Seed Beading

Seed beading got its name from the original beading done by the American Indian women. They used actual seeds dyed different colors and strung onto strings of grasses. They created beautiful and intricate patterns on blankets, pallets and some pieces of clothing. An authentic Indian blanket now is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

When the white people came to America and saw the beautiful things the Indian women were making, the white women wanted to learn to do the same thing. They became friends with some of the Indian women and were taught how to do the seed beading. The beads today are glass or plastic but are still called seed beads. They come in different sizes and shapes. The most common shape is round and they come in a rainbow of colors. There are many different suppliers and manufacturers.

If you are interested in learning more about doing seed beading yourself, you can get started for approximately $50. There are many different suppliers and manufacturers. It is suggested that the best beads are made in Japan. They are sold in tubes. You will need a book of instructions that show different stitches and the various patterns. You will need beading needles and the ones made in England tend to have a larger eye so the threading is a little easier. Regular sewing needles will be too large to go through the holes in the beads. The thread you should use is called silamide and is pre-waxed so the beads will slip on it better and will make the intervals between beads neater.