I enter into the New Year with much gratitude in my heart.  Thanks to each and every one of you.  It is you the customer that makes My Tyme the success that it is. 

I am committed to bringing you the latest in seasonal colors and jewelry trends.  What I love most (next to dark chocolate) is shopping for the store.

May the New Year bring to you all that your heart desires.

Seed Bead Basics

The basic description of a bead can be simply stated: any object with a hole.  But generally, the object should be of a size that can be stranded, sewn or weaved.

The most common type of bead is a ‘seed’ bead.  Japanese or Czech, seed beads are round glass beads and come in a variety of sizes.  To the non-beader, they are relatively similar, but as any true beader will tell you, there are distinct differences.

 Japanese seed beads can be compared to donuts – uniformly round with a small hole in the center, whereas Czech seed beads would be more like bagels – less uniform and the hole could be a little off-center.  This by no means is meant to suggest that Czech beads are of less quality, but rather they offer texture to the project.  Know that the differences between the two types of beads are subtle, and that the choice of which to use in your project depends upon the project itself and the look you want it to have.

Seed beads are sized from 6º to 20º (º = ott), with the common range between 6º and 14º.  In beads, the larger the number, the smaller the bead.  Most beading projects ask for 11º beads.  Japanese seed beads generally come in tubes while Czech seed beads come on hanks (10-12  beaded stands per hank).

We should also mention that sometimes people confuse Delica's (also called cylinder beads) with seed beads.  Different than a seed bead, cylinder beads are just that - small cylinders.  They have larger holes and thinner walls, and are used when a more precise, even look is needed.

Charlotte’s are a seed bead variation, also called True-Cuts, or One-Cuts).  A Charlotte is a Czech bead that has a ‘cut’ or ‘slice’ on 1, 2, or 3 sides of the bead.  This ‘cut’ is similar to a facet in that it catches that light giving it a shimmer.  Charlotte’s are generally found in size 14º but can also be found in 11º.

Should you use Japanese or Czech, size 11º or 14º?  If you have a pattern, go by the sizes the pattern suggests.  If the pattern calls for a 10º, an 11º can be easily substituted but not an 8º. Use the chart below as a basic guide.

NOTE:  The ruler measurement is for comparison purposes only.  The size of your monitor and screen resolution settings will distort true measurements.

Are you tired of having your thread knot up or get tangled?  Are you having a hard time threading your needle?  Try conditioning your thread.

Conditioners like Thread Heaven will make your bead-weaving much easier. The conditioner binds the thread fibers to prevent fraying and adds a thin coating to the thread surface allowing it slide through your work with ease. It works on a variety of threads including metallic, silk and rayon, making it great for not only bead-weaving, but also for other stitching hobbies like embroidery and cross-stitch. 

Conditioning your thread:

 Did you know...

Ndebele and Herringbone are the same stitch.  The stitch originated with the Ndebele (pronounced N-da-belly) tribe in South Africa - hence the name.  However, once the stitch made it's way to America people saw how the design was similar to a cloth weave called herringbone. The word herringbone was easier to pronounce than ndebele so the name stuck.  In the beading world using either name is fine.

We offer beginning, intermediate and advanced classes in Ndebele/Herringbone stitch.  See our class listing.