What do the numerical sizes on seed beads mean? Are they consistent among all seed beads?
The numerical sizes on seed beads are useful for comparing relative seed bead sizes. The smaller the number, the larger the bead for example, size 8 seed beads are larger than size 15 beads. What makes this tricky is that different manufacturers use different standards for measuring the beads they make. In general, size 11 Czech seed beads are slightly smaller than size 11 Japanese seed beads. Sizing among Japanese seed beads is more consistent than sizing among Czech seed beads, but even among Japanese seed bead manufacturers, beads with the same numerical designation may differ slightly in size. If consistency is important to your design, you may want to consider using Delica brand beads. Delica beads are cylindrical seed beads that are beautifully consistent in size and shape.
