A Guide to Understanding the Seed Bead Chart

If you're into weaving, crafting, or any embroidery work, using seed beads can add versatility to your designs. On the other hand, understanding how seed beads function can be difficult. There are many questions to ask: which brand is ideal for your design? Are affordable beads any good? Does sizing even matter?

Easy now! There's no need for concern. In this guide, we'll explain the concept of seed beads and give you a basic understanding of a seed bead chart.
What Are Seed Beads?
Seed Beads are uniformly shaped beads available in many shapes, colours, and sizes. They are typically utilised in needlework to produce complex designs and patterns. Additionally, they may be used as spacers in jewellery making, ranging from earrings to bracelets and necklaces.

However, they are not all the same and vary based on your project. Some seed beads are made from glass, metal, plastic, or ceramic. The majority of high-quality beads are made from:

● Japan: produced by companies such as Matsuno, Toho, and Miyuki. They provide beads of the highest quality that are uniform in size, symmetry, and shape.

● Czech Republic: They are renowned for their antique and classic forms and are recognised as the original seed bead pioneers.

● Chinese & Indian: They are considered affordable versions of seed beads and tend to be uneven.

As a beginner looking to get into weaving or embroidery, you should begin with non-branded seed beads. They are affordable and easy to experiment with. Once you've perfected your craft, you may use contemporary, premium beads such as Preciosa, Serinity, or the aforementioned products.
Understanding Seed Bead Sizing
The size of seed beads varies depending on the manufacturer. The most crucial feature of size is this- the higher the measurement number, the smaller the bead. They are frequently referred to in 'mm'' for measuring. They can also be represented by numbers or zeros, such as '8/0 or
6/0', which you can see here https://www.bluestreakcrystals.com/pages/seed-bead-size-chart.

Let's take a look at the universal guideline of measurement.

6/0 or 6° 3.3mm
7/0 or 7° 2.9mm
8/0 or 8° 2.5mm
9/0 or 9° 2.2m
10/0 or 10° 2.0mm
11/0 or 11° 1.8mm
12/0 or 12° 1.7mm

Note: This measurement does not apply to all seed beads. Each bead measurement varies slightly between manufacturers. Czech Republic beads, for example, are somewhat smaller than Chinese beads of identical size. We recommend that you verify the product descriptions for accurate millimetre measurements.
Seed Bead Chart
Understanding the seed bead chart can assist you in determining the best seed bead size for your design. It can also assist you in calculating the number of beads required for your project, minimising shortages or excess.

Before we examine the seed bead chart, you should understand some important metrics:

● Bead aught size: The chart contains aught sizes ranging from 6/0 to 15/0.

● Diameter: This is also referred to as millimetre size. It displays the estimated diameter of each bead size in millimetres.

● Beads per inch: This indicates the average number of beads per inch for each bead size.

● Beads per gram: Seed beads, such as modern Japanese seeds, are usually sold by weight in grams. This metric details the number of beads per gram for each bead size.

● Beads per hank: Vintage European and Czech Republic seed beads are sold by the hank. Each hank has about 12 different strands of 20 inches. They are more affordable if your project requires an extensive amount of beads.

Bead Size Diameter Beads per inch Beads per gram Beads per hank Additional notes
6/0 or 6° 3.3mm 10 15 2100
7/0 or 7° 2.9mm 11
8/0 or 8° 2.5mm 13 38 2880 Typically used for bead weaving and statement pieces.
9/0 or 9° 2.2mm 15 40 3156
10/0 or 10° 2.0mm 16 3540
11/0 or 11° 1.8mm 19 110 4080 Quite versatile and can be used in various jewellery-making projects.
12/0 or 12° 1.7mm 20 190 4440
13/0 or 13° 1.5mm 22 4980
14/0 or 14° 1.4mm 24 255 5580
15/0 or 15° 1.3mm 25 290
5800 Ideal for intricate designs and beadwork
Conclusion
As a jewellery maker or weaver, becoming acquainted with the seed bead chart is essential to creating delicate designs and beautiful patterns. With the basic knowledge of seed beads, you can easily choose beads of various brands, shapes, sizes and colours most appropriate for your project.

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This release was published on openPR.