An Introduction to Beads and Beading

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Beads are small objects of decoration that are usually used in jewelry. Beads must usually first be pierced before they can be used as they will need to have thread or string passed through them so that they can be strung together. However beads can also be used to decorate the surfaces of items such as sculptures and wall hangings in which case there would be no need to pierce them. Beads can also be found decorating personal items such as purses and handbags. They can also be used in home furnishing such as table cloths and cushions. Beads differ vastly in size from tiny little beads that are too small to handle without precision tools to large beads that are more than a centimeter in diameter.

Please don’t get confused by the term “seed bead”. It doesn’t actually mean that the beads are necessarily made from seeds, although some beads are. “Seed bead” is a generic term that is often applied to any small bead.

Beads can be made from all kinds of different material, but glass, plastic and stone tend to be the most common. However beads are also made from many other materials including bone, horn, shell, ivory, coral, pearl, metal, gemstones, polymer clay, metal clay, resin, wood, ceramic, fiber, paper, seeds and synthetic materials. As you can see, one thing about beads is that there is no shortage of different materials with which you can work with.

Beads have been around a very along time since the first known civilizations. The oldest known examples of jewelry are an approximately 100,000 year old pair of beads made from sea snail shells. Apart from being used in jewelry and personal adornment beads are also used for religious purposes, good luck talismans and curative agents.

The craft of making items from beads is known as beadwork. There are many different beadwork techniques and they can be broadly categorized as stringing, embroidery, crochet, knitting, loom weaving and off-loom weaving.

Beadworking is a craft that can be practiced by hobbyists of all abilities. Novices beaders can put together very simple items of jewelry in one short session. Experienced beaders may spend weeks of meticulous effort on their beadwork using specialized equipment and tools.

For more information about beads please visit http://www.beadyeyez.com