What is this
beading all about?
A bead is
a small, decorative object that
is pierced for threading or stringing.
As an alternative to piercing, plastic
beads may be Moulded Onto a Thread
during manufacturing; these MOT
beads are often used for the throw
necklaces worn at Mardi Gras. Beads
range in size from under a millimeter
to over a centimeter or sometimes
several centimeters in diameter.
Glass, plastic, and stone are probably
the most common materials, but beads
are also made from bone, horn, ivory,
metal, shell, pearl, coral, gemstones,
polymer clay, metal clay, resin,
synthetic minerals, wood, ceramic,
fiber, paper, and seeds. A pair
of beads made from Nassarius shells
that are approximately 100,000 years
old are thought to be the first
known examples of jewelery.
Beadwork
is the craft of making things with
beads. Beads can be woven together
with specialized thread, strung
onto thread or wire, or adhered
to a surface (e.g. fabric, clay).
Types of
decorative beads include:
Chevron beads
Cloisonné beads
Dichroic beads
Ethnic beads
Faux natural beads
Fire-polished beads
Furnace glass beads
Fused glass beads
Lampwork beads
Lead crystal beads
Millefiori beads
Pressed glass beads
Seed beads
Shell beads[1][2]
Trade beads or Slave beads
Beadwork
is the art or craft of attaching
beads to one another or to cloth
using a needle and thread. Most
beadwork takes the form of jewelry
or other personal adornment, but
beads are also used in wall hangings
and sculpture.
Beadwork
techniques are broadly divided into
loom and off-loom weaving, stringing,
bead embroidery, bead crochet, and
bead knitting.
Most cultures
have employed beads for personal
adornment. Archaeological records
show that people made and used beads
as long as 5,000 years ago. Beads
have also been used for religious
purposes, as good luck talismans,
and as curative agents.
