0.38mm (0.015”) and 0.46mm (0.018”) wire is classified as small to medium in width and is a good general purpose size.0.30mm (0.012”) and 0.33mm (0.013”) wire is very thin and good for crystals, seed beads and beads with smaller holes.
0.25mm (0.10”) wire is extremely thin and good for stringing or weaving with seed beads, freshwater pearls and small semi-precious stones.Choose wire with a high or heavy break strength when using large or heavy beads. Then consider the weight of your finished jewellery piece to ensure that the break strength of the wire is sufficient. Judge the holes in the beads you plan to use and select a beading wire that fills as much of the hole as possible. The most popular sizes are 0.015 inches and 0.018 inches which are good general purpose wires. There are a wide variety of diameters, from 0.010 inches for seed beads up to 0.036 inches for larger hole metal and glass beads. When choosing a beading wire you need to consider the diameter of your wire in relation to the beads and findings you plan to use. For the highest degree of flexibility 49 strand beading wire should be used, with 19 strand beading wire for designs that require good flexibility, and 7 strand beading wire used for designs that require some flexibility. Different jewellery pieces have different requirements, for example a bracelet needs to be quite flexible due to the amount of wear and tear it needs to withstand, whereas a simple bead necklace may not need to be as flexible. The concept to understand when selecting a wire is that the higher the number of strands the more flexible the beading wire will be. They are made from very thin strands of wire that are twisted together and then coated with nylon. To learn more about jewellery tools read our Guide to Beading Toolsīeadalon produce a range of stringing wires to meet different requirements and to offer varied colour finishes. Use household pliers or specialist memory wire cutters. Don’t use your jewellery pliers with this wire as it is too tough. The wire loop you use will increase in size when you add beads so if you are making a necklace of a single round, cut at least a coil and a half length from the wire to allow for the ends to meet or overlap slightly. It is a simple matter to cut a loop, thread on some beads, glue on some wire end beads or roll the ends over and you have a finished piece.
Memory wire comes in coiled loops of different dimensions, including bracelet, necklace and ring sized rounds. It is nigh on impossible to bend it out of shape. Tempered stainless steel wire with excellent ‘memory’ or shape retaining properties. For bead weaving use a needle.īeadalon Supplemax Illusion Cord (0.3mm by 50 metres) If you are simply stringing there is no need for a needle with this cord. Best used with acrylic, wood or non-abrasive beads to protect your cord from damage, or try using seed beads either side of larger beads to give added protection. It can be knotted to hold the beads in place or you can use glue or discreet crimp tubes. Nymo Thread Size D Cream 0.3mm diameter x 58.5 metre spoolĪ soft, flexible ‘invisible’ cord for use in floating and illusion designs. It is traditionally used for intricate beadwork like peyote stitch or weaving on a loom. Use two or more lengths of thread together for extra security when working with larger beads. It is strong and slim and perfect for beading with most seed beads and light beads up to about a 6mm. Griffin No.4 Natural Silk White Bead Cord (0.6mm by 2 metres)Ī lightly waxed stranded nylon thread that was originally developed as a stitching thread in the manufacture of shoes. It isn’t as strong as a man made fibre so reserve this thread for lighter beads or use fewer beads and let the natural beauty of the silk shine through. Silk has been used as a stringing material for hundreds of years – can you imagine fine pearls strung on anything else? The silk allows a beautiful sinuous drape and is traditionally used to string pearls and other gemstones with a knot between each bead.
Whichever cord, thread or wire you use, remember to choose the largest diameter that will pass through the smallest bead hole in your project. The following list is not exhaustive, and only represents a small portion of what we carry. Do you require a wire that drapes or can hold its shape? Will it be exposed or covered? What size and weight are the beads that you are using, and what is the smallest hole size of the beads you have selected? Can you double up the thread if necessary? When choosing a bead cord, thread or jewellery wire take into account the look of the piece you are designing and the beads you have selected.
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