Beading With Cabochons by Jamie Cloud Eakin (2005, Hardcover)

This book is well-written and very well organized. Eakin starts with a simple technique and builds on that to take the reader through to some more complicated techniques. The cross-referencing done throughout the book gives the beader a map to follow when doing the more complicated designs.

The book also gives the boiled down concepts of designing with cabochons, outlining pitfalls to avoid, and design tips to use to enhance the reader's ability to begin to create on his or her own.

The gallery of work in the book is stunning, and even if you do not design or make jewelry, just looking at this book is a pleasure. Included projects give those not ready to design on their own a way to channel their creativity until they gain the confidence to do their own designs.

Other books on the subject give different techniques, which Eakin mentions briefly; however, the focus remains on the given techniques instead of trying to cover all of them. The result is a book that gives excellent directions for this manner of beading around a cabochon, instead of covering all of them in a mediocre way.

I highly recommend this book.