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Spoilt Rotten Beads - Jewellery Making Supplies Beading Glossary
A.
Aurora Borealis - Aurora Borealis (AB or A/B) is a light reflecting finish applied to the exterior of a bead of any shape or size or material. Other names a bead glossary may have for AB-type finishes are iris, oil slick, or rainbow. An AB finish on a clear glass bead can indeed appear as a rainbow; on beads of color, it is more subtle but highly reflective. The real Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, is a fabulous color display in the night sky caused by the interaction between the solar wind, the Earth's magnetic field, and the upper atmosphere.
Abalone - Iridescent pieces of shell from the abolone sea mollusk.
Agate - A form of chalcedony which occurs in many colors and ranges from transparent to opaque. Metaphysical properties: protection, courage, health, and confidence.
Amber - Fossilized sap or pitch from trees, usually golden brown and translucent. Said to promote healing and give protection from negativity.
Aquamarine - Aquamarine is a member if the beryl family. It is a brilliant, clear gemstone that is sometimes mistaken or the less expensive blue topaz. It’s color ranges from light to dark blue, and sometimes a bluish green. Aquamarine is traditionally the birthstone for March and is believed to be a universal symbol of youth, hope, and health.
B.
Bail - A finding that connects a pendant to a necklace. They come in different forms: some clip onto the pendant, some have mounts to glue the pendant to, and some attach to a ring on the pendant. The purpose is to hold the pendant flat when worn.
Bali Beads - Sterling silver beads made individually by hand in Bali, Indonesia.
Briolettes - are a shape and a style of faceting, that is: gemstone cutting (defined courtesy of the International Gem Society). Briolettes are usually an oval or pear shape with its entire surface cut in angular facets for a beautiful sparkle. Briolette cuts are found in almost all gemstones.
Bullion - Also known as French Wire or Gimp. This is a very finely coiled wire that forms a flexible tube like a spring. It is used for finishing the ends of strung jewelry pieces. It is threaded over the cord to cover it where it is normally exposed, such as where the cord goes through the loop on the clasp at the ends of the piece. It gives a professional look and protects the bead cord from fraying from exposure.
C.
Cabochon - are flat-backed and UNFACETED. Highly polished with a convex (outwardly rounded) surface, gemstone cabochons have been mounted into jewelry settings for millennia.
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Beading Questions
1. How many beads do you need?
Use this chart to determine how many beads you'll need to complete a uniform bead strand
Bead Size Length of Strand
|
1" |
7" |
16" |
18" |
| 3mm |
8.3 |
58 |
132 |
148 |
| 4mm |
6.3 |
44 |
100 |
113 |
| 5mm |
5.1 |
36 |
82 |
92 |
| 6mm |
4.2 |
29 |
68 |
76 |
| 8mm |
3.2 |
22 |
51 |
57 |
| 10mm |
2.5 |
18 |
40 |
45 |
2. What do the "/0" numbers beside the seed and delica beads mean?
Seed beads are sized in aughts, which are different than millimeters. No one seems to know exactly what an “aught” is but the bead sizes are in inverse proportion to the size of the beads. A size 15 is very small, and size 6 is big.
aught size - mm diameter
6/0 - 3.3
8/0 - 2.5
11/0 - 1.8
15/0 - 1.3
11/0 delica - 1.8
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