Beading Threads: Which One Should You Use?

Beading thread is important if you are weaving beads. Some people use nylon beading thread, and some use thermally bonded beading threads. But some people also use simple sewing threads. If you cannot access a proper beading thread for some reason, then you might be wondering if you can use sewing thread for your bead weaving projects.

Although nylon beading thread can be found in local stores or online, you might not have access to it due to the reason better known to you. Then the only option is sewing thread, which is commonly found in every household.. 

Can You Use Sewing Thread For Beading?

No, you should not use a sewing thread for beading. Because a sewing thread is not made of cotton or polyester, hence it tends to break easily. But if you want to only practice the art of beading as a beginner and do not intend to use/sell the pieces you create, then you can use sewing thread as it is a lot cheaper.

In this article, you will get information about different types of beading threads and whether you should use them or not.

Beading threads come in different types of materials. The material used for making thread may include polyester, cotton, silk, etc. The material decides the durability and endurance of the thread. So, while doing any thread-related projects, use a thread that does not tend to break easily.

You need a proper beading thread if you want to sell your piece, or if you have a plan to use it in one way or another. Otherwise, your work on which you spent several hours will get damaged and if you sell them then it might affect your sales as customers would be disappointed. 

A regular sewing thread is made of cotton, polyester, or a blend of cotton and polyester. Sewing thread is usually made of short fibers which makes it easy to break. Hence using a sewing thread for beading is not considered the best option.

Types Of Beading Threads

Mostly two types of beading threads are used among the beaders: 

1. Nylon beading thread
2. Thermally bonded thread

The properties of these beading threads are given below:

Nylon Beading Thread

Nylon beading thread is made up of polyamide polymer and has remarkable strength. Due to its strength, its fiber is used to make ropes. Nylon threads are strong and multi-stranded.

Previously, Nymo was a brand that sold nylon beading threads but now there are a lot of brands in the market selling this thread.

Pros

• Nylon threads are easily accessible. You can easily find them in your local craft store or online. 
• They are also pretty cheap as compared to other beading threads.
• As nylon beading thread is thin, it can be passed through the same bead twice if needed during bead stitching.
• You can easily cut it using a normal pair of scissors.

Cons

As everything has its pros and cons, unfortunately, nylon beading thread also has some defects.

• It can easily get knots and tangles even if you try to untangle it regularly. The knot that forms is often difficult to be fixed. 
• If this happens while you are working, then you will have to split the thread which does not look good and that can separate the beads easily.

Tip: You can coat nylon thread with wax or a thread conditioner to prevent tangling.

Thermally Bonded Thread

Thermally bonded thread is made by heating different synthetic fibers together until they melt or fuse. Usually, brands like wildfire and Fireline are trusted.

Originally thermally bonded thread was developed as a fishing line, but later it was discovered that they can be used as better threads for beading.

Pros:

• Whether you condition them or not, they do not get as many tangles or knots as nylon threads do. Hence, these thermally bonded threads are considered the favorite threads of beaders. 
• They are usually pre-conditioned.
• Bonded threads are easily accessible, you can get them from your local craft store, online, or sports shops in the fishing section.
• They are stretch-resistant and waterproof.

Cons:

• The first con is that these are pretty expensive. 
• They do not come in a huge variety of colors. 
• You will only find a few colors like black, white, green, or red. 
• The color is also left on your fingers while working with them.

Tip: Wipe the thread with a damp cloth to prevent the color from coming on your fingers.

Comparison Between Wildfire And Fireline Threads:

Both of them are thermally bonded threads. Both are almost the same except for a few differences.

Wildfire	Fireline
It is made by a company called Beadalon which is a bead company.	It is manufactured by Berkeley, which is a fishing company, but somehow beaders found out that the fire line works as a better beading thread.
One of the good points is that it comes in 6 colors (White, black, red, green, blue, and grey). The colored bead looks good with transparent beads.	It comes in only 3 colors (Black satin, smoke, and crystal).
It comes in only 2 sizes, which are .006 and .008 inches.	Most beaders use 6lb/.006 inches for their beading projects.
	Note: It comes in pound weight because it was originally a fishing line but in beading, pound weight doesn’t matter so you have to calculate it in inches.

Now both of them are great threads. Both are thin so they can easily pass through needles and beads, and are also strong, stretch resistant, and waterproof. Fireline comes in various sizes while wildfire comes in different colors. So, I would recommend you try both or go for the one with your desired properties.

Size Of Beading Thread

The thinner the thread, the better it is. 

If a thread is thin, then it can easily pass through a bead. Moreover, it can easily go around a bead twice or more if needed.

While looking for the size of a thread, focus on the diameter of the thread.

Beading threads have sizes written on them in inches. For example, .008 inches. In some cases(on Fireline) the size is mentioned in pounds, which is not of any use to the beaders. 

Conclusion

So which thread is better for beading? To be honest, there is no answer for that. Because in the end, everyone’s choice is different, but you should try different types of beading threads to see what works best for you. 

If you have just started beading and are still practicing it then you can definitely use the common sewing thread but avoid it if you are going to use the piece you create. To conclude it all, it is good to try all the options and then opt for whatever best suits you and remember, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO EXPERIMENT!