Seed Beads – Possibly the Most Versatile Beads Ever!

As I mentioned in my blog about amazing, beautiful Czech glass beads… I love just about every bead that is out there. And seed beads are no exception. They are teeny tiny little treasures that I just adore. And more than that, seed beads are quite possibly the most versatile and useful bead to have in your stash!

Delicas — Size 11o Delica seed beads. The cylindrical shape lends itself to many unique design ideas!

Seed beads are probably most commonly known for their use in bead weaving projects, which of course are incredibly fun and satisfying. But, there are SOOOOOO many other ways to use seed beads, too! I’m going to touch upon just a few of the very many ways that seed beads can be used beyond bead weaving, just to get your imagination rolling.

6o Seed Beads — Size 6o seed beads in a creamy yellow with a Picasso finish.

The variety of seed beads available is incredible. They come in thousands upon thousands of colors and finishes – and thousands upon thousands of combinations of those colors and finishes. They also come in a very impressive selection of sizes. There are round seed beads; cylindrical seed beads; 2-cut seed beads; silver aor gold or copper lined seed beads; so many finishes – matte, shiny, Picasso, AB matte Picasso, matte AB…well, you get the idea. There are a lot of them out there – and that just opens up so many design opportunities! (With that said, you can tell by my examples that I am partial to earth tones with a Picasso finish, but trust me – there are seed beads for each and every design style out there!)

Matubos — Size 7o Matubo seed beads – a great mid-sized seed!

I make a lot of hoop earrings. And I often use seed beads as part of the design. They work beautifully in defining the colorway of a design while providing separation for the large beads in the piece. Here is just a small sampling from my personal collection of seed bead earrings:

Pinch Bead Hoops — These earrings feature a mix of size 11o seed beads, crystal rondelles, and Czech glass Pinch Beads.

Size 6o Hoops — The size 6o seed beads are the main players in this pair of hoops!

Melon Drop Earrings — Seed beads aren’t just for hoops! Here, size 11o Delicas add length and swing to this pair of earrings that feature Czech glass melon beads.

Seed beads are also wonderful to use in wire-wrapping projects. They are so small and lightweight that they wrap in tightly so well. These two examples show very different ways to wire wrap with seed beads:

Frame Earrings — This pair was incredibly fun to make. They required “designing on the spot”, and feature many types of beads, including seeds in several sizes and colors.

Frilly Hoops — The wire wrapping technique I used for this pair of earrings resulted in a wonderfully frilly edge!

Many people don’t consider seed beads for their stringing projects, but they are ideal for creating delicate, yet richly colored, pieces.

Wrap Bracelets — A different take on the “wrap bracelet” concept, these bracelets are strung on beading wire. They wrap around the wrist many times, for an amazing color impact! (I like to wear several at once to increase that impact.)

Necklace — Size 11o lapis-colored seed beads highlight the Roman Glass and bronze pendant in this delicate necklace.

This is something that I can’t take any credit for, but still must share because it is yet another incredibly creative and unique way to use seed beads. My husband is Ukrainian, and aside from making stunning and intricate bead woven jewelry with seed beads, Ukrainian artists also inlay seed beads into wood working pieces. The result is truly remarkable!