Sizes of Seed Beads and Bugle Beads

Seed beads and bugle beads are widely used in jewelry making today. They are small, lightweight but colorful and beautiful, which are the reasons why so many jewelry makers would like to add them in their jewelry designs. While, to some beginners of jewelry making, they may not clear about the sizes of seed beads and bugle beads. The sizes of seed beads don’t mean the same as other jewelry beads.

Seed Beads

You will find that the sizes of seed beads are described like 12/0, 11/0, 8/0 and etc. What the mean of those numbers? I think this is the question of many beginners. About seed beads, the bigger the number, the smaller the seed beads. Of course, some people label seed beads like 12°. Both 12/0 and 12° mean the same thing: this is a size 12. Size 0 is the original size of seed beads. As the technology of beadmaking got better, the beads got smaller. Some people may ask are all seed bead sizes the same? The answer is No. Each seed beads company has their won sizing system, so a size 12 from company A will be close, but not exactly the same size as a bead from company B. If your pattern calls for a specific size bead, get all the beads from the same manufacturer / supplier to get the most consistent result.

8/0 Glass Seed Beads, Trans.Colours Rainbow

Bugle Beads

Bugle beads are a kind of beads belong to seed beads, but not in the same shape. Bugle beads are produced in tube shape, but with different effects, for instant, be smooth and round, smooth and squared, squared and twisted and etc. Even though bugle beads are belong to seed beads, but the numbers of their sizes are not the same. People usually use2mmor 3/32”,4mmor 3/16”,7mmor 1/4”,25mmor 15/16”and etc to describe the sizes of bugle beads. As the same as seed beads, the size of bugle beads may be a little different from different company.

Glass Bugle Beads, AB Color

As seed beads and bugle beads are used commonly in jewelry making, and are available in different sizes and countries. So knowing the sizes of those beads and the difference between them to other jewelry beads is very important to make sure you can choose the correct beads for your jewelry designs. And purchasing them from online wholesale stores such as PandaHall.com will be a good idea if you would like to get wide range of selection and get low prices. And I would suggest you to purchase those beads from the same company or supplier to make sure their sizes are the same.

How to Use and Where to Buy Seed Beads

Seed beads are a staple component that can be incorporated into a wide variety of craft and jewelry designs. Seed bead is a genetic term that crafters use to refer to any tiny bead ranging in size from under a millimeter to several millimeters. The most common seed bead size is 11/0 and 12/0, but sizes range from 24/0 to 5/0. The greater the number of the bead size, the smaller the bead, please keeps in mind. They come in translucent, matte, opaque, colorful, and luster finishes as well as silver, copper, or bronze lined colored beads.

6/0 Glass Seed Beads, Silver Lined Round Hole

Seed beads are always used to make jewelry. They are extremely versatile. In jewelry making, they can be used as spacers between other beads or as the basis for intricate multi-strand necklaces. They used as “filler” between larger beads or to make intricate designs and patterns. To the beginners, they may be very confused by how to use those beads as they are very small. You need to use needles. Decide what you are going to used the beads for first. Sketch a design of the work. If you are planning o using size 11/0 beads, there are about 12 beads per inch. Figure out how many beads you need for your design. Make sure you use a needle the same size as your bead size. Also, you should get some threads, for example, wire, stretchy threads and fishing lines which work well and come in different sizes. Waxing your thread with bees wax will help strengthen your thread. Bees wax will also help with less tangled-up thread. If you spill your seed beads onto the carpet, you can use a spoon to pick them up.

8/0 Glass Seed Beads, Trans.Colours Rainbow

Many people also like to use bugle beads to make jewelry. While, please don’t be confused them with seed beads. Bugle beads are also very small and delicate in appearance, but are longer than they are thick, creating a tubular shape.

11/0 Glass seed beads, 2cut, Trans

Seed beads are generally available for purchasing from many online wholesale stores with a large range of selection, such as PandaHall.com. Lauren Gross, an experienced jewelry maker, said:” I really love PandaHall’s seed beads and other jewelry materials. They are colorful and quality, but their prices are very reasonable. Seed beads jewelry are very shinny and colorful. They can be very simple, but also can be very complicated. No matter they are simple or complicated, they are beautiful and elegant. If you would like to get quality seed beads at lower prices, I really want to recommend PandaHall to you. You won’t be disappointed.”

Seed Beads Are Versatile For Jewelry Making

Seed beads, small glass beads, have been used for decoration for a long time. Those beads come in a variety of shapes from long bugle tube to the common cylinder shape. They have various and beautiful colors, any imaginable color can be found in the market.

6/0 Glass Seed Beads, Inside Colours

Seed beads are typically sold by the hand (a group of strings) or by weight (loose in a bag). There is a large range of their size, from 5/0 to 24/0, 5/0 is the largest and 24/0 is the smallest. The most commonly used sized are from 6/0 to 15/0. Seed beads are very colorful and versatile. They are just there to wait to be transformed into wonderful decoration to light up your life. Seed beads are the perfect beads for your beadwork.

Shapes of Seed Beads

Round seed beads: these seed beads are actually more donuts shaped, and are available in size 6, 8, 11, 12 and 15. If you see a beading pattern calling for size 10/0 (Czech beads), you can use size 11/0 inplace of those beads.

6/0 Glass Seed Beads, Opaque Colours Seed

Cube beads: they are just as they sound. Those beads have four sides like a cube, but with a round hole.

Bugle beads: they are longer tub e-shaped beads, and they are available in various lengths for varying purposes and effects.

6/0 Glass Seed Beads

Teardrop beads: those beads are small droplet shapes or egg shapes with the hole at the small end.

Seed beads jewelries are more and more popular in recent years. Many jewelry designers like to use those beads to weave complicated jewelry pieces or patterns only. Seed beads are also frequently used as spacers in straight stringing and mixed media projects. Those beads are available in both your local craft stores and jewelry beads online stores. But if you would like to get more selections and lower prices, I would like to suggest you to buy them from jewelry beads wholesale online stores. Finding a reputable wholesale online store is quite important, as there are tens of thousands of beads wholesale online stores in the world and their quality and price are not the same.

6/0 Glass Seed Beads, Trans.Colours Rainbow

Where to buy seed beads?

Emily, a jewelry designer fromUSA, said:” I have making jewelry for several years, and I like making seed beads jewelry best, for those beads are very beautiful and versatile in jewelry making. As we all know that materials play an important role in jewelry making, so get high quality beads is quite important. I am so glad that I don’t need to worry about my sources anymore, as I have found my reliable supplier—PandaHall.com 5 years ago. It is aChina beads, findings & gems online market. No matter you have a company of jewelry making or personal jewelry store, PandaHall can satisfy you with different solution according to your needs. What is more, its prices are really competitive.”

6/0 Glass Seed Beads, Transparent Colours

Would like to make amazing seed beads jewelry pieces? Just find your reputable supplier and start it.