If you haven't flipped through the February issue of Bead&Button, you're missing out on a
new column we've added to our Bead Soup section: "B&B's Handy Dandy Guide
To...," an area devoted to bringing order to the often chaotic world of beads.
February's topic is seed bead shapes,
a subject that is becoming increasingly
complex not just because there are so many new shapes to choose from but also
because there are so many synonyms for the same bead! After you review our
"Handy Dandy" study guide in the magazine, test your knowledge of seed bead
shapes with this quiz:
1. True
or false: A three-cut seed bead has three sides and a triangular shape.
2. Multiple
choice: If you need a seed bead with a bulbous bottom, what would your best bet be?
a. A
long magatama
b. A
magatama
c. A
drop bead
d. A
dagger bead
e. All
of the above
3. Short
answer: You go into your local bead store and ask to see the cylinder beads.
The sales person has never heard of a cylinder bead. How else might you
describe what you're looking for?
4. Multiple
choice: A rocaille is:
a. A
round seed bead with a single facet ground into the side
b. A
generic term for a round seed bead
c. One
of the many names for a peanut-shaped bead
d. The
brand name for a specific round bead
5. Short
answer: A project you are working on calls for Tila beads. A fellow beader at
your local bead society offers you the use of her stash of Czech two-hole tile
beads and cube beads. Are these beads interchangeable with Tilas?
6. True
or false: Hex-cut seed beads have the most facets of any seed bead.
7. True
of false: Peanut beads have the same shape as farfalle beads.
8. Multiple
choice: Which beads come with your choice of rounded or sharp corners?
a. Triangle
beads
b. Tila
beads
c. Square
beads
d. A
and C
e. A,
B, and C
9. Short
answer: You're trying to select a color of seed bead that really sparkles, but
nothing you've tried is working. Could the shape of your seed beads play a role
in making a super-sparkly piece?
10. True
or false: Bugle beads sometimes have a long square hole even though the outside
of the bead is a long thin tube.
Scroll down past the photo to see the answers!
Answers:
1. False:
A three-cut has many facets ground into it (not just three) especially at the
ends of the bead, tapering the glass toward the hole.
2. C:
A drop bead (also called a "fringe drop" or "teardrop") has a round, bulbous
bottom. Magatamas have a less pronounced bottom, and long magatamas and daggers
have a flattened, more angular end.
3. You
could describe the shape as a tiny tube-shaped seed bead with squared-off ends.
You might have more luck, though, if you mention the popular brand names Delicas, Treasures, or Aikos. Many bead stores call cylinders by their brand names.
4. B:
You can find almost any bead in the round seed bead family called "rocaille"
depending on the manufacturer or vendor.
5. Each
of these beads has different properties: Cube beads are three-dimensional
box-shaped beads; Tila beads are flat squares; and Czech two-hole tile beads,
though in the same vein as Tilas, are thicker and have rounded edges. It is
possible that your project could accommodate cubes, especially if
you're willing to make adjustments to the instructions, but if you really want to make a substitution, tile beads are more like Tilas than cubes are.
6. False:
The names given to faceted seed beads can be misleading. Hex-cut beads have six
facets but may also be called two-cuts. Three-cuts, on the other hand, boast
the most facets of any seed bead.
7. True:
"Peanut" and "farfalle" (as well as "berry," "bowtie," "dogbone," and
"butterfly") are descriptors for the same family of bead, featuring two rounded
ends joined by a short middle. The size of the beads may vary slightly by
manufacturer, but the general shape is the same for all of the above.
8. D:
Depending on the manufacturer, cube and triangle beads may have sharp or
rounded corners. (In fact, Miyuki intentionally makes triangles with both sharp and rounded corners.) Tila
beads are a specific brand of bead that, as of now, only comes with sharp
corners.
9. Yes! Faceted
seed beads catch the light, creating the sparkle factor. You might start with
Charlottes (a.k.a., "one-cuts" or "true-cuts") to see if their single facet
gives you the look you want. Metallic Charlottes would be an especially good
choice. If Charlottes don't work, you might try hex-cuts or three-cuts.
10. True:
Bugle beads can have round or square holes on the inside and a smooth, round, twisted,
or angular exterior.