Blank Canvas Arts and Crafts

Bead Hank

So what the heck’s a seed bead?

A seed bead is a very small bead, measuring from a millimeter to several millimeters that can be used in all kinds of stitching.

Who makes them?

The biggest makers come from Japan and the Czech Republic. France, India and China make them as well. However, French beads are metallic and are used mostly to refurbish antiques. Their Indian and Chinese counterparts are not as uniform as Japanese and Czech so the quality is not as good.

How big is a seed bead?

Depends. The standard measurement (from what I’ve gathered) is how many seeds to an inch (or unit, as the origin is debatable). For example, if 11 beads make up 1 inch (unit), that is a size 11 bead. The sizes can vary from size 5 to 24. Whether or not there are any smaller than 24 I don’t know, it is the smallest size I have come across so far.

Some of these have some kind of weird finish or luster to them, what’s up with that?

Ah-ha! You have stumbled upon the beauty of these wonderful beads. Some seed beads can either be transparent or opaque with many finishes and luster on them. In fact, another article is needed to explain so keep reading.

What are the methods of packaging?

Hank or gram weight.

What the heck’s a hank?

A bundle of strands of seeds. For example, a size 11 hank would have 12 strands of 20 inches of strung beads. However, the size of the bead determines the strand number and length of strand.

However, I must point out that buying a hank of Japanese seeds is a rarity, but quite common with their Czech counterparts.

Sounds good. Looks like I’ll be checking this out now.

So there you have it, a baby primer into the wonderful world of seed beads. So grab a thread, needle, some beads and get to work. Happy stringing!

Shenna Lehmer likes to write articles about beading and is the owner of http://seedbeads.findgreatshoppingdeals.com/

How many 10/0 seed beads in one hank pack?

I am taking on a craft project with 75 scouts that will require around 10,000-12,000 white seed beads and 2,000 red seed beads. We are on a tight budget and I only want to order what I need and not have a bunch of beads left over that I will never use. How many 10/0 Czech seed beads are in one hank pack?
Oh, and I thumbs down for pasting broken links or pages that can’t be found anymore.

here is the seed beads chart:

http://www.shipwreckbeads.com/support/docs/SeedBeadTable

Hank Williams Jr. – Kaw Liga

10/0 2 Cut MATTE METALLIC OLD COPPER CZECH Seed Beads 1 HANK $8.50

HANK CZECH TRUE CUT PEARL WHITE 11/0 SEED BEADS $6.97

BLACK OPAQUE SHINY 11/0 CZECH SEED BEAD HANK LOT $3.54

Vtg 1 HANK TINY NAVY SHEER SPARKLE SEED BEADS 14/0 LQQK $6.00

VTG 1 HANK SILVER LINED BROWN MIX WICKED WILD GLASS BEADS 10/0 THE BEST! $7.50

VTG 1 HANK BLUE IRIS SENSUAL RETRO HOT TO TROT BUGLE GLASS BEADS 4mm THE BEST! $8.00

VTG 1 HANK PALE GRAY PINK SEED BEADS MATTE LIMITED QUANTITY GEM $6.00

VTG 1 HANK SILVER PURPLE MIX WICKED WILD GLASS BEADS 8/0 THE BEST! $8.50

Vtg 1 HANK DULL PEWTER SILVER SEED STUNNING BEADS OMG! $6.00

Vtg 1 HANK MULTI TONE RED/BLUE CLEAR 6/0 GLASS BEADS JEWELRY INCREDIBLE! $12.00

Vtg 1 HANK ITALY BLACK SEED BEADS DEAD STOCK HOT! $7.00

Vtg 1 HANK PEARL GREEN CHARLOTTE SEED BEADS 13/0 LQQK $9.00

Vtg 1 HANK GLOSSY SALMON ROUND SEED BEADS 10/0 FAB! $6.00

Vtg 1 HANK CZECH BABY BLUE SEED BEADS LQQK $6.00

VTG 1 HANK CRYSTAL MATTE MACO TINY BEADS do you dare? THE BEST! $8.00

Pony Bead Lacing 5 yd Hank Frosted $1.65 Frosted Pony Bead Lacing Easy to work with! Includes Connectors to eliminate unsightly knots * Made in USA * 5 yards Frosted * Not for children under age 3 years…

Pony Bead Lacing 5 yd Hank Black $1.65 Black Pony Bead Lacing Easy to work with! Includes Connectors to eliminate unsightly knots * Made in USA * 5 yards Black * Not for children under age 3 years…

Pony Bead Lacing 5 yd Hank Pink $1.65 Pink Pony Bead Lacing Easy to work with! Includes Connectors to eliminate unsightly knots * Made in USA * 5 yards Pink * Not for children under age 3 years…