Thursday, August 6, 2009

Beading Charts "SMARTS"

When buying beads for a specific design it is important to be sure that you have purchased an adequate amount of each bead to complete your design. There is nothing worse than having nearly completed a project and finding out that you need more of a certain bead! UGGHHH!!!!...kinda makes you lose your inspiration, huh ladies? I know we've ALL been there!
Often you will find that the item is no longer available or, you may be able to order more, but it is not an exact match. Gemstones, because they are natural, will always vary from strand to strand. If you are working with vintage items, these are very limited and because they are vintage we are not always able to get more. If an item is dyed it is important to remember that the color may vary from one dye lot to another. I believe that it is always better to have a little left over, than to find yourself in a situation where you are unable to complete your design. Actually, isn't it great to find out that you have enough left over to make a pair of earrings! My motto, One can never have too many earrings!
I thought this "Beads per Inch" chart might come in handy to you all. It gives you a better idea of exactly how many beads you'll need by the size bead and length of your desgn. Hope you find it helpful!

CLICK ON PICTURE FOR A LARGER VIEW

3 comments:

Just A Tish said...

What a great guide! takes all the guess work out of it.

Thanks for posting this, I am sure i will refer to it several times!

Unknown said...

Wonderful! And I have to say, your blog is wonderful too!

jacjewelry said...

Wow, what a great "gem" this chart is! I don't usually plan ahead with most designs, and end up in the exact situations you describe. That causes me to get creative and add a little bit of this or that and substitute. :)