Seed Bead Charts & Sizing Guide

Every seed bead number worth knowing, in one place: measured size and hole tolerances, how many beads fit on an inch, which needle and thread to reach for, and how many beads come in a hank, kilo, or gram. Built from manufacturer specifications and our own lot measurements.

Sizing & Tolerances

Diameter & hole tolerances, strung beads per inch, and needle/thread guidance • Updated July 27, 2026

Preciosa Seed Bead Tolerances
Series	Size	Diameter Range (mm)	Hole Range (mm)	Beads / Inch (strung)	Needle Size	Recommended Thread
Rocaille	16/0	1.30 – 1.40	0.35 – 0.40	26–28	13–15	≤0.12mm: Nymo OO/B, KO, fine silk (needle 15 may be required)
Rocaille	15/0	1.40 – 1.50	0.40 – 0.45	24–26	13–15	≤0.12mm: Nymo OO/B, KO, fine silk
Rocaille	14/0	1.50 – 1.60	0.40 – 0.45	23–24	13–15	≤0.12mm: Nymo OO/B, KO, fine silk
Rocaille	13/0	1.60 – 1.80	0.50 – 0.55	20–23	12–15	≤0.12mm: Nymo OO/B, KO, fine silk
Rocaille	12/0	1.80 – 2.00	0.60 – 0.65	18–20	12–13	0.10-0.14mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B; FireLine 4 lb
Rocaille	11/0	2.00 – 2.20	0.70 – 0.75	16–18	12–13	0.10-0.14mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B; FireLine 4 lb
Rocaille	10/0	2.20 – 2.40	0.75 – 0.80	15–16	10–12	0.12-0.18mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B/D; FireLine 4-6 lb
Rocaille	9/0	2.40 – 2.80	0.85 – 0.90	13–15	10–12	0.12-0.18mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B/D; FireLine 4-6 lb
Rocaille	8/0	2.80 – 3.20	0.95 – 1.00	11–13	10–12	0.12-0.18mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B/D; FireLine 4-6 lb
Rocaille	7/0	3.20 – 3.70	1.05 – 1.10	10–11	10–12	0.15-0.25mm: Nymo D/F, C-Lon fine; FireLine 6 lb
Rocaille	6/0	3.70 – 4.30	1.15 – 1.25	8–10	10–12	0.15-0.25mm: Nymo D/F, C-Lon fine; FireLine 6 lb
Rocaille	5/0	4.30 – 4.80	1.40 – 1.50	~8	10–12	0.15-0.25mm: Nymo D/F, C-Lon fine; FireLine 6 lb
Rocaille	4/0	4.80 – 5.30	1.50 – 1.60	7–8	10–12	0.15-0.25mm: Nymo D/F, C-Lon fine; FireLine 6 lb
Rocaille	3/0	5.30 – 5.80	1.70 – 1.80	6–7	8–10	0.20-0.40mm: C-Lon, S-Lon AA, Nymo D/F; FireLine 6-8 lb
Rocaille	2/0	5.80 – 6.30	1.90 – 2.00	~6	8–10	0.20-0.40mm: C-Lon, S-Lon AA, Nymo D/F; FireLine 6-8 lb
Rocaille	1/0	6.30 – 6.80	2.00 – 2.10	5–6	8–10	0.20-0.40mm: C-Lon, S-Lon AA, Nymo D/F; FireLine 6-8 lb
Potato	31	6.80 – 7.30	2.10 – 2.20	~5	8–10	0.20-0.40mm: C-Lon, S-Lon AA, Nymo D/F; FireLine 6-8 lb
Potato	32	7.30 – 7.80	2.20 – 2.40	~5	8–10	0.20-0.40mm: C-Lon, S-Lon AA, Nymo D/F; FireLine 6-8 lb
Potato	33	7.80 – 8.30	2.50 – 2.70	4–5	8–10	0.20-0.40mm: C-Lon, S-Lon AA, Nymo D/F; FireLine 6-8 lb
Potato	34	8.30 – 8.80	2.80 – 3.00	~4	8–10	0.20-0.40mm: C-Lon, S-Lon AA, Nymo D/F; FireLine 6-8 lb

