GetCrafty Craft Facts

Q: I was hoping for some recommendations of sources for ordering Czech seed beads. I would like to balance selection with price, and I will be placing a fairly large order, so order minimums should not be a problem. Suggestions?

A: I have been teaching beading for 4 years, and I steer my students clear of Czech seed beads. We much prefer Japanese seed beads. Japanese 11/0 seed beads are more uniform than Czech and come in a wide variety of colors. I agree, I like shipwreck beads too! It's the only place I buy. Some people say not to buy Czech beads, because they aren't as uniformed, but I do 3-dimensional bead work, and couldn't do it with out my 'Shipwreck' beads!! I second Shipwreck for Czech beads. Another thing that I find, is that if you lay the beads on their sides, the Japanese ones have a bigger hole and are not so round as the Cz ones. I guess what I am trying to say, is that if you want a smooth panel of beading, then the Japanese are best, but if you want to get wild and crazy, the Czech are best. (IMO) Easily my favorite place is 'Shipwreck Beads'. The selection is fantastic, the color system is logical and you can tell what matches this way. The prices come in 3 groupings depending on the quantity you want of that color. There address: http://www.shipwreck-beads.com/index.html