Seed beads are tiny beads usually made from plastic, glass or metal, they can measure from one millimetre and are used for jewelry making, clothing adornment, household decoration to name some of their uses.
Who makes these beads?
The Czech Republic are the most prolific manufacturer, they create glass beads, firepolish beads and also crystal beads. Other areas that are known for making seed beads are Japan and France. The French normally make their beads from reused metals. India and China are quickly becoming as effective in large scale bead making as other places but take care, the quality is not as good.
What kind of Seed Beads are there?
Who makes these beads?
The Czech Republic are the most prolific manufacturer, they create glass beads, firepolish beads and also crystal beads. Other areas that are known for making seed beads are Japan and France. The French normally make their beads from reused metals. India and China are quickly becoming as effective in large scale bead making as other places but take care, the quality is not as good.
What kind of Seed Beads are there?
Seed beads come in all kinds of shapes and textures. They can be clear, translucent, opaque, colored, lustered or matte finished for example. Japanese beads are known for their cylinder shape which makes the bead not as rounded but it has more space for better design work. Charlotte Cut beads have parts of the surface cut to make the bead shine more, Charlotte Cut beads are often referred to as single faceted beads as well are 2 cut or 3 cut beads dependent on how many surface cuts there are.
What size do Seed Beads go up to?
Seed beads come in various sizes, typically a size 11 bead is an inch in size, these sizes range all the way from 5 to 24. A bead is measured before it is cut so if you have got a bead which has been deemed as an inch in size the chances are it is slightly less than an inch due to waste from it being cut. Unfortunately seed bead sizes aren't precise.
How are the quantities measured?
Seed beads are not measured by number of beads; the logistics of counting out hundreds or even thousands of beads makes it impossible to be accurate. Instead the beads are measured by weight or a hank. A hank is a bundle of beads made up usually of 12 strands if it's a size 11 beads as an example. Getting beads in a hank does work out far better for price than purchasing them loose. Czech beads are normally sold as a hank were as Japanese beads usually are not.
What size do Seed Beads go up to?
Seed beads come in various sizes, typically a size 11 bead is an inch in size, these sizes range all the way from 5 to 24. A bead is measured before it is cut so if you have got a bead which has been deemed as an inch in size the chances are it is slightly less than an inch due to waste from it being cut. Unfortunately seed bead sizes aren't precise.
How are the quantities measured?
Seed beads are not measured by number of beads; the logistics of counting out hundreds or even thousands of beads makes it impossible to be accurate. Instead the beads are measured by weight or a hank. A hank is a bundle of beads made up usually of 12 strands if it's a size 11 beads as an example. Getting beads in a hank does work out far better for price than purchasing them loose. Czech beads are normally sold as a hank were as Japanese beads usually are not.
Seed beads come in various sizes, typically a size 11 bead is an inch in size, these sizes range all the way from 5 to 24. A bead is measured before it is cut so if you have got a bead which has been deemed as an inch in size the chances are it is slightly less than an inch due to waste from it being cut. Unfortunately seed bead sizes aren't precise.
How are the quantities measured?
Seed beads are not measured by number of beads; the logistics of counting out hundreds or even thousands of beads makes it impossible to be accurate. Instead the beads are measured by weight or a hank. A hank is a bundle of beads made up usually of 12 strands if it's a size 11 beads as an example. Getting beads in a hank does work out far better for price than purchasing them loose. Czech beads are normally sold as a hank were as Japanese beads usually are not.
About the Author:
How are the quantities measured?
Seed beads are not measured by number of beads; the logistics of counting out hundreds or even thousands of beads makes it impossible to be accurate. Instead the beads are measured by weight or a hank. A hank is a bundle of beads made up usually of 12 strands if it's a size 11 beads as an example. Getting beads in a hank does work out far better for price than purchasing them loose. Czech beads are normally sold as a hank were as Japanese beads usually are not.
About the Author:
Siffion Quaid has had an interest in bead jewellery for a long time and where to buy beads. On his site are great deal of articles making reference to beads and also about seed beads.