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The Best Method to String Seed Beads

String tiny seed beads faster with a bead spinner.
multi-coloured beads, background from beads image by 26kot from Fotolia.com

Tiny seed beads--popular because of their wide range of colors and versatility--are ideal for beading projects ranging from jewelry to detailed patterns on clothing. However, seed beads are hard to see and grasp when stringing onto wire or thread, which is a problem when you're working with hundreds or thousands of beads. Instead of hunching over a magnifying glass for hours, using a bead spinner or stringing tool is the best method for stringing seed beads.

String tiny seed beads faster with a bead spinner.
multi-coloured beads, background from beads image by 26kot from Fotolia.com

Things You'll Need:

  • Curved Beading Needle
  • Small Towel
  • Bead Spinner
  • Embroidery Scissors
  • Seed Beads
  • Spooled Thread

Cut a length of thread using embroidery scissors, then thread the curved beading needle and set the needle and thread aside until ready to string.

Place the bead spinner on the small towel to catch stray beads, then fill the bottom of the bowl section with seed beads until the bottom is covered or the bowl is at least one-third full.

Place the needle's curved tip into the seed beads in the spinner without touching the sides or middle of the bowl. Grab the middle of the spinner and spin the bowl so the seed beads string onto the beading needle.

Hold the beading needle up vertically in your hand after it's full, then slide the strung beads off the needle and down the thread.

Place the beading needle back into the spinner bowl and continue spinning seed beads onto the needle until the string of beads is as long as you want it to be.

Tip

Use a twisted wire needle or thin gauge wire as an alternative to a beading needle.

Leave the thread on the spool to string an unknown length of seed beads, then cut the thread when you're done stringing.

If you have difficulty manually spinning with your hands, battery-operated bead spinners are available as an alternative.

Warnings:

  • Do not spin the bead spinner too fast. If you do, you might spin seed beads out of the bowl.
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