I wanted to make amulet bags, and as a beginning beader, decided to jump right in and try. The directions are very easy to follow and include little purses using a variety of stitches: peyote, square, brick, and netting. They suggest colors but the user can really use whichever colors they like with the patterns. I do wish more of the patterns had the little flap closings for the purses, since most are designed to be open on top, but I think the author's reason may have been to keep it simple for beginners. I'd also like to ad that the book is in full color with nice glossy paper and photos. I appreciate this since some of the other books I have seen are very low quality with a steep price. If you're new to beaded amulet purses or other small purses I think you will find this book useful....I have!