Beads Finish

Beads Finishes

Opaque: Light cannot pass through it.
Example for Miyuku: YH401 (opaque), YH455 (opaque AB)

Transparent : Light can pass through it. Often referred to as glass.
Example for Miyuku: YH260 (transparent AB)

Translucent : Allows partial transmission of light through it.

Matte : Dull appearance. Achieved by tumbling beads or dipping them in a glass etching solution.

Silver Lined: Mirror-like finish inside the bead which adds sparkle to it.
Example for Miyuku: YH1 (silverline) , YH1006 (silverline AB)

Color Lined: Usually seen in a two-color mix with an opaque color inside of a transparent bead.

Luster: Very shiny finish which covers the entire outer layer of the bead.

Ceylon: Translucent bead with a luster finish.
Example for Miyuku: YH511

Dyed: A process of surface color dying often seen in Japanese beads. Color will come off if not protected. Clear spray paint may be used. Do not dry clean as the dry cleaning chemical might react with the surface color.
Example for Miyuku: YH1340 (dyed silverline)

Metallic : Bead surface has a fired-on, metal-like finish which adds shine to it.
Example for Miyuku: YH454

AB (Aurora Borealis) A rainbow-like surface which has been fired onto the bead.

Shimmering Flora..after 4 years

COLOR Matching

Some people are naturally gifted in COLOR matching, but some, like myself, often find themselves struggling just to match colors.

We have a dress..say ..a med brown colored one...we find ourselves faced with the daunting task of figuring out what colors of beads and sequins to use on it without having it end up looking like either a gunny sack or a Christmas tree on parade.

The obvious choice of beads colors are perhaps shades of brown, gold, dark yellow..those are the primary and complimentary colors. Then we need some contrast colors to spice up the outfit..this is when we run into some problems. What other colors can we use, either complimentary or contrasting?

We can try to mix and match using whatever beads and sequins that we have in our collection, but unless you're an obsessive compulsive beads hoarder (like yours truly), sometimes you just don't have enough colors to match.

Thankfully, there's a great tool to help us. It's called a COLOR WHEEL (as pictured above but without the top part to select the color). I discovered this handy little tool in Beads and Button magazine a few years ago and have given away soft copies of it to many of my customers over the past few years.

Who would suggest that Mangosteen maroon looks good on brown? I won't but the COLOR WHEEL suggested that it's a complimentary color for brown. Check it out in my unfinished outfit at the top (the story on the unfinished dress itself fits for another post!).


The picture does injustice to the color matching element but the maroon (on the biggest flower) looks really good on the brown..trust me on this because 3 beaders (distinguish ones) have borrowed this unfinished shirt from me for their reference.

So to commemorate the beginning of my blog, I'm giving away the SOFT COPY of the COLOR WHEEL (in PDF). Email me at zaibeads@gmail.com or beadingtreasure@gmail.com to request it. (Obviously only applicable to the readers of this blog).

All you have to do then is to print it in COLOR. Follow the instruction given on cutting this part and that part and laminate it for sturdiness. It comes complete with instructions on how to use it.

May this tool COLOR your way through those back breaking beading hours.

Testing Sequin Color Steadfastness

Yesterday I got an sms from a customer asking whether the color of certain sequins will fade during wash. Apparently, she had experienced sequin color fading after all the hard work she had put into embroidering a dress. It turned out it was a metallic sequin (fan shaped).

NOT ALL metallic sequins will fade when washed. It depends on the quality of the sequins.

Last night I did an experiment. I took few pieces of metallic purple sequins in my stock (SRC412) and soaked them in a bowl of water. And this morning, when I checked it, the color stayed on the sequin ..yeay...
Next experiment: soak the sequins in soapy water...

So, to the beaders out there, if you're not confident with your sequins, just test them first like I did.

For the list of all the metallic sequins, please go to http://zaimanik.fotopages.com