Ann Benson is a familiar name, so I looked up all her books. She has 12 books currently in publication, all concern beading.

She wrote about beading for Beginners, 2 Hour Bead Projects, Bead Crochet, Tapestry Bead Crochet, a Pattern Companion for Beading, Beading Basics, Designer Beadwork, Beaded Crochet Designs, The New Beadweaving, Ann Benson's Beadwear and more.

And this wonderful book, BeadPoint: Beautiful Bead Stitching on Canvas. This book is specifically about beading on needlepoint canvas.

On the back cover Ms. Benson writes "Beadpoint is similar to Needlepoint, but instead you sew beads onto the backing using just thread. The end result is both interesting & extraordinary.

These same techniques can be used for mixing Bead Work in with you needlepoint stitching, as well.

As I look through this handsome book I am struck by the pictures, charts & graphs, all are in full color. The pictures are done close-up so you can see the detail. The charts are easy to follow & understand.

Beadpoint is organized in 2 parts. The first part is the basics:
about the beads used in bead point
bead sizes
bead colors
figuring the needed amounts of each color
organizing materials
interlock canvas
duo canvas (she mean Penelope etc)
working from a chart
using blank charts
adding odd shaped beads to your own design
putting the design on canvas
preparing the canvas prior to stitching
thread
conditioning the thread
threading the needle
attaching the thread to the canvas
stitching technique
combining beads & fibers
finishing a thread
reshaping the beaded canvas before finishing.

It is all addressed here, very clear & complete.

The 2nd section is The Designs. There are 26 original designs ranging in size from Ornaments for a holiday tree to Rugs.

The final section is 2 chapters
design it yourself charts
Metric equivalency charts.

There are lots of pictures, charts and close ups of chart sections. I think it would be very easy to learn this, to follow this well designed & explained book.

Beadpoint has a full index.

A new hardcover book with 128 pages. This is a Sterling/Chapelle Book. Published by Sterling Press. Copyright 2003 by Ann Benson