My Bead Shopping Part 2: Purchasing Larger Beads

I am a bargain shopper. I am always looking for a deal and beads are no exception to this rule. If you go into a craft store or a bead shop you will realize that beads are not cheap. Depending on the beads, you can spend $50.00 on beads and come out of the store with a very small bag of beads and wonder, “Where did my money go?” This is why it is important to know where and how to shop in order to get your best beading dollar value, without compromising quality.

Just like seed beads, there are many types and sizes of larger beads, swarovski crystals, pearls, glass beads, and Czech crystals to name a few. And depending on the beads, they can be rather pricey. Since most of my beaded jewelry is created using bead weaving techniques, rather than bead stringing, I mainly use larger beads as accent beads. The larger beads that I favor are size 6/0 and size 8/0 seed beads. I also like to work with high-end glass beads in sizes 2,4,6,and 8 mm. Occasionally I will use pearls or glass pearls and Czech crystals.

I can usually buy large tubes of size 6/0 and size 8/0 Czech seed beads for under $3.00 a tube at bead stores or craft stores. However I usually purchase them from a bead store because bead stores have a much better selection than craft stores. I have seen hanks of the larger seed beads sold on e-bay but not in any of the bead stores or craft stores that I frequent. And, I also prefer to by my larger beads in volume too. Both the bead and craft stores where I shop sell larger beads strung on a strand of monofilament. The craft stores have almost as good a selection as the bead stores but the prices are about 25% less than the bead stores. Bead stores also sell individual beads. I have found it is less expensive to buy a stand of beads than to purchase them individually. I buy individual beads if I only need a few for a project, or if I am making something special.

Swarovski crystals are very beautiful, very sparkly, and very expensive. I have not used them yet in any of my beading projects. Both the bead and craft stores I patronize sell swarovski crystals. The craft stores do not have as good a selection of crystals as the bead stores. Also, the bead stores have better prices on the crystals. I have not as yet priced swarovski crystals on E-bay or Internet bead stores, because like I stated previously, I have not had occasion to use them.

This all of course is my own personal bead shopping experiences. Depending on where you live, and what kind of beading you do, prices for beads may be different. It is just important to know where and how to get the best value for your beading dollar without compromising quality.


If you get the chance, visit my website, “Bead Between The Lines.” You just might find something that you like or something that will inspire you. And, please, take a moment to sign my guest book.

http://www.picturetrail.com/bead_between_the_lines

My Bead Shopping Part 1: Purchasing Seed Beads

I am a bargain shopper. I am always looking for a deal and beads are no exception to this rule. If you go into a craft store or a bead shop you will realize that beads are not cheap. Depending on the beads, you can spend $50.00 on beads and come out of the store with a very small bag of beads and wonder, “Where did my money go?” This is why it is important to know where and how to shop in order to get your best beading dollar value without compromising quality.

There are many types of seed beads such as, Myuki, Toho, Mill Hill, Czech, Delica etc…
My personal preference is Czech seed beads. I prefer to buy size 10/0 and 11/0 seed bead by the hank. At my favorite bead store the average price of a hank of beads in about $3.00. The average size11/0 seed bead hank has 12 stands. Each strand is comprised of about 410 beads per strand, equaling approximately 5,022 beads per hank. The average size of 10/0 seed bead hank also has 12 strands. Each strand is comprised of about 328 beads per strand, equaling approximately 3928 beads per hank. These are great values and the standard I use for comparing prices when shopping for seed beads in craft stores, bead stores, or on the Internet.


I also take into account the price of gasoline and the amount of gas it take me to drive to my favorite bead store, verses shipping cost when shopping for beads on line. The driving distance from home to my favorite bead store and back is about 21 miles. Gas prices are at an average of $3.00 per gallon in my area. My car gets about 25 miles per gallon of gas. So driving to my favorite bead store costs me an additional $3.00 per trip. Even though many Internet bead stores will have prices that are lower than $3.00 per hank, their shipping costs are more than what it will cost me to drive to my favorite bead store. And, some Internet bead stores have a per hank shipping fee rather than a flat rate shipping fee. So these are important factors to take into account when trying to get my best bead dollar value.

I have found some great seed bead bargains through bead sellers on E-bay. E-bay has been great for purchasing large volume lots both “buy now” purchases and “winning bid” purchases. One of my best purchases was 22 hanks of seed beads in a variety rainbow colors for the price $35.00 and this included shipping!!! Another great E-bay purchase was 50 hanks of seed beads in a variety of color for the price of $65.00 and this also included shipping!!! Both purchases were much less than what I would have paid from my favorite bead store.

I also take advantage of any sales or discounts that I may find when bead shopping. My favorite bead store has a customer incentive card program. They give you a card and total up your card after each purchase. Once you have reached $100.00 in purchases, the next $10.00 is free. This is a great marketing technique for both the store and the store’s patrons.

So by being price conscience and doing a little market research I am able to get more seed beads for my money without sacrificing quality.

If you get the chance, stop by my website. You just might find something that you like or something that inspires you.

http://www.picturetrail.com/bead_between_the_lines

Beading With A Cat

I have heard it said that the people do not own a cat but a cat owns the people. Well that is certainly true in my household. We have a beautiful calico/Siamese female cat. Her name is “Patches.” She came with the name; if I had named her she would have a more exotic name, more befitting with her kitty status, like “Sheharazadde.” And, she is definitely a mans’ cat. She prefers Stan to Angelina and me except when it comes to feeding time. She knows that I am the one who feeds her every morning. If I am not up when she is ready to eat, Patches will gently rub her paws in my hair and “meow” in my ear until I do get up and feed her. The other time she prefers me to Stan is when I am beading.

As soon as Patches notices that I have sat down to bead, she is right there beside me. She bats at the thread with her paws while the needle travels through the holes in the beads. I scold her and say, “Patches, no!” She will then look up at me with those innocent blue kitty eyes and start rubbing her face against my arm as if to apologize. But I know her kitty wiles and I do not fall for her tricks. As soon I pick up my needle and begin to bead again, Patches tries once again to attack the thread. Of course I know she is not being malicious. She is just doing what comes natural to her as a cat.

Patches also loves the beads on my beading tray. When I am not looking, one of her favorite things to do is to pounce on my beading tray and watch the beads scatter. If by chance she happens to find a larger bead on the floor, Patches will roll the bead back and forth between her paws. She will hit the bead with her paw so hard that the bead will zing across the room, hit the wall, and ricochet back to her. Patches will hit the bead again as though she is playing in a kitty handball tournament.

If given the opportunity, Patches likes to steal and hide whatever project I am currently working on. There have been times that Patches has hidden a beading project so well that I have not been able to find it. So, I sit down and start the project over. Sometime later, I may discover her with the beading project between her paws, carefully biting at the threads in order to release the captive beads. Consequently, I am learning not to leave my beads and beading supplies unguarded and out in the open where they are fair kitty game.

But most of all, Patches is a very sweet kitty. And, being a bead-lover myself, I totally understand Patches’ attraction to my beads. It is one of the things that we have in common.

If you get the chance, visit my website. You just might find something that you like, or something that inspires you. And, please take a moment to sign my guest book.

http://www.picturetrail.com/bead_between_the_lines