Does size matter?

My passion is working with seed beads. Seeds beads are a generic term for any small glass bead. Seed beads are usually donut or cylinder shaped beads ranging in size from under a millimeter to several millimeters. The key to understanding seed bead sizing that that the smaller the number, the larger the bead. For example, 8/0 seed bead is larger in size than a 15/0 seed bead. The 0 used in measurement is pronounced “aught” , and can be denoted by a slash followed by a zero or a degree mark.

The sizing number is historically based on the idea that manfuacturers would refer to their standard size beads in the largest quanties as size 0 or null. Smaller size beads such as 10/0 were therefore beads that were 10 times smaller than the size of the size 0 or null bead.

Size measurement also correlates to the number of beads that will fit into a given inch when the beads are lined up side by side (with the holes parallel to each other) as in bead crochet. For instance, size 8/0 would equal eight beads to one inch, 11/0 would equal eleven beads to one inch and so forth. Now. this is just a general rule of thumb as there can be variances in this measurement based on the manufacturer, type of glass used and the beads finish.

I have worked with all sizes of beads over the years, combining them into unique wearable art pieces. Sometimes the best things are the stuff that’s leftover and we put in a bowl called “bead soup”. This concoction can often make for some happy accidents in design.

After working with so many beads over the years, do I have a favorite? Well, I say it depends on my mood. Sometimes I just like working with 6/0 or maybe I’m in a 15/0 state of mind. Overall, my favorite size just happens to be………drum roll please, 11/0 and the cut Charlotte. There’ s no one size fits all I say, have fun, mix it up, combine sizes for unique textures, and most of all keep beading…