So...I already know the basics of rod building and have made several with relatively straightforward design (i.e. two color wrap), but I want to take my thread work to the next level...inspired by the photos on this site. What would be the appropriate resource to learn the techniques? Tom Kirkman's book, one of Dale Clemens? Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Although Tom's book was written with the beginner in mind it has much more than just basic beginner information. I think it would be your best choice. The Clemens book would also be good if you get the one on advanced custom rod building. The glass rod building book is very basic and not even in print any longer and the thread art book is only about thread art.

If you want to get into more intricate thread art, Dale Clemon's book Custom Rod Thread Art is the one you need to get. You may have to read it then re-read it again and study and understand each chapter to fully understand it. Probably 95 percent of the patterns and designs you see on the photo page is a pattern or a variation of a pattern from the book.

If you're looking to do more in regard to cross-wrapping, don't buy the book I wrote for Amato - it only has the basic instructions for a diamond wrap.

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If you want to really get into cross wrapping, consider getting both Custom Rod Thread Art (Clemens) and the VisualWRAP software. The book explains the basics of cross wrapping, and presents lots of patterns by describing their layout threads and what sequence to follow. The software takes this information and animates it, showing you how patterns develop, thread by thread, on your computer screen.

regards
Dave Boyle
www.visualwrap.com

Dave makes a great point - his software is probably the very best instructional aid and practical means for developing patterns that has ever been offered.

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