EncycloBEADia

Glossary of Terms

Accent Bead: A bead which is larger than the other beads in a project. It is often an unusual shape, color, or pattern used to contrast from the rest of the project.

Antique Bead : A bead which is more than 90-100 years old.

Bead: Anything with a hole for stringing or threading.

Bead Board: They are generally used for stringing necklaces. Boards provide ease of layout, design coordination and convenient measuring.

Bead Crochet: Crocheting with beads strung onto the crochet thread and slid into the crochet work as it progresses.

Bead fabric: A piece of beadwork.

Beading: The process of working with beads to create.

Bead knitting: Stringing beads onto silk or nylon cord and tying overhand knots between stitches.

Beading needle: Needles made especially for beadwork. They are longer and "skinnier" than sewing needles.

Blocking: The process of wetting a finished piece of needlework, arranging it into the desired finished shape, and letting it dry.

Brick Stitch: A beading stitch in which the beads are sewn together so that they resemble a brick wall. Aka Comanche Stitch

Bugle Bead: A bead shaped like a long tube.

Cabochon: A stone ground and polished so that the underside is flat and the topside is smooth and domed.

Charlotte: A round bead with a facet ground on one side. These beads sparkle in beadwork.

Comanche stitch: Brick Stitch.

Cone Bead: A bead shaped like a cone.

Crimp Beads: Crimp beads are used with all beading wires to secure the start and finish of the strand. The wire is threaded through the crimp bead, around the clasp loop and then back through the crimp bead. The crimp bead is then crushed flat (using crimp pliers).

Delica: The brand name of cylindrical beads made by the Miyuki Company of Japan.

Denier: A unit of measure used for silk thread.

Drop bead: A bead which is wider at one end. The hole can be through the length of the center of the bead or at the small end, perpendicular to the bead.

Facet: A flat section ground onto the side of a bead. Beads can have one or more facets.

Finding: Components for making jewelry, usually metallic, including clasps, earring parts, pins and jump rings.

Fringe: Long strands of beads along the edge of a project.

Gourd stitch: Peyote stitch

Hank: A number of strands of beads (usually twelve strands, each 20 inches long) folded in half with the ends tied together.

Herringbone stitch: A beading stitch in which the beads are sewn together so that they make a texture resembling the chevrons in herringbone fabric.

Ladder stitch: A beading stitch used often as the first row in brick stitch in which a row of beads is sewn together, one bead on top of the other, resembling a ladder.

Lamp work bead: A bead made individually by melting glass and forming the bead on a rod using a small torch.

Leather needle: A needle with the sides near the pointed end ground flat on three sides so the needle can pierce through leather.

Loom: A device on which beads are woven

Loom work: A type of beadwork in which beads are woven together on a loom.

Netting stitch: A beading stitch in which strands of beads, usually three more, are sewn together in a loose fabric resembling a net.

Nymo: The brand name for a synthetic beading thread.

Peyote stitch: A beading stitch in which beads are stitched in an undulating pattern. Peyote stitch turned on its side looks just like brick stitch.

Right angle weave: A beading stitch in which beads are sewn at right angles to each other.

Seed bead: A bead which is round like a doughnut and small. Seed beads range in size from the tiny sand sized antique size 24 to almost ¼ in. size 5

Spacer bead: A flat disk shaped bead usually used as a decorative element in bead stringing.

Square stitch: A beading stitch in which beads are sewn together in regular row and columns.Square stitch looks the same as loom work.

Stranding: A beading technique in which strands of beads are manipulated to create jewelry or to decorate surfaces.

Tambour work: An embroidery stitch in which beads are strung onto thread and a hook needle fastened into a wooden handle (called a tambour needle) is used to make chain stitches on fabric as beads are slid into the stitches underneath the fabric.

Triangle beads: Beads shaped like a triangle as seen looking through the hold.

Vintage bead: A bead which is no longer manufactured but is not old enough to be antique.

Warp: The vertical threads stretched on a loom which beads are then stitched between.

Weft: The thread which is threaded with a needle then strung with beads and woven perpendicular to the warp threads on the loom.

Woof: Another name for weft

Wirework: Bending wire into creative designs, including jewelry and decorative items, to which beads are often added.