Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

re: Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

Luv2CUSmile — Fri, 28 Dec 2012 02:10:55 GMT

Oh so late but a couple of huge tips...

Buy a good variety of neutrals and metallics with any of your fav colors. Black, white, silver, gold, clear, brown, copper, etc... you will find that with all your fav colors, you wont get a great looking piece without a good contrast color and if you are limited on colors you can always go to a neutral...

Spice rack jars, old 35mm film containers, empty pill bottles, even small ziplock bags... great for storing. A fishing tackle box or tool drawer organizer for small screws/nails also is great for carrying around with you if you don't want to get an actual bead tote

YES! Get quality, uniform beads! If you buy Czech beads keep them separate from your Japanese beads. Use Czechs for free-form embroidery or free-form weaving when mixing with other beads. If you are working a specific pattern keep to the quality uniform beads. Many great sources for Japanese seed beads online. Michael's has an okay selection in 11s and you can always use coupons.

Unless you use lots of other type beads in your projects keep innmind that you should try and have at least 30 grams of each color... you may not use all in one project and in other projects you may need more but 30 grams per color will give you a good amount to work almost any project.

Graph paper! Whether you work on or off loom, graph paper is a must for designs. You can get free graph paper specific to seed beads on line. Peyote stitch, brick, RAW, etc (I also keep color pencils handy to work out color combinations also).

re: Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

WendyB@17 — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 16:19:46 GMT

Buy exactly what you love in not just seed beads, but any beads...I promise that once you get them home and add to your stash, you'll find that they all go together. If beads make you stop and say "oooooooo!" when the others are just pretty or you like them....buy the oooooo beads!

Also, buy quality beads. Don't buy beads in the craft section at big box stores, most of those are so irregular there's no point in even trying to use them for beadweaving. Japanese seed beads might cost a little more, but in the long run, they are worth it. Try not to buy dyed beads, unless they're for a project that's not going to be work against the skin or exposed to much sunlight.

Finally, buy from your local bead store if you have one, or soon, you won't.

re: Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

Ann bS — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 20:46:02 GMT

Where might we find a seed bead tube storage like your black w/elastic fold-up pictured here??

re: Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

GingerH@6 — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 02:35:31 GMT

Help...Looking for the names of seed bead suppliers. I have been searching for 3 x 3 mm cubes and have found that the suppliers have limited colors or no color samples on their web sites. as anyone found terrific vendors. Thanks.

re: Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

deb bowdridge — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 23:11:23 GMT

hi,.i just finished reading how to seed bead.i have neverever beaded before let alone seed bead.i am looking forwards to,one day to make a seed bead quilt.any tips anyone? thanks deb

re: Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

Peggy Roberts — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:53:01 GMT

Just to add to the confusion, have you seen the new two hole seed beads? They are beautiful, but places to buy them still are limited. Can't wait to try them out.

re: Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

bittermelon — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 19:35:09 GMT

i would tell a beader who is launching into seed beads to make sure they learn sizes and brands. it is not in your best interest to pick up cheap seeds at walmart for a first project. put a little extra time in to know the beads and purchase quality beads and you'll struggle far less, waste fewer beads and learn more quickly.

re: Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

JLHGGY — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:00:54 GMT

Good article, but I'd like to know the name of and where to buy the portfolio pictured in the article?

re: Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

pa4him — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 23:09:46 GMT

My advice would be to make sure that you get good seed beads. Don't use the cheapest stuff you can find just because you are starting out. What you will find is that you can't make your project because the holes are not uniform and you won't be able to run the thread through it as often as you need to. Also, if you wear glasses or perhaps not, get a good magnifying glass to thread those needles or use "wide eye" needles. I also want to thank Jennifer for her advice on expanding the bead selection. I unknowingly was taking your advice buying the colors that I like and typically most of them are in size 11.

Thanks for the good advice.

re: Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

fverac — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:38:51 GMT

Hello,

Have u tried using tagua seed beads? Could you please share your designs with us? We live in Ecuador and are manufacturers of these eco ivory beads, and we are always trying to post in our blog, or facebook designs of artists using them. Could you please share? you will enter in our giveaway contest and win tagua beads www.ecuadorianhands.com/-i-16.html

re: Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

mamaraye — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:20:44 GMT

Storage idea: I have an old rotating spice rack with clear jars which is used for storing those seed beads which did not come in handy tubes or packets. I buy a lot of seed beads by the hank, so often have loose ones after a project. These go into an empty spice jar, mixed by color, as my own "bead soup". These mixtures are easy to use later, and help with putting coordinating colors together in a new project. Also, I store my hanks flat in plastic 12 x 12 scrapbook paper drawer containers. These 3-drawer bins are amazingly versatile, and can hold lots of hanks, tubes, smaller bins, etc. I always store by color, no matter what type craft items I am storing. This helps me to better visualize a new project...or how I can change a project to fit my own color tastes.

re: Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

Wendy Lucka — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:18:32 GMT

Dustin Wedekin's book, Getting Started With Seed Beads was one of the best books I got when I first started to "seed bead". Especially if you are just learning or even trying to perfect certain stitches, he's got some nice projects in there. I still refer to it! I highly recommend it!!!!

re: Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

salla2 — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:39:41 GMT

1) buy when you can - I try to buy at least 1 tube of beads each payday. Some times I get to buy more and sometimes I have to skip, but the goal is at least one tube.

2) buy black and white - I find that these are the two colors I am constantly running out of and reordering. They are great colors on their own, and because they go with everything, they make excellent accent colors in most projects!

3) buy mixes - when you are just starting out, you will frequently find that you need just a little bit of certain colors. A great way to get "just a little" of a lot of different colors is to buy a mix - rainbow mixes are great for this, but you can also find earthtone mixes, blue mixes, and many many others!

4) if you can afford the splurge buy a 'set' - you will see this on ebay a lot, and sometimes on sites. a set of 5 or six colors of seedbeads/delicas that go well together. They will call them things like "spring garden" or "winter". This is a good way to get coordinating colors - especially when you are new to color matching!

5) know your numbers - seed beads are given a lot of different color names, sometimes by the seller, so make sure you know the number given by the manufacturer. That way when you go to re-order, you get the same thing!

re: Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

Bobbie@69 — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:54:27 GMT

I also teach beading and use the mantra,"Buy only what you love." It will always get used and make you happy! This applies to all beads - not just the seeds. Just because it is cheap does not mean it is good!

I use plastic shoeboxes to store 11's by color. Two boxes are for 15's, one for 8's, one for metalics and one for odd shapes. It still means sorting each time, but that can add to your joy over a new idea!

Gemstone, ceramic, bone, etc. go into flat plastic tackle boxes by color and so do findings. Easy to find the right clasp this way. Big plastic bags are my choice for threads and needles and easier to transport to my classes. Bobbie Guillory

re: Your First Seed Bead Stash: Buying Seed Beads When You're Learning How to Bead

Dmm987oh — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:48:02 GMT

I'm also addicted to seed beads and all their wonderful sparkly cousins. It was nice to know that I am not the only person who has more seed beads than will ever be used....but they're mine!

donnam