An Introduction to Beads and Beading
Beads are small objects of decoration that are usually used in jewelry. In order to be used beads must usually first be pierced so that thread can be passed through them so that they can be joined together on a string. 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 found in household items such as cushions and table cloths. Beads vary greatly in size from the tiniest beads that are less than a millimeter in diameter to the largest beads which will be a centimeter in diameter or more.
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. The term “Seed bead” is a generic term that is often used to describe 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 used since the very first civilizations. One of the earliest findings of jewelry are a pair of beads made from sea snail shells that are estimated to date back 100,000 years. As well as for jewelry and personal adornment beads have been used for religious reasons, curative agents and as talismans for good luck.
The craft of making things out of beads is called 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. The simplest examples of beaded jewelry can be created by a novice beader in virtually no time at all. Experienced beaders may spend weeks of meticulous effort on their beadwork using specialized equipment and tools.
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