Creative Sliver Chains, 20 Dazzling Designs is a wonderful project based book on making interesting silver chains. The twenty chains discussed in the book cover chains from a simple circle chain to the more elaborate chain with stones set into their components. There are four chapters before the projects start, giving information on the materials used and needed to make chains and studio equipment, from pliers and hammers to shaping and filling tools. 

The author walks the reader through soldering the chains together and what equipment is needed to do so. She covers polishing the chains and their components using the flexible shaft tool, tumblers, and hand sanding. The techniques chapter covers creating the wire into shapes, either by bending the wire into loops, circles or making any shape you can imagine. Also covered is cutting the wire, the alignment of the rings, and hammering the links, all described in detail. The section on soldering gives the reader a very good look at the procedure and with helpful tips, addressing joinery, lengths of the chain and making earring wires this finishes off the section. 

The design chapter discuses the elements needed to create a beautiful silver chain dealing with gravity, the body of the chain, and the joinery needed to create the piece, the reader will find this information very useful. With this information the reader will also be able to understand pivots and joinery. The author also talks about how to consider the effect of gravity on the finished piece as it rests on the body, taking chain making one step further. 

This is very important in helping the reader to the understanding how to work your design. Enhancing the text is lovely close up color photographs of the chain making technique being discussed, helping the reader more to fully understand the process. There is a beautiful gallery of silver chains in the middle of the book showing some awe-inspiring chain work. Chantal Saunders is a sculptor, welder, jeweler, and an author.