Everything you wanted to know about seed beads but were afraid to ask! (Part 1)

You are hooked - you caught the beading bug and you just cannot stop.  You make beautiful items, follow patterns, make up your own, or a combination of the two.  But there are some beading terms and topics that you are just not sure what they actually mean.  Today's blog and the next will hopefully clear some of these questions up for you.

Why does the manufacturer matter?  Who are they?
Each manufacturer has distinct characteristics associated with them.  There are two main countries of origin - usually either Japan or the Czech Republic.  Japanese seed beads are known for being uniform in size, shape and color.  There are two primary manufacturers - Miyuki (the oldest manufacturer of seed beads) and Matsuno, and a third is becoming increasingly popular called Toho.  Czech seed beads are known more for their finishes and shapes rather than the uniformity of their beads.  They have some incredibly beautiful finishes, but you need to be wary of a galvanized finish ...  it may rub off with normal wear and tear. 

As an added bonus, there has recently been an agreement to have Japanese manufactured seed beads sent to the Czech manufacturers to be treated with some of their unique finishes.  This will create the best of both worlds - uniformity in size and shape plus incredible colors.

What is a Delica bead?

A Delica bead (also called a cylinder bead) is a seed bead manufactured by Miyuki.  It is considered extremely consistent in size and shape.  It does have a more cylindrical shape than a regular round seed bead; and creates a more flat beaded piece.  The other characteristic that is notable is the larger hole which always more thread passes than other seed beads.

What do the sizes mean in round seed beads?

Round seed beads come in different sizes (6/0, 8/0, 11/0, 15/0) and many people wonder what they mean.  It is actually much easier than you think.  Each number is the quantity of beads that fit on one inch of beading thread.  Size 6/0 have 6 beads, size 8/0 have eight and 11/0 have 11 beads.  

You will also discover beads, mostly shapes other than rounds, that will be listed as 1.8mm or 3mm.  This will be the actual circumference of the bead. But do not be afraid, you can also use them in all of your beadweaving techniques.
 
What size needle should I use?
There are as many different sizes of needles as there are beads. The general rule is to use the size needle that is closest to the size of the bead. For example, when using size 11 seed beads, use a size 11 needle. This allows your tension to be consistent as well as easy multiple thread passes. 

That ends our mini lesson for today.  I hope you will find these information useful in your continuing beading adventure. Next time I will discuss different shaped beads as well as  beads with multiple holes.

Happy Beading!!!