Supplies: Needles
By: dawnmorningstar
tags: beading, beading needles, beadwork, big-eye needle, Ceylon beads, wide-eye needle
Category: Uncategorized
I use one of two kinds of needles depending on the project, either a basic economy type beading needle or a big-eye needle.
Regular sewing needles are too big to pass through seed beads more than once and forcing the needle through will break the beads.
The larger the needle’s number, the smaller its diameter. For the earrings we will be making, a size 10 or 12 beading needle will be fine. The size 12 needle is about two inches long and is the most common. It fits well through all size 11 and larger seed beads and some size 15’s if you only need one or two passes through the bead’s hole. The size 10 needles run about two and one-quarter inches long.
If possible, it’s probably best to keep an assortment of needle sizes in your tool box or on your work table so you can change needles quickly. Remember: don’t force the needle through a bead or it will break, just switch to a smaller needle.
Another needle I use for beading is known as the big-eye or wide-eye needle. This is a special beading needle that separates in the middle to form a needle with a large eye for easier threading. It is a very versatile needle because it will take any thickness of thread easily. I have even used 2 threads at one time when stringing heavy beads on a necklace. It has dual ends for two directional beading, which can e very handy in certain situations, but also makes it a lot easier to stick yourself with the needle since it’s sharp on both ends. So do be careful!
The photo above shows the basic size 12 beading needle and a big-eye needle. I used heavy button and carpet thread in the big-eye needle so you could better see how it opens up down the middle. I made the Ceylon and white earrings last summer. [Ceylon beads have a pearl-like luster, sometimes described as a satin finish. All the seed beads in the earrings above are Ceylon beads in various colors.]
