Beads and needle size (argh!)

[elenmirie]

Hi all,

What size needle would you typically use for beading?

I'm doing the beads now on The Enchanter and was startled to find that my 24 needles couldn't get their big toe through the beads (so to speak.) I rummaged through my stash and found a little tiny sharp (no idea what size but it was about 1/2 the diameter of the 24) and even this wouldn't work all the time - seemed about 25% of the beads would fit and the rest were too small.

I've resorted to using a needle threader to put the bead on the thread, then thread the needle, then sew on the bead, remove the needle, repeat. This is working but a bit tedious.

The beads are Mill Hill Petite Seed Beads, number 40557.

Any suggestions?

[Arianwen]

I've just beaded my Anchor Poppy spray using Mill hill petite beads ( in pale yellow and black - I don't have the numbers to hand at the moment) and I used a size 28 needle. I came across maybe 1 bead that wouldn't fit over the eyes of the needle.

You can also buy special beading needles which I think have smaller eyes, but the ones I've come across all have quite sharp points and I end up stabbing myself all over the place.

I think its a case of trial and error. This worked for me, hope you find something that works for you

[MaggieM1750]

Yep- same here
I've used a size 28 with some luck- trial and error with regular seed beads.

But I also grabbed a pack of bead needles. No clue what their actual size is- the pack just said bead needle. Works for both regular and petite seed beads. They are really thin- its hard to thread those suckers- and longer than normal needles.

[elenmirie]

Thanks... got some 28's on order now; I don't fancy doing all the beads in the border (over 100 I think) with that 7-step method.

[kimkat_tkl]

I use John James Petite Beading needles which are a similar length to a normal needle but much thinner (and not all that easy to thread) and I've never struggled to get them through any bead.

I found the longer normal beading needles tended to bend after a bit of use and often when I was securing the thread on the back.

[Mystonique]

I use Beadalon bead needles - the eye is in the middle and they are very thin - haven't met a bead they couldn't go through yet and they don't bend like other bead needles so they'll pierce the fabric if necessary.

[elenmirie]

A follow up - the 28 tapestry needles did not work - I suspect there may be differences in brands etc. The body of the needle went through the beads but they were stopped by the eye. These were No. 28 Permin Golds, bought in a 20-pack from SewandSo.

What did work was beading needles! I ended up with Hemline beading needles sizes 10-15, also from SewandSo; I think I used a mid-sized one from the pack. It was a pain in the backside to thread - 1 piece of the 2-stranded DMC floss seemed almost out of its capacity - but it went through every bead with no argument or back-talk at all.

Everything is now done on The Enchanter! I'm posting a finish photo in the SAL forum.