Guide to Bead Cords, Beading Threads, Beading Wire & Memory Wire

When choosing a cord, thread or wire you need to take into account the look of the piece of jewellery you are making and the beads you have selected. Do you require a wire that drapes or can hold its shape? Will it be exposed or covered? What size and weight are the beads that you are using, and what is the smallest hole size of the beads you have selected? Can you double up the thread if necessary?

This list is not exhaustive, and focuses largely on items stocked by Big Bead Little Bead.

Whichever cord, thread or wire you use, you should choose the largest diameter that will pass through the smallest bead hole in your project.

Dandyline

Is a braided beading thread which is very strong and flexible and designed for its softness and minimal stretch. It can be used for weaving and detailed beadwork. It is also water resistant.

Griffin Natural Silk Bead Cord

Silk has been used traditionally as a stringing material for hundreds of years – can you imagine fine pearls strung on anything else? The silk allows a beautiful sinuous drape and is traditionally used to string pearls and other gemstones with a knot between each bead. But be warned that it isn’t as strong as a man-made fibre so reserve this thread for lighter beads or use fewer beads and let the natural beauty of the silk shine. This cord comes with its own needle.

The image above shows Griffin No.4 Natural Silk White Bead Cord (0.6mm by 2 metres)

Griffin Power Nylon

Specially treated nylon with double the tensile strength of conventional nylon. This thread has very little stretch and is extremely strong – ideal for stringing beads. It is great for knotting as the knots will be permanently positioned. Use with a beading needle. To learn more about beading needles read our Guide to Beading Needles

The image above shows Griffin PN5 Black Power Nylon 0.35mm by 47 metres

Nymo

A slightly waxed stranded nylon thread that was originally developed to be used as a stitching thread in the manufacture of shoes. It is strong and slim and perfect for beading with most seed beads and light beads up to about a 6mm (use two or more lengths of thread together for extra security when working with larger beads). It is traditionally used for intricate beadwork like peyote stitch or weaving on a loom. Use with a beading needle.

The image above shows Nymo Thread Size D Cream 0.3mm diameter x 58.5 metre spool

Beadalon Supplemax Illusion Cord

Soft and flexible ‘invisible’ cord, for use in floating and illusion designs as it can be knotted to hold the beads in place (or you can use glue or discreet crimp tubes). Best used with acrylic, wood or non-abrasive beads to protect your cord from potential damage, or try using seed beads either side of larger beads to give some protection. If you are simply stringing, you can get away without using a needle with this cord. For bead weaving use a needle.

The image above shows Beadalon Supplemax Illusion Cord (0.3mm by 50 metres)

Nylon Monofilament Cord

Strong and non-stretch for stringing, but not so keen on being knotted. Use crimps or glue to secure beads if creating an illusion necklace. Best used with acrylic, wood or non-abrasive beads to protect your cord from potential damage. If using crystals try using a seed bead either side of the hole to protect the cord. If you are simply stringing, you can get away without using a needle with this cord. For bead weaving use a needle.

The image above shows Red Nylon Mono Filament Beading Cord 0.3mm by 50 metres

Memory Wire

Tempered stainless steel wire with excellent ‘memory’ (shape retaining property), so it is nigh on impossible to bend it out of shape. Memory wire comes in coiled loops of different dimensions, i.e. bracelet, necklace or ring sized, so it is a simple matter to cut a loop, thread on some beads, glue on some wire end beads or roll the ends over and you have a finished piece. No need to add a clasp. The wire loop you use will increase in size when you add beads so if you are making a necklace of a single round, cut at least a coil and a half length from the wire to allow for the ends to meet or overlap slightly. Don’t use your jewellery pliers with this wire as it is just too tough. Use household pliers or specialist memory wire cutters. To learn more about jewellery tools read our Guide to Beading Tools

The image above shows loops of Memory Wire Rings. Approx. width of ring is 20mm

Beadalon Stringing Wires

Beadalon produce a range of stringing wires to meet different requirements and to offer different colour finishes. They are made from very thin strands of wire that are twisted together and then coated with nylon. The main thing to understand when selecting a wire is that the higher the number of strands the more flexible the beading wire will be. Different jewellery pieces have different requirements, for example a bracelet needs to be quite flexible due to the amount of wear and tear it needs to withstand, whereas a simple bead necklace may not need to be quite as flexible. For the highest degree of flexibility 49 strand beading wire should be used, 19 strand beading wire for designs that require good flexibility and 7-strand beading wire for designs that require some flexibility.

However, there are other considerations to take into account when choosing a beading wire for your jewellery designs. You also need to consider the diameter of your beading wire in relation to the beads and findings you plan to use. There are a wide variety of diameters, from 0.010 inches for seed beads up to 0.036 inches for large-hole metal and glass beads. The most popular sizes are 0.015 inches and 0.018 inches which are good general purpose wires. Judge the holes in the beads you plan to use and select a beading wire that fills as much of this hole as feasible.

Lastly, you need to consider the weight of your finished jewellery piece to ensure that the break strength of the wire is sufficient. Choose wire with a high or heavy break strength when using large or heavy beads.

