A guide to choosing the right beading wire

Choosing the right beading wire for your needs can be a little confusing when you first start jewellery making as there are so many to choose from. There are various different widths and finishes available.

Beading wire is not to be confused with jewellery wire which is a solid strand of wire available in different hardness/thickness and can be manipulated into a permanent Shape. Beading wire comprises of several thin strands of wire twisted together to create one strong wire coated in nylon for protection.

The greater the number of strands, the greater the strength and flexibility is the general rule of thumb. So if you are looking for a wire that drapes elegantly and bends smoothly, a wire with a high number of strands is going to suit your needs better. Alternatively, if you are looking to shape the wire, choose a wire with less strands as it will hold a shape better.

There are a few questions it is useful to ask before you start your jewellery making project: 

1. How flexible does the wire need to be?

2. Does it need to drape elegantly or does it need to hold a shape? Heavier beads will benefit from a heavier wire with more strands for support and durability. 

3. What's the smallest hole size of the beads you are using? Many Seed beads and Semi-Precious gemstones have very small holes so a fine width of wire is advisable for these, however ideally the width of the wire should fill as much of the hole as possible to minimise any movement and wear to the inside of the bead hole. Another point worth noting is that many hand crafted Glass Beads and semi precious beads can have abrasive edges which can wear down wire over time so if possible use a small file to buff any sharp edges away before stringing. 

4. Are you making a piece of jewellery for every day wear with good quality beads and Findings? Or are you making a costume piece for occasional wear with cheaper quality materials? It wouldn't make much sense to use a 7 Strand wire for a necklace made with semi-precious gemstone beads and sterling silver findings that you would want to last a lifetime. A heavy fine quality wire with a beautiful drape would be much more suited to this, such as the 49 strand. As well as the regular stainless steel plated wires, Beadalon also stock a range of solid sterling silver wires in different strand counts and thicknesses, which are great for those precious projects. It is worth noting however that sterling silver is much softer than stainless steel so would not be suitable for use with heavy beads and findings.