Beading needles are essential tools for off-loom beadweaving and other beading projects. They look like regular sewing needles but are more flexible, thinner and have smaller eyes. Sewing needles should not be used for beadweaving.
Since this little tool is critical to beadweaving, I’m going to tell you everything you need to know about beading needles.
What To Consider When Choosing A Beading Needle
Selecting the right size and type of beading needle will reduce the occurrence of broken beads and make beading more enjoyable. The smaller the number representing the size, the bigger the needle. For example, a size 10 beading needle is thicker than a size 13.
The size of the needle selected depends on the size of the beads that you are using and whether you will be completing multiple thread passes through the beads. When working with 15/0 seed beads or pearls with tiny holes, use a thinner needle such as a size 12 to make life easier and avoid ruining your beadwork.
Types of Beading Needles
There are a wide variety of beading needles:
English Beading Needles
These are the most commonly used type of needle with sizes 10 and 12 being the most popular. English beading needles are long, thin and flexible. In addition, they come in a range of sizes to fit even the tiniest seed beads.
John James English needles are a widely known brand in this type of needle.
Japanese Beading Needles
These needles are also thin and flexible but have a reinforced eye and a slightly rounded point. The rounded tip has the added advantage of decreasing the chance that you split the thread as you make multiple passes through beads.
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Japanese beading needles are quite similar to English ones but are more durable and cost more. They do not bend or break as often as English needles do.
Tulip is a popular brand of Japanese needles.
Wide-eye Needles
Wide-eye needles, sometimes called Big-eye needles, are made of two pieces of metal soldered together at the top and bottom so the eye spans almost the entire length of the needle. The large eye makes these needles really easy to thread and for this reason, they are perfect for working with thicker stringing materials such as elastic cord.
Beadsmith and Beadalon brands are available in this type of needle.
Twisted Wire Needles
Twisted beading needles are ideal when working with wide stringing material such as ribbon. They are very easy to thread as they are made of twisted flexible wire that has a large loop eye. When the needle is passed through a bead, the loop collapses and secures the stringing material.
The fact that the eye closes after its first use means that twisted wire needles are not good for multiple uses. They also bend much more than regular beading needles. As a result of their flexibility, twisted needles do not work well for off-loom beadweaving. They are however, great for bead crochet and kumihimo.
These needles are available in fine, medium and heavy sizes.
Milliners Needles
Milliners needles are slightly thicker with a rounder eye than English beading needles and are suitable for both loom and off-loom beadweaving and also, bead embroidery.
Glovers Needles
Glovers needles are sturdy, with sharp triangular tips that easily penetrate leather. They are typically used for attaching seed beads to leather and come in a range of sizes similar to English needles.
Sharp Beading Needles
Sharps are shorter than regular beading needles. The shorter length makes these needles less flexible and therefore, they are not recommended for beadweaving. They can be used for bead embroidery on fabric, however.
Sharps are typically available in sizes 10, 11 and 12.
Threading Your Beading Needle
In order for your needle to pass through a bead as many times as possible, the eyes of beading needles are very narrow. This can make threading them a bit tricky.
When working with Fireline, Wildfire and Nymo, flatten the end of the thread using your thumb and index finger or a flat-nose pliers.
Don’t hold your needle out in front of you and pass the thread through the eye. Instead, try holding the thread between the thumb and index finger of your non-dominant hand with the thread barely sticking out. Then, using your other hand, slide the eye of the needle down over the thread.
If you still find you experience difficulty threading your needle, use a needle threader.
Beading needles can literally make or break your beadwork. Use this helpful guide to ensure you select the correct one for your projects.
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I have never understood about needles. When watching videos the instructor will tell the size needle and I just say to myself, “why would they use a select size?”. When I first started bead weaving the lady suggested a wide eye needle so I have always used a wide eye. Once in a class the teacher had all supplies ready for us. I tried and tried to thread that needle with no luck. I even tried the way you said. So i quietly picked up the supplies I had brought and took out my wide eye. I do peyote, loom and just stringing and have always used the eide eye. I will have to get a 10 or 12 needle and try them.
Threading a beading needle can be a little difficult for some. You have to flatten the end of the thread with your fingertips or a pliers. Then, it’s much easier. You can also try using a needle threader. Affiliate link: Click here to see needle threaders.
excellent info! i have been designing and creating jewellery for decades and didn’t know the difference between needles. recently a student in a workshop asked and i thought i need to know!
It happens. I’m so glad you found it helpful.
Question….
I am going to attempt my first Native American beadwork soon – specifically beading the handle of my fan. I thought to use size 10 beads since it’s my first time and they’re a little bigger and might be easier to work with.
I will be doing a gourd or peyote stitch around the handle, so I will only anchor the start of a stitch in the leather – just by “nicking” it. Should I use Long needles for that? And since I’m using a size 10 bead, what size needle should I use? I will have to go through some beads 2-3 times.
Hi Stephanie, great question! To be fully transparent, I’ve never sewn beads to leather but it seems like size 10 Glovers needles should do the trick, at least when it comes to attaching them to the leather. I’m not sure of the exact project you’re working on but consider the following: a) Attach the beads to the leather using the Glovers needle, then switch to a beading needle… or b) Create the beadwork using a regular size 10 beading needle (or size 12, if that’s getting too tight to pass through the beads). Leave a long tail thread. Then, once you’re finished, slide the beadwork onto the fan handle and attach it with the needle appropriate for leather. I hope that helps!