• 0.25mm (0.10”) wire is extremely thin and is good for stringing or weaving with seed beads, freshwater pearls and small semi-precious stones.
• 0.30mm (0.012”) and 0.33mm (0.013”) wires are very thin and good for crystals, seed beads and beads with smaller holes.
• 0.38mm (0.015”) and 0.46mm (0.018”) wires are classified as small to medium in width and are good general purpose sizes. Excellent for medium to heavy weight beads of all materials.
• 0.51mm (0.020”) and 0.53mm (0.021”) wires are classified as medium to large in width and are suitable for work with heavier beads such as large semi-precious stones.
• 0.61mm (0.024”) and 0.66mm (0.026”) wires are at the larger end of the scale and accordingly are good for heavier beads.
• 0.76mm (0.030”) and 0.91mm (0.036”) wires are the Big Berthas of the stringing wire family, reporting for duty for the heaviest of your bead collection.
  
  

Seven Strand Beading Wire – Seven strands of fine-diameter stainless steel wire with a kink and abrasion resistant nylon coating. This is a strong general purpose wire with good drape and shape retention. Tiger Tail is the name given to a similar coated beading wire, but most wire sold under that name has only three strands within it. The Beadalon product fits more strands into the same diameter of wire, but by using thinner strands the Beadalon wires have superior flexibility and strength.

The image above shows Beadalon 7 Strand Bright Stringing Wire 0.38mm by 9.2 metres

Nineteen Strand Beading Wire -Superior to the seven strand stringing wire in terms of flexibility and strength, this wire has nineteen strands of wire encased in a kink and abrasion resistant nylon coating. Very strong and near 0% stretch.

The image above shows Beadalon 19 Strand Satin Copper Stringing Wire 0.38mm by 9.2 metres

Forty-Nine Strand Beading Wire – Superior to both the nineteen and seven strand stringing wire in terms of flexibility and drape (you can knot this wire), this wire has forty-nine strands of wire encased in a kink and abrasion resistant nylon coating. Very strong with excellent kink resistance and near 0% stretch, this is the wire to give the best quality, professional looking result.

The image above shows Beadalon 49 Strand Bright Stringing Wire 0.46mm by 9.2 metres

Wire

As distinct from beading wire which is constructed to be like a metal thread, this is wire in its usual form. All the common metal types are available in wire form, and copper wires and aluminium wires come in a rainbow of colours. Wire is supplied in different wire gauges (thicknesses) which are denoted by a number according to an American system or by its diameter in mm. Wire is available in four different levels of hardness: dead soft wire, soft wire, half-hard wire and full-hard wire. Memory wire is the hardest of all the wire types. Wire comes in a wide variety of cross-sections such as round, triangular and square. We hope to shortly add this wire type to our stock in a selection of gauges.

• Dead Soft Wire can be easily bent and broken with the hands, so any shape produced is vulnerable to becoming damaged or distorted. Good for wire wrapping of larger beads or stones, and thicker wire can be used.
• Soft Wire is very similar to the above, but is slightly tougher.
• Half-Hard Wire is the most versatile type of wire as is soft enough to bend, but strong enough to act as a functional component in jewellery – i.e. for use as an earwire or eye pin. Use the correct cutters with this wire.
• Full-Hard Wire is stronger than half-hard and can be trickier to work with, again suited for use where you need reliable strength and form. Use the correct cutters with this wire.

The image above shows Assorted Colour Copper Beading Wires 0.3mm or 28 gauge x 10 metres

• 34 gauge wire = 0.16mm ( 0.006”) Good for wire knitting and wire twisting. Too fine for firm shaping. Will fit through the smallest seed beads and pearls.
• 32 gauge wire = 0.20mm (0.005”) Good for wire twisting and wire knitting. Will fit through smaller seed beads, pearls, smaller semi-precious stones and crystals (2-3mm).
• 28 gauge wire = 0.32mm ( 0.013”) Good for wire twisting and wire knitting. Will fit through smaller seed beads, pearls, smaller semi-precious stones and crystals (2-3mm).
• 26 gauge wire = 0.40mm ( 0.015”) Good for wire twisting and wire knitting. Use for semi-precious stones with holes too small for 24 gauge wire, pearls and smaller seed beads and crystals.
• 24 gauge wire = 0.51mm ( 0.020”) Good for wire crafts and general use including wire wrapping beads and stones. This wire type should fit through slim semi-precious stone holes, seed beads, pearls, smaller crystals.
• 22 gauge wire = 0.64mm (0.0253”) Good for wire crafts and general use including wire wrapping beads and stones. This wire type should fit through slim semi-precious stone holes, size 11 seed beads, 4mm and larger crystals, smaller metal beads (2-3mm) and glass beads (including Czech glass).
• 20 gauge wire = 0.81mm ( 0.032”) Good for making jewellery, clasps, jewellery findings, wire wrapping (beads and stones), ear wires and jump rings. Will fit through most crystals 4mm and larger, larger seed beads (size 8 plus), larger semi-precious (you may need to use a reamer), and glass beads (including Czech glass).
• 18 gauge wire = 1.02mm ( 0.040”) Good for making heavy jewellery as long as the bead holes are big enough, and for clasps and findings. Use for lampwork glass beads and other large glass beads, also larger metal beads.
  
  
  
  
  

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