Advice Needed: Beading Needle Size to Use?

[MSC]

Lately I've been thinking about starting to use beading needles for stringing beads onto thread since doing with without a needle can sometimes be a pain in the butt. I'm using C-lon micro cord (0.12mm) doubled up to string a necklace project, but I have no idea of which type of beading needle to use or what brand and most importantly, which size to use. Any advice?

 

[Marianne]

Hi Andrea,
This one has been my favorite for the last several years for general stringing
http://www.firemountaingems.com/itemdetails/H201711BS

 

[Amanda]

I use these - the eye collapses as necessary. They don't last forever, but they are great, and the thread doesn't tend to slip out of the eye, either.

http://www.cooksongold.com/Beads/Twisted-Wire-Needles-Fine--------0.23mm---Pack-Of-25-prcode-968-010

 

[MSC]

Thank you for the recommendations! I'm looking for a brand that I can pick up at my local Michaels rather than online, if that helps to narrow it down a bit brand-wise.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I don't recall seeing the twisted wire type beading needles at Michaels.

I buy online from Artbeads.com; shipping is free over $10 and there are frequent sales, also coupons if you get on the mailing list.
wire needles generally: http://beads.artbeads.com/search?w=beading+needles&asug=&x=0&y=0
the fine size I buy: http://www.artbeads.com/need-01.html

 

[GemGeek]

And Sarah of Kojima says you can cut them out of speaker wire and twist them in a pinch.

 

[MSC]

Well, I went to Michaels and purchased similar beading wire to what was recommended. It's very thin and the eye is collapsible, but the issue ended up being that my pearl and gemstone bead holes were too small to pass through the 4 strands at once. I was thinking maybe i would try a needle on each of the two strings that way only 2 strings would be passing through the bead holes at one time.

 

[Marianne]

That might work Andrea. Just make sure you pull both ends of the initial pass down tight against one side of the hole, that way you have a straight path for the second pass and less chance of snagging the first threads. Hope that makes sense.
Look forward to seeing the finished project

 

[Katbran]

My only tip is that you should drill the end pearls a bit wider so it's not too stressful pulling the thread through. And as I'm knotting along I do shift the thread 1/2 inch to one side of the eye every now and then..some threads will slice thru if you are going thru a close fit drill hole..the needle can cut the thread .. so I just check it and it looks like it's wearing a bit I just slide it over half and inch or so ..

Good tip Marianne..keeping the thread tight on one side and aim the needle up a bit away from it as you pass it through...very irritating to sew through the interior thread..bit of a mess ..

I too have used two needles for a three or four thread job.. works fine .. just put a lightly larger gimp and they all fit just fine. Might have to tie off one of the 'lines' after that tho..might have trouble getting all of that back through the end pearls..unless you redrilled to compensate.

 

[MSC]

I did end up doing just that, Marianne! Even still, I broke half the pack of needles and it took over 3 hours to finish just a bracelet. Such a pain in the butt! I need to get one of those broaches for enlarging pearl bead holes. When I tried to use my hand bead reamer, I broke a few pearls. I didn't want to ream out the peridot beads either since they are small and have a tendency to crack when hand reamed. This bracelet, though the lighting is terrible, is made of microfaceted peridot of a really lovely spring green color, much better saturation than the photo shows. And the freshwater pearls are nice shades of grey with pink overtones. I used a very light pink nylon cord to compliment the pink in the pearls and the warm tone of the peridot.

 

[Marianne]

That is a very pretty color combination!

 

[MSC]

Thanks, Marianne! I think with the recent cold snap and snow here, I wanted to see something more springy I'll have better photos with tomorrow's daylight.

 

[MSC]

some better lighting

 

[pattye]

A sophisticated color combination, just delightful!

 

[MSC]

A sophisticated color combination, just delightful!

Thanks, Pattye!