Glass Beads and Glass Seed Beads

Glass bead artwork

Glass beads are small glass balls with small holes in them that traditionally get sewn into garments to add sparkle and shimmer to clothes. Even smaller beads, called glass seed beads are also used on clothing but many thousands of them would be required to cover a designer creation. They are also used extensively in jewellery making. Glass beads have been in existence for many thousands of years and glass craft working is a very old indeed going back to prehistoric times. Glass Beads come in a range of colors, shapes and finish styles. The most well known are Millefiori beads, Czech beads and the handmade Japanese dichroic glass beads but there are many other styles and combinations.

Glass gemstone beads and antiques

Czech glass beads are durable; they don’t fade and are beautifully crafted with a superb color range. The Czech jewelry industry were world leaders in the last century hence the popularity of these beads for jewelry makers and antique collectors.

Delica beads

Delica beads from Japan are much sought after and on a par with the Czech beads for quality. These beads are not regular in shape (circular) but are more ovoid with flat chopped ends but are good for designing jewelry and making it too.

Millefiori beads

Millefiori beads have more than one color as different colored glass is melted together in rod lengths which are then sliced into beads of unusual variety and spectacular color mixes and patterns. Pre modern manufacturing methods old millefiori beads can be thousands of years old.

What is seed glass?

Seed glass beads are quite tiny spheres and are so called because of the size which is similar to fine vegetable seeds. In jewellery, they can be used as spacers between larger beads or can make for very fine necklaces and bracelets by themselves. They are manufactured today in different sizes and with a range of threading hole sizes but many years ago craftsmen and women had to drill the holes themselves in found beads.

Old indian glass beads

Today you can buy these cheap beautiful glass beads by the ounce for $2 or $3 and you can expect to get more than 300 ‘seeds’ per ounce depending upon the seed size chosen. They are sometimes used for beading glass bottles.

Indian glass seed beads

Indian glass beads are handmade and very inexpensive (but are poor quality). They are good for a beginner but as you become more experienced you will most likely opt for better quality beads as mentioned above.

Tools needed for working with glass beads

Handcrafted jewelry beads

For handcrafted jewelry many different tools are required but for a beginner to get started there are kits available that include what is needed. A beading kit will contain the basics and should include:

• A bead board

• Nylon stringing thread

• 3 X Pliers including a Round Nose, a Chain Nose and Crimp/cutting Pliers

• A small scissors

• A small magnifier

• A beading tweezers

• An instruction book (optional)

Jewelty making experience

Once you gain experience you will find that the basic tools are not enough and I suggest these extra tools for more advanced work: Needle files, drill bits, etcher, cutter, anvil, bead spinner and reamer, sizing cones, color wheel, size gauge, soft hammer, mini saws, clamps and vices. You will require several different types of pliers too (at least 10 types) along with the ones above and these are side cutters, flush cut, split ring and several others depending upon specialist uses.

Bead jewelry making

When jewelry making (rather than using hemp or leather cord) it is possible to buy stringing cord that is translucent (no color) which allows one to view the necklace or bracelet without the cord line showing through the beads.

Glass beads as presents

When you need to come up with new Xmas gift ideas then you might consider glass items because they make the most welcome presents. Glass bead kits for kids are great and, in keeping with the glass theme, then friendship balls (glass balls) for adult Christmas presents will be appreciated.

Other non-glass beads

Metal beads are used and can be sterling silver beads, pewter, lead or vermeil. Plastic beads and water beads are not really glass alternatives. The main glass beads alternative is acrylic beads (good for kids to practice on before moving on to glass work) which are more economic than glass. Acrylic beads are lighter than glass beads, which is a factor when a multi jewelled or beaded necklace is worn for long periods.