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Seed beads are uniformly shaped, spheroidal beads ranging in size from under a millimetre to several millimetres.
Units of measure
The most popular seed bead size is 11/0 ("eleven-aught"), but sizes range from 22/0 (believed to be the smallest) to 6/0 or 5/0 (the largest). The term "aught" refers to how many beads can fit into a standard unit. The origin of the name is debatable.
Size numbers are also used. Unfortunately online verdors will typically not explain the correlation between size numbers and aughts and millimetres.
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aught size
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mm diameter
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beads per inch
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6/0
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3.3
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10
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8/0
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2.5
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13
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9/0
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2.2
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15
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10/0
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2.0
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16
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11/0
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1.8
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20
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13/0
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1.5
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27
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14/0
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1.4
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24
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15/0
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1.3
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25
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delica
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1.8
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Hanks
A hank is bundle of seed beads or bugle beads. Hanks are usually 12 strands, but can be anywhere between 10 to 14 in number. Each strand is typically 20 inches long. Note that Charlotte size 13/0 cut beads are generally on short hanks, containing 12 twelve-inch strands.
A hank of size 2 bugles or size 11 seed beads weighs between 30 and 40 grams. A hank is usually a good value in comparison to seed beads sold in tubes.
Uses and varieties
Seed beads were most commonly used for loom and off-loom bead weaving in the past, but during the last decade Japanese cylinder beads have become increasingly popular. These exist in two versions: Delicas® made by Miyuki and Antiques made by Toho. Unlike regular rounded seed beads, the cylinder beads are quite uniform in shape and size and have large holes for their size. Because the ends are flat instead of rounded, work created with cylinder beads has a flat instead of a bumpy texture.
Swarovski crystal beads are also prized by hobbyists. They have a translucent quality and are faceted to resemble gemstones.
Charlotte cuts are seed beads that have several facets per bead that add sparkle. Called "the most brilliant of all seed beads".
Most of today's good quality seed beeds are made in Japan or the Czech Republic. Japanese seed beads are more uniform than the Czech ones and have larger holes for the same size of bead. There are also good seed beads from France that are available in historic "old-time" colors and are popular for use in repairing or replicating antiquities.
A new form of beadwork which is now growing in popularity, is stringing beads onto safety pins and then stringing the pins onto a transverse pin past the spring. This creates a handsome lapel pin.
Confusing terminology
Seed beads used by craftspersons should not be confused with Seed Beads™: laboratory-grown beads made of PTFE used to generate seeds of protein crystals.
External links
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