How to Choose Your Bead Storage Boxes

If you are into bead craft as a hobby you will understand the importance of keeping track of the little devils both whilst working with them and whilst storing them. Luckily there are many bead storage options available to you, but where do you start looking and how do you choose between them?

What are your requirements?

The first thing you need to think about is what your collection of beads and tools is like. How many do you have? What size beads are they? How many different piles do you need to keep separate and how big is each one? Next you need to decide where you are going to keep the whole system when you are not working on it.

Do you have a dedicated room or table in your house or do you need to pack everything away into a cupboard? And finally do you want a bead storage system that you can take out and about with you? Once you know your requirements you are better equipped to find the right containers for you.

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Types of bead storage

Bead storage comes in a number of designs. To keep a large number of small collections of small beads, plastic tubes or vials are ideal. They are clear so you can see at a glance which beads are in which tubes and you can buy tube holders that fold up easily to make a portable and easily tidied storage solution. For a more varied collection a bead organizer may be best. These are typically large plastic cases that come with smaller plastic boxes inside.

The inside boxes are usually varied in size, giving more appropriate options for your varied sizes or numbers of different beads. Each box has its own lid, meaning you can use, fill or empty individual sets easily. Try and avoid the compartmentalized versions with only one lid for the whole organizer as these create problems when beads slip across dividers.

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Criteria for the best bead storage

Whichever type of bead storage container you go for, you should ensure it meets certain fundamental criteria before buying. The boxes should be see through to some extent. The lids should be individual for each section and secure. The system as a whole should offer some degree of flexibility as your collection is likely to change over time and it should be portable if you intend to work with it away from home at any time.

Recycled bead storage?

As well as purpose made bead storage options, you can also repurpose containers that you already have lying around your house. This will save you money but may not be as easy to handle as a whole system and will not look as nice. Ideas include fishing tackle boxes, screw or nail boxes, sweet or medicine bottles or even spice bottles and racks.

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Beading Craft - Types, Methods, and Uses

First you start with making a necklace, then a bracelet, then a pair of earrings. Advance to making rings, pendants, animals, flowers, and then begin mastering more complicated patterns in beaded jewelry.

You want more? You have caught the beading craft and have also discovered there are not enough hours in a day to make all the jewelry, accessories, and other delights of beading.

What types of beading are there?


Hand beading: Beading like quilting can be done by hand which makes it a portable hobby.
Machine beading: The computerized sewing machine and its specialty attachments and software can perform many of these hand arts with speed.
Today, you have a choice of using either or both methods in any jewelry project. Much freedom is available for your artistic desires and creations.

This checklist presents other traditional types of beading methods:


Loom work
Knitting
Crocheting
Tatting
Needlepoint
Cross Stitch
Embroidery
Tambour work
The newest addition to this list is quilting. Artists started embellishing quilts with beading using hand and machine techniques and the craze has been growing for the last few years. These artisans have opened new avenues of adventures for those people interested in making art quilts. Applique work is used heavily in quilting and welcomes the added glamour of beads.

What types of stitching techniques are to be learned in the art of beading?

Brick and ladder - also known as Comanche or Cheyenne - Brick or square stitching is often used in combination with the ladder stitch or it can be used alone. It is utilized in many jewelry projects as well as surface work. Can be hand stitched or loom worked. These two techniques are used in jewelry, home decorator items, and clothing.

Ladder - is a series of stitching your bead choice side by side creating the appearance similar to the rungs of a ladder. Personally I use this in edging necklaces, making bracelets, rings, and decorating fabric creations. Many watch bands are in a ladder design. The ladder stitchery can also be seen in home decorations.

Peyote or gourd stitch can be stringed flat, tubular, and circular. It gets its name from the North American indian who used their stitchery in decorating their Peyote religious objects used in their ceremonies. Now we make evening bags to accessorize an after five ensemble. This stitch is often found in necklaces, belts, and other types of flat wear. Much can be done in wearable art, jewelry and decorating objects. The gourd name dates back to early Egypt because of decorating gourds and baskets.

Herringbone - originates from Africa and it creates a chevron weave appearance. It is used in jewelry, home decorations and wearable art.

Right angle weave - This is one of my favorites which I use often in making ethnic style necklaces and bracelets. It is very versatile, can be a bit more time consuming, and uses more thread than other bead weaving. But I love the different effects which other bead embellishments can add to the finished product. This weaving style is also used in home decorations and clothing accessories.

Bead netting is best described as an open weave used in jewelry, edgings of clothing, and lately as lamp shade covers.

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