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Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Needles

What makes beading needles unique is that the eye of the beading needle is almost as narrow as the shaft.  The size of the needle needed depends on the thread size, the number of passes needed to make the beadwork and the technique used.

English beading needles are long or short in length 3" through 6" length and is used for loom or weave work. The sizes range from #10 through #16. The higher the number the thinner the needles, i.e. #10 is the thickest , whereas #16 is quite thin. Use needles a size smaller than the seed beads to be used, i.e. for size 11/0 seedbeads, use a size 12 needle.

#10 thicker needle                     6/0 to 11/0 seedbeads
#12                                            8/0 to 13/0 seedbeads
#13                                          11/0 to 15/0 seedbeads
#15                                          15/0 Charlottes
#16 thinnest (very elusive)      16/0 to 24/0 seedbeads

*Note: Hybrids are also available in size #12 longs for loomwork and #12 sharps for bead embroidery

*Note: When using tiny beads and these thin needles also have good lighting and a magnifier handy.

Big Eye or Small Big Eye needles have larger holes in the center of a flexible shaft. These are used for loomwork, macramé, crochet, thread changes and on-loom and off-loom weaving.

Twisted Wire Needles are twisted stainless still needles with large collapsible eyes/loops for threading at one end. Thin and very flexible--collapse to fit through beads. And range from short to long lengths with weights being heavy, medium and light. These needles are meant for stringing and transferring beads, not for piercing fabrics.

Bead size vs twisted needle size

2-3mm beads or pearls---------- light needle
4-8mm-------------------------- light-medium or medium-heavy needle
8mm or larger--------------------heavy needle