Beading wire (also called flex wire, tigertail, and stringing cable) is a staple supply for beaders and jewelry makers. It's one of the easiest stringing materials to use since no needle is required, and crimp beads replace knotting (Crimping 101: how-to). Beading wire is actually a cable made of multiple strands of wire that are covered with a smooth finish coating. Thicker wire cable is stronger (can hold more total weight), and the more strands of wire there are in the cable, the more flexible the cable is. As a result, you can choose not only what GAUGE (diameter/thickness) of cable fits your beads, but also the number of strands (in the "TYPE" filter), for maximum durability or the perfect price point.
Beadalon and Soft Flex are the top brands of beading cable, and work for a wide variety of jewelry. Some have a softer "drape" than others, giving you more freedom for intricate designs. Soft Touch beading wire by Soft Flex is so flexible it can be knotted! For most necklace and bracelet designs, 7-strand is plenty strong, but 19-strand, 21-strand, and 49-strand options are generally stronger and more flexible. Greater flexibility helps avoid kinked necklaces, and stronger beading cable is advantageous when you're making heavy, chunky, and/or expensive jewelry designs. If you have very large, heavy, or abrasive beads (such as trade beads or lava stone), we suggest Soft Flex Extreme Beading Wire or 49-Strand Beadalon. Thinner diameters are best for tiny beads.
Bead Ready stringing kits contain everything you need (except the tools) to turn your strand of gemstones, glass beads, or other favorite beads into a finished necklace, bracelet or anklet. Use with EZ-Crimp Pliers or Standard Crimp pliers, and a cable nipper. The medium-thin 0.015" diameter beading cable is perfect for most 3-10mm beads, but might not work for tiny gemstones and pearls, which frequently have teensy holes.
Beadalon Jewelry Cable is a fun alternative to beading wire. It does not come with the soft finish coating that covers most bead stringing cable. As a result, you can separate the cable into individual wavy strands for a fun wavy wire effect in your DIY jewelry.
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