Beading Needle

Twisted wire needles. Twisted wire needles.

A beading needle is a long, very fine tool with a long eye and normally a sharp point. It is used for working beads, cords, pearls, ribbons, sequins, etc. There are various types of beading needles, varying in size, construction and general appearance. English beading needles, for example, are normally slightly more flexible and longer than their Japanese equivalents.

The main (Western) types are:

Big eye needles: this form of beading needle is made from two fine lengths of metal soldered together at the head and point, leaving a long gap of c. 6 cm for threading ribbons, cords, thick yarns and so forth. These needles are very flexible.

Curved beading needles: long thin needles with a curved head and long eye. These needles are normally between 6-8 cm in length.

Long beading needles: these are long, fine needles (c. 7 cm), which are used when threading beads for on and off-loom work, as well as for jewellery and so forth.

Short beading needles: these are fine needles (c. 3 cm), which are used when sewing beads to a ground material as part of an embroidery.

Twisted wire needles: these needles are thin and made of twisted wire, with a large eye and a blunt point. They are normally about 7 cm in length. They are used for stringing thin ribbon through beads, as well as passing a thread through a bead or similar object with a curved hole. They are usually sold in three sizes: fine, medium and heavy.

See also the TRC Needles entries on Japanese hari kuyo ritual and the Japanese misuya needles.

Digital source (retrieved 2nd July 2016).

Digital source of illustration (retrieved 22nd June 2016).

GVE

Last modified on Thursday, 04 May 2017 18:15