Best Tools for Beading Projects

There are beading needles, and then there are beading needles! I love these beading needles from Tulip for bead embroidery and beadweaving projects. This Japanese design has a slightly rounded tip which prevents the piercing and splitting of threads, and the large needle eye makes for easier threading. Bendable and flexible, yet much stronger and longer lasting than many other needles I’ve tried. I use size 12 most often – because it allows for multiple passes through small seed beads.

Nymo thread is perfect for bead embroidery as well as beadweaving. Strong, but thin enough to go through seed beads multiple times.

When working with longer lengths of thread, it can tangle and fray with repeated passes through many beads. A thread conditioner like Thread Magic solves the problem. Simply hold your nylon beading thread on the non-toxic material, then pull it through. It leaves a smooth acid-free coating on the thread that makes it glide. Thread Magic doesn’t get stiff and crumbly like many beeswax products. But don’t be fooled by Thread Magic’s compact size – the small container lasts and lasts and lasts. It’s great for regular hand sewing threads, too!

If you bead with crystals or bugle beads, then you will want to have a microfused braided beading thread like FireLine nearby. The sharp edges on those beads can cut through nylon beading thread, and nobody wants to leave a trail of “bead crumbs” behind them while their jewelry falls apart! Some beaders prefer to use FireLine for all their projects. It’s stiffer than nylon thread, so it maintains the shape of structured pieces very well. You will want a special cutter for FireLine (see below) – because it will ruin your good beading scissors. Use clear for light colors and smoke for darker shades.

These beading scissors are super sharp and great for cutting nylon beading threads like Nymo.

The Xuron 411 Thread Cutter will make clean cuts on your FireLine over and over, saving your good scissors. There is no slipping during cutting because the serrated blade holds the material securely. They also make quick work of cutting leather, nylon and cotton cord. Extremely well-made and durable, this cutter will serve you well for years.

Sometimes your scissor tips just can’t get into tiny spaces to trim threads completely, leaving a tiny fraying tail. A Cordless Thread Zapper can get into nooks and crevices that scissors cannot reach. It has a small metal tip that heats up so it melts synthetic fibers like Nymo and FireLine in an instant. You can also draw the tip along the cut ends of synthetic ribbon to keep the material from fraying. But do be careful – the tip gets hot enough to melt plastic, so it’s gonna hurt if you touch it.

Those beads are fast little things when they start to roll! To keep them where you want them (and not all over the floor) you need a Bead Mat! These Beadalon mats have a soft surface that keeps beads in their place while you work. Easy to customize with scissors, you can keep one of the three in the set full size, then cut the others to fit various project and travel trays. When soiled, don’t throw them away – you can wash them with a mild detergent.

Quick! It’s time to put away your beading project! But you don’t have to pick up beads pinch-by-pinch. A Triangle Bead Scoop lets you gather up a whole pile of beads at once. And if your beads got a bit mixed up while you worked, the triangle tip is great for sorting the treasures into their respective piles. Then you can pour the beads back into their little tubes or baggies until next time.

When you need to get into that small space to adjust a finding or move a bead, this precision point tweezer is what you need.

Close and secure your crimp beads to achieve professional results on your jewelry making. Made specifically for crimp beads, this tool provides a smooth finish.

Round nose pliers are real workhorses in the beader's tool kit. These round nose plier makes precision work easier without marring wire or soft metals.

Working with pearls or handmade beads? You'll want a pearl reamer in your toolbox! This tool gently files down the holes in your beads to make them smooth and you can make them a little bigger, if needed.

For stringing beads, these stoppers will be your life saver! Ever get part way through your project and you accidentally pick up the necklace and all of the beads come off the other end? These stoppers hold your beads on your string until you are ready for the next step.

Interested in doing some beaded macramé? This board will help you secure your project as well as provide a grid to help align your work and measure your progress.

Wrangle your beads, findings and tools with this non-slip mat and design board.

If you are lucky enough to always bead in a sunny spot, be thankful for great natural light! Most of us, however, need a bit of help with light and magnification when it comes to threading needles and stitching with tiny little glass balls. A quality Task Light with Magnifier is worth the investment toward preserving your eyesight (and your sanity). This LED lamp has both a stand for the table top and a clamp for mounting in other locations. There are two versions with different levels of magnification so you can get just what you need.

Making necklaces or bracelets? A bead board helps you lay out the beads so it is easy for you to see your design before you string the beads.

Loom weaving has endless possibilities for intricate designs. This extra wide bead loom is great for bracelets, necklaces, belts and more!