3 Beading Mysteries Solved: Learn the Whys of Seed Bead Techniques

re: 3 Beading Mysteries Solved: Learn the Whys of Seed Bead Techniques

Septemberamyx — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 06:29:07 GMT

Thanks for the tip on using a fabric softener sheet, nievine2! I do a lot of circular peyote stitch and I tried using a fabric softener last night. It worked great!

re: 3 Beading Mysteries Solved: Learn the Whys of Seed Bead Techniques

Cat_P — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 03:07:41 GMT

I'm a curious one myself- I question everything because I like to know why something is done and what reason. It's amazing how much can be improved upon when you question everything :)

re: 3 Beading Mysteries Solved: Learn the Whys of Seed Bead Techniques

Kat Designs — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 22:17:55 GMT

Jean, what a great blog about seed beads. I get questions all the time from my students about seeds, and I always feel like an idiot since I'm not a weaver (needle phobic!), but I do use them from time to time. The magpie in me just buys cuz they're "pretty". I remember a time that I collected 6's for no good reason other than I thought they were cool. I finally devised a stringing project that uses all those 6's. Thank goodness. But then the project got me started on collecting different sizes other than 6's in all shapes & sizes except for 15's & smaller. I'm crazy, but not that nuts!

re: 3 Beading Mysteries Solved: Learn the Whys of Seed Bead Techniques

YvetteF3 — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:25:36 GMT

Every time my husband asks me why I do something the way I do and I smile at him and say, sweetly, because the ham wouldn't fit in my pan (it was ham, not roast in the story I heard), he knows exactly what I mean. Because that's the way my Mom/Grandmother/Great Grandmother did it.

I love that you question the way things have always been done and explain the reasoning. I use Fireline almost exclusively and don't wax, but now I am thinking perhaps I should try it. Thank you for a very helpful article.

re: 3 Beading Mysteries Solved: Learn the Whys of Seed Bead Techniques

nlevine2 — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:47:01 GMT

I really appreciated this "mysteries solved" posting. For what it is worth, I have discovered an additional way to unkink your thread as you do off-loom weaving. Cut a inch or so piece from a fabric softener sheet and fold it in half. After you've waxed your doubled thread, run the softener sheet piece up and down the length of the thread and keep the piece handy. You use the wax and the fabric softener sheet every time the thread looks "twisty." The wax will hold the two pieces of the thread together more or less, and the softener sheet will keep it from kinking. Works for me.

Nancy

re: 3 Beading Mysteries Solved: Learn the Whys of Seed Bead Techniques

Septemberamyx — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:33:43 GMT

Jean, you are wrong about the aught meaning beads per inch, I'm sorry to say. Aught comes from the engineering and manufacturing standards for wire gauge. I can't tell you how many people spread this misinformation though. It's even in textbooks! However, if you actually measured beads per inch, you would find that measure inaccurate. The reason why I know this is because I spent many years involved in the medical field. All of their sutures, needles, etc are measure using those standards. Here's a web address that can explain the info: www.sizes.com/.../wire.htm If you scroll down to the bottom it has information on several standards. Or one can do a search 'wire gauge standards'.

Unfortunately, it still doesn't really solve the mystery. I even called Miyuki Beads in Japan to ask them how they arrived at their 'aughts'. I talked to the engineers and they didn't even know! It could be 11/0 etc based on either the size of the hole (the rod they produced the beads on), or it could be the same diameter as a wire of the same gauge. I have really reasearched this because it bugs me not to know. I mean, who calls Japan to ask questions like that?! lol I think the true answer has been lost in the maze of industry practice...

re: 3 Beading Mysteries Solved: Learn the Whys of Seed Bead Techniques

NicoleT24 — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 14:35:18 GMT

On braided line waxing... I was told by a textiles restoration specialist and beader that waxing braided line (such as fireline) does have a purpose. That the wax protects the thread from becoming brittle over time thus increasing the longevity of the piece and reducing the chance of breakage. She recommended heavily waxing braided line. I'd love to get absolute verification of that, but when I think about it, it totally makes sense. I've been a waxer ever since :)

re: 3 Beading Mysteries Solved: Learn the Whys of Seed Bead Techniques

Larry.Linson — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 12:56:56 GMT

Jean, in regards to "number of beads per inch after they are strung": I seem to remember that the "number of beads per inch" is when they are laid side-by-side(as in ladder stitch), not when they are strung end-to-end.