Seed beads range from under a millimetre to several millimetres in size. The term "seed bead" is a term used for any small bead which is normally round.
Different shops and sources explain that the seed beads are measured per inch, meaning that a size 11/0 would be that 11 beads would measure one inch. This is roughly correct but not exact and this measurement relates to the original glass rod that the beads are made from and not the individual beads.
As a general rule the larger the number, the smaller the bead is going to be.
Seed beads have many uses, I would say almost infinite as I am finding new uses and new ideas and ways to use them all of the time. They are used to sew on to garments or material to give a 3D effect and an extra something special. My main use for seed beads is jewellery making, but there are many other uses too.
Seed beads come in all different colours, pretty much any colour that you can imagine. Some of them are matt in colour and some have a shiny look to them. I have some beautiful seed beads that are clear on the outside and have a gold or silver centre, these look very impressive when made into a necklace or other piece of jewellery.
I love working with seed beads, either on their own or mixing them together with tones, or I sometimes use them as smaller spacer beads between other larger beads that I have when making jewellery.
A lot of the more extravagant beaded jewellery is made using a pattern. The pattern is similar to a pattern that you may use for cross stitch or knitting. Most bead making patterns have both diagrams and also written instructions to follow. It takes concentration to follow a pattern but the end result is really and truly amazing. I use a thread called nemo, which is like cotton by very strong and a needle and literally sew the beads together to make the jewellery.
Miyuki Delica Seed Beads
Some find seed beading quite a daunting task. They find it so difficult because of the size of the seed beads. These special kind of beads are very tiny. So small are they that sometimes they can be less than 0.5 mm. They are available in different colours and due to such pretty colours and such tiny bodies, these seed beads look very nice and petite.
Seed beads are available in the range of size 2 (which is the largest) to size 22 (which is the tiniest, almost invisible). Most often they are made of glass. Coloured glass tubes are finely cut into small even shapes with high precision, which when cools down, takes the shape of beads. Seed beads are not measured in inches or millimetres. They are measured in aughts. Therefore, for beads of the size 8 / 0, they would be referred as 8 aughts. An 8 aught seed bead would be around 3mm in diameter and usually 2 mm thick.
If you are a beginner with seed beads, and you find it too challenging to start with tiny seed beads, you can then begin by making small objects with less bead work and with a beads of 11 aught. The 11 aught seed beads are the most widely used and asked for. When you start with seed beads for the first time, it is advised that you go for less complicated objects like simple necklaces and bracelets and then eventually graduate to more complicated things like purses.
If you want to purchase seed beads, a good place to look for seed beads is the internet. There are a few good web sites that provide all the well known brands of seed beads - brands that are from Czechoslovakia and Japan - they are famous for good quality seed beads. You can find them all on the internet.
Both Shelley Green & Paul Shane are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Shelley Green has sinced written about articles on various topics from Credit Cards, History and Credit Cards. Shelley Green is the owner of http://www.beads-click.com, a site that specialises in bead. Shelley Green's top article generates over 14800 views. Bookmark Shelley Green to your Favourites.
Paul Shane has sinced written about articles on various topics from Jewelry, Pearls and Jewelry. Paul Shane cherishes a hobby of studying and collecting Jewellery, to dig out the making and story behind them, especially the rare or exquisite ones, also the. Paul Shane's top article generates over 14800 views. Bookmark Paul Shane to your Favourites.
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