An Overview of Common Bead Shapes

Beading and jewelry making are popular crafts. The options available through bead stores and websites are so vast that choosing your favorite bead shape can be difficult. This article will give an overview of common bead shapes and possibly uses in jewelry making and beading crafts.

Bead Shape – Round or Sphere

This is perhaps the most common of all bead shapes. A round, or sphere, bead is simply a ball with a hole drilled through the center. Round beads are usually measured in millimeters and can range from 2mm spacer beads all the way up to 14mm or 16mm accent beads. These beads are useful in all types of jewelry making and crafts. Rounds can come in smooth or faceted styles.

Bead Shape – Rondelle

A rondelle shaped bead is wider than it is long. It is curved on the edges. The hole is drilled through the short length of the bead instead of through the width. They are also measured in millimeters, and are most often used for spacers between larger beads. Large ones can be hung flat by looping a thread through the hole twice.

Bead Shape – Heishe or Disc

The heishe and disc bead shapes are very similar. These are short cylinders with the holes drilled like the rondelle beads: through the short side. Heishe beads are usually small and fit together to make a continuous cylinder when strung. Disc beads are often larger in diameter.

Bead Shape – Tubes

Tube beads are also cylinders. They are longer than they are wide and have the hole drilled through the length of the bead. Bugle beads are an example of tube shaped beads. They can come in smooth or faceted styles.

Bead Shape – Teardrop

Beads that are teardrop shape look just like their name describes. Drilled through the length, they are narrow on one end and taper to a half sphere shape on the other end. Teardrop shaped beads can also be side-drilled. This means that the hole is drilled through the narrow end of the bead.

Bead Shape – Specialty Beads

Beads come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Specialty shaped bead types include: flower and leaf shapes, double cones, hearts, triangles, chevrons, ovals, spiral beads, barrel shapes, gemstone chips, tumbled irregulars, and specialty carved beads in animal or symbol styles.

This selection of common bead shapes covers the most popular styles available at craft and bead shops. Each bead shape can be used for a variety of jewelry making and beading projects. Choosing the correct bead shape for your design is essential.