FAQ
What is a Pinch Bead
A pinch bead is a small, handcrafted bead shaped like a tube with a small opening on one end. They are often used in jewellery making to add texture and interest to designs. They come in different shapes, sizes, and colours, which can range from simple and elegant to bold and colourful. Their unique shape makes them perfect for adding movement and interest to a piece of jewellery.
These 5x3mm Czech pinch beads are very popular for Kumihimo braiding.
What is a Dagger Bead
These Czech glass dagger beads measure 5x16mm and have a hole across the top. The dagger drop beads are versatile - they're great as earring drops or necklaces and also work well on beaded ornaments. The daggers come in a range of popular colours and also laser designs including dragon wings and peacock eyes.
What is a PIP Bead
The PIP pressed glass beads from Preciosa measure 5x7mm. They are perfect for making flowers and clusters and creating a "scale" effect. They also look fabulous on Kumihimo braiding.
What is a Dragon Scale Bead
Czech Glass Dragon Scales are tiny flat, diamond-shaped / kite beads made of pressed glass for uniformity in shape and size. They measure 1.5 x 5mm. There are over 40 shimmering colours and finishes and are ideal to create a scale effect.
What is a Long Drop Bead
Miyuki Long Drop beads (LDP) are a more elongated version of a traditional Drop bead. They resemble a top-drilled grain of rice and can look vine-like or floral, organic or geometric. Each LDP measures 3mm x 5.5mm
The slender and graceful silhouette of the LDP lends itself nicely to Kumihimo braiding
There are over 35 colours and finishes that create a gentle and delicate texture.
Czech glass beads are a popular choice for jewellery-making and beading projects because of their high quality, intricate designs, and a wide variety of colours and finishes. Some of the most popular types of Czech glass beads include:
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Czech fire-polished beads: These beads are machine-cut and then polished by hand to give them a smooth and glossy finish. They come in a wide range of colours and sizes and are often used for seed bead projects, as well as for stringing and wire wrapping.
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Czech pressed glass beads: These beads are made by pressing molten glass into moulds, which creates a wide variety of intricate designs and shapes. They come in a wide range of colours, finishes, and sizes and are often used for bead weaving, embroidery, and other beading projects.
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Czech glass pearls: These beads are made by coating glass beads with a pearlized finish and are available in a wide range of colours. They are often used for stringing, wire wrapping, and beading projects that require a more classic or elegant look.
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Czech glass bugle beads: These beads are long, thin, cylindrical beads that are often used for bead weaving, embroidery, and other beading projects. They come in a wide range of colours, finishes, and sizes and are great for adding texture to a piece.
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Czech glass seed beads: These small beads are often used for beading, embroidery, and other projects. They come in a wide range of colours, finishes and sizes, and are perfect for creating intricate patterns and designs.
All these types of Czech glass beads are known for their high quality, durability and long-lasting.
Long Magatama beads (LMA) have a very distinctive petal shape which differs from the plump raindrop shape of the 4mm Magatamas (MA4). Traditionally magatama beads were comma-shaped beads or jewels made in prehistoric Japan from clay or stone. The word magatama means "curved bead" and they can be seen throughout history. This ancient bead shape has been dated back as far as 1,000 BC.
Miyuki Drop beads (DP) and fancy colour-lined Drops (DPF) are teardrop-shaped beads that hang from their narrowed tip. The rounded bottom end catches the light and creates a glowing effect at any angle
8/0 SEED BEADS
Glass beads have been a staple in jewellery making and crafting for thousands of years. They have been strung into necklaces and bracelets and intricately woven into tapestries and clothing. Originally fashioned from readily available materials like wood and clay, indigenous peoples from across the world would use rounded tube beads in peyote stitch or quill work to make ceremonial pieces, ritualistic tools, and headdresses. Glass bead production and manufacture began in 19th century Europe and spread to Japan. Japanese glass seed beads (particularly Miyuki beads) are renowned for their high quality and uniform size.
Miyuki 8/0 glass seed beads are the medium size of the collection. They are renowned about halfway between the smaller 11/0 seed beads and the larger 6/0s. Size 8/0 seed beads have a rounded form and seamless curves which allow light to dance across the surface from any angle. 8/0s measure 3mm x 2mm with a hole size of 1mm with approximately 39 beads per gram and 13 beads per inch. They are often used in techniques like stringing, weaving, and Kumihimo.
Why are they called Fire Polished beads? The high-quality machine-cut beads are heated to an extremely high temperature to give a very clean, glossy 'polished' surface. The small facets on fire-polished Czech glass beads catch the light beautifully and add texture to your piece. The huge selection of beads means that you can use them for various uses, including as spacers or even as the focal point of your piece.
A cute range of beads, 7mm diameter and 5mm deep, with a central hole. Work great with Ball-end headpins to make a little loop and use as a charm or little dangly!
Rizo Beads are part way between a drop and a dagger. Just 6mm in length and 2.5mm in diameter, they have the appearance of a grain of rice. The hole is at one end.
Use them to create three dimensional designs - mix them with Seed beads (work well with size 11/0).