155.

p. 79, Chart 5, rows 34-71 have 3 white beads for the belly and rows 72 onward have 4 white beads.

p. 80, second column should read: so in Row 14, you string the 16 dark brown and striped beads then the 14 rose beads to count as 1 row.

GREEN SNAKE BRACELET
p. 94, under Crocheting the Body, should read: Rows 1-51.

MEMORY WIRE BRACELET
p. 102, Row 8 should read: bead crochet 9 red beads, crochet 1 red bead and 1 gold bead in the next stitch.