Seed bead comparisons

Now that I'm already on the topic of tension, I'ld just like to discussed a little on seed bead comparisons. Assuming you have managed to master the tension aspect of beadstitching, another element which will also affect the workmanship of your work is the materials used. Seed beads are the most commonly used beads when it comes to beadstitching. Needless to say, there are many seed beads manufactured by manufacturers all over the world. There is the argument that all seed beads are created equal and we are about to find this out for ourselves how far this argument can go.

In the context of Malaysia, the most popular choices for seed beads are either from China/Taiwan or Japan. We all know how expensive Japanese seed beads are. They can cost up to 4 times the price of Chinese glass beads. However, their dearer price tag is not without a reason.

I personally had tried using both before and I've concluded that Japanese seed beads, although more expensive, is value for money. For one, they are extremely uniform and require next to no culling. True enough, that they are more costly but are definitely worth it. There is less wastage, ease of work and better end results. Isn’t that value for money?

This is especially true when you are doing peyote stitch. It might not affect the uniformity of your work as much in the context of right angle weave (more on the different types of weave later) but you definitely can’t ignore it when you are doing the peyote stitch.

The following picture was an experiment by Vicki Jean. Three samplers were made, using the same stitch (in this case; peyote), same thread and equal tension, so that the only variable would be the beads.


L - R: 8/0 Miyuki Delicas, 6/0 Hong Kong Beads, 6/0 Miyuki Seeds. The thread and needle used were the same for all three samples.

As you can see, the difference is quite pronounced.

I guess that pretty much put to rest the argument that all seed beads are created equal because they obviously, aren’t.

Japanese beads are of wonderful quality. The others [Indian, Chinese and Taiwanese] are not regular in shape, size, color, and are a nightmare to work with. You end up throwing out so many defective (broken; have no hole; hole that’s too small; misshapen) beads that it would be less expensive to use Japanese beads in the first place.

The three well known Japanese bead makers; Miyuki; Matsuno; Toho, have seed bead products that are very consistent compared to beads from other countries.. Nevertheless, seed beads would sometimes still require some culling - how much really depends on the stitch you're using. A forgiving stitch (like Ndebele/Herringbone) or bead embroidery can use beads that would look horrid in loomwork or charted peyote stitch.

I’ve personally tried seed beads from all three and have been very satisfied working with them. However, even seed beads from these three company have some variant themselves that it is pretty hard for me to keep track simply because it’s not so specialized here, in Malaysia. Wholesalers normally just import one variant and sell them as Miyuki’s, Matsuno’s or Toho’s. I don’t blame them really, the variant in terms of shapes, sizes, colours and finishing can be so overwhelming that from a wholesaler’s perspective it’s a matter of profit marginalizing. I’ll probably do an entry just on the seed bead from these three bead makers and their variants later.

But just as an illustration of what I meant about seed bead variant, I found this not comprehensive but useful picture on the internet which explains the differences.

Apparently, the finish treatment also seems to affect the consistency of the beads as well. Galvanized beads often have beads sticking together , presuming that this may be due to the way that the paint dries on the beads. Matte beads on the other hand tend to be smaller than shiny beads of the same type, because the etching process removes some glass. With coated beads, it's the opposite effect. But these are subtle, fussy inconsistencies - nothing that a non-beader would ever notice.

Personally, my experience with these beads have not yet suffice for me to notice it.

Seed bead from the Czech Republic are very popular alternative in foreign countries. The beads are much more donut shaped than the Japanese variety. They also tend to have smaller holes. On average they are not as uniform as the Japanese seed beads, but this just adds to their character and charm. They are perfect for appliqué work because you can pick and choose fatter or thinner beads to fit where needed. Unfortunately, I don’t see them sold here, in Malaysia. At least not that I know of.

There are also seed beads from France. Not very uniform at all, but there are certain colors that only the French make. True pinks that do not fade. And again, an option not made available to Malaysian beaders.

Seed beads are also made in many other countries, Italy, Taiwan, India...but they are not recommended for beadwork. They would work great in a craft project with some glue, though.

As you can see, there is so much information to learn just on seed beads alone, but then an again, we don’t ever stop learning, do we? ;)

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Postscripts:
Ruby's Jewelry Design & Beadworkwas one of the first few sites that I refer to to learn jewellery making. There's a lot of free tutorials (a lot on beadstitching) there with very clear pictures and illustration guiding you step by step to learn jewellery making. Very nice work she has there!
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