Different Types of Beads Use For Jewelry & Craft Making

Beads are small, decorative and colourful objects of various shapes and sizes. They can be hollow or solid and are pierced for threading or stringing. They have a wide range of sizes varying from 1 millimetre to 1 centimetre in diameter. They are used for jewellery and art and craft.

 

Children use them for playing. They are also used in Montessori  play way method of teaching as threading the beads increases the gripping skills of the children and they can prepare for writing. Beads can be woven together in different types of threads or  in soft or flexible wires.

Different Types of Beads

Beads can be of different categories based on their materials, general shape, surface patterning, manufacturing process, or place or period of origin.

• Seed Beads:- These Beads are small round shaped which are made of
  
  
  
  glass. They come in a wide variety of colours, clear, iridescent and silver lined. They are regularly used for making jewelry and also for needle work.
  
  
• Cylinder Bead:- This is a tube-shaped bead with a large hole, Also
  
  
  goes by names Delica bead, Toho bead.
  
  
• Crystal Beads:-These are cut glass beads made with approximately
  
  
  30% lead, giving it a highly refractive quality.
  
• Bugle Beads:-These are long glass beads which are shaped like a
  
  
  tube. They are either smooth or with 6 sides. The sizes of bugle beads range from 2mm to 40mm.
  
• Drop Beads:-Drop beads are shaped like a Pear or Raindrop, they have
  
  
  a hole through the bead or at times at the narrow end of the bead.
  
• Pony Beads:-Pony beads are inexpensive large beads mostly made of
  
  
  plastic . They are generally used in craft projects and for kids to make jewellery.
  
• Sequins:-Sequins are available in any number of shapes, sizes and
  
  
  
  colours. They are mostly round in shape with a bowl like centre with a hole.

Beads Are Made Of Either Natural Or Synthetic Materials,

• Natural Materials:-Natural materials include organic and inorganic materials. Organic materials are of plant or animal-based origin and inorganic materials are of purely mineral origin. The organic materials include bone, coral, ivory, seeds, animal shell and wood. Pearl, amber and jet are beads of organic materials.
  
• Synthetic Materials:-Ceramics, clay and glass are the oldest synthetic materials used to make beads. Ancient alloys like bronze and brass were also used to make beads. There are many subtypes of glass which are used for bead making. Lead crystal beads consists of a high percentage of lead oxide which increases the refractive index of glass.

Plastic beads are generally very colourful and fusible which can be woven to string necklaces, bracelets or key chains etc. Plastic beads are available in different colours an degrees of transparency. These include glittering beads, beads of various geometric patterns. They were also fused together to form ribbons, toys, tubes etc.

Manufacturing Process

Depending upon the material and texture, Beads are generally shaped by carving or casting. Metalworking or Glass working techniques are generally used to make beads.
Plastic beads and glass beads are made by pouring it into moulds to form the desired shape. Then they are polished for the surface irregularities after taking out from the grinding wheel.

Various Shapes Of Beads

Beads are generally hair pipe or seed shaped. Hair pipe beads are long and tubular and made of bison and water buffalo bones. The beads of black colours are made from animal horns. Seed beads are spheroid or tube shaped. They are used for loom and off-loom bead weaving. Beads are very common and generally available everywhere. But if you want them Buy online just browse the internet to get more information on these.