Miyuki Seed Bead Tolerances
Series	Size	Diameter Range (mm)	Hole Range (mm)	Beads / Inch (strung)	Needle Size	Recommended Thread
Delica	15/0	1.30 – 1.35	0.65 – 0.70	~22	10–12	0.12-0.18mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B/D; FireLine 4-6 lb
Delica	11/0	1.60 – 1.65	0.80 – 0.85	~20	10–12	0.15-0.25mm: KO, One-G, Nymo D/F; FireLine 6 lb
Delica	10/0	2.25 – 2.35	1.00 – 1.10	~15	10–12	0.15-0.25mm: KO, One-G, Nymo D/F; FireLine 6 lb
Delica	8/0	2.95 – 3.05	1.50 – 1.60	~9	8–10	0.20-0.40mm: C-Lon, Nymo D/F; FireLine 6-8 lb
Round	15/0	1.45 – 1.55	0.70 – 0.75	23–25	12–13	0.10-0.14mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B; FireLine 4 lb
Round	11/0	1.95 – 2.05	0.80 – 0.85	18–19	10–12	0.12-0.18mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B/D; FireLine 4-6 lb
Round	8/0	2.90 – 3.10	1.10 – 1.20	12–13	10–12	0.15-0.25mm: Nymo D/F, C-Lon fine; FireLine 6 lb
Round	6/0	3.85 – 4.15	1.50 – 1.60	~9	8–10	0.20-0.40mm: C-Lon, S-Lon AA, Nymo D/F; FireLine 6-8 lb

SVC Antique Venetian Seed Bead Tolerances
Series	Size	Diameter Range (mm)	Hole Range (mm)	Beads / Inch (strung)	Needle Size	Recommended Thread
Antique	24/0	0.85 – 0.95	0.20 – 0.25	38–43	13–15	0.06-0.10mm: very fine silk only; test every lot
Antique	22/0	1.00 – 1.10	0.25 – 0.30	33–36	13–15	0.06-0.10mm: very fine silk only; test every lot
Antique	20/0	1.10 – 1.25	0.30 – 0.40	29–33	12–15	0.08-0.12mm: fine silk, KO, Nymo OO/B
Antique	18/0	1.25 – 1.40	0.35 – 0.45	26–29	12–15	0.08-0.12mm: fine silk, KO, Nymo OO/B
Antique	16/0	1.40 – 1.60	0.40 – 0.50	23–26	11–13	0.10-0.14mm: KO, One-G, Nymo OO/B, fine silk
Antique	14/0	1.60 – 1.80	0.45 – 0.55	20–23	11–13	0.10-0.14mm: KO, One-G, Nymo OO/B, fine silk
Antique	13/0	1.75 – 1.95	0.50 – 0.60	19–21	11–13	0.10-0.14mm: KO, One-G, Nymo OO/B, fine silk
Antique	12/0	1.80 – 2.10	0.50 – 0.60	17–20	10–12	0.10-0.18mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B/D; FireLine 4 lb after testing
Antique	11/0	2.20 – 2.50	0.60 – 0.70	15–16	10–12	0.10-0.18mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B/D; FireLine 4 lb after testing
Antique	10/0	2.40 – 2.70	0.70 – 0.80	13–15	10–12	0.10-0.18mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B/D; FireLine 4 lb after testing
Antique	9/0	2.70 – 3.00	0.80 – 0.90	12–13	10–12	0.10-0.18mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B/D; FireLine 4 lb after testing
Antique	8/0	3.00 – 3.30	0.90 – 1.00	11–12	10–12	0.12-0.18mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B/D; FireLine 4-6 lb after testing
Antique	6/0	3.80 – 4.30	1.00 – 1.20	8–10	10–12	0.15-0.25mm: Nymo D/F, C-Lon fine; FireLine 6 lb after testing
Antique	1/0	6.20 – 6.80	1.90 – 2.10	5–6	8–10	0.20-0.40mm: C-Lon, S-Lon AA, Nymo D/F

Éclats De Perles Seed Bead Tolerances
Series	Size	Diameter Range (mm)	Hole Range (mm)	Beads / Inch (strung)	Needle Size	Recommended Thread
Vintage	12/0	1.80 – 1.95	0.50 – 0.60	19–20	12–13	0.10-0.14mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B; FireLine 4 lb
Vintage	11/0	2.00 – 2.15	0.60 – 0.70	17–18	12–13	0.10-0.14mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B; FireLine 4 lb
Vintage	10/0	2.20 – 2.40	0.70 – 0.80	15–16	10–12	0.12-0.18mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B/D; FireLine 4-6 lb
Vintage	9/0	2.50 – 2.70	0.80 – 0.90	13–15	10–12	0.12-0.18mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B/D; FireLine 4-6 lb
Vintage	8/0	2.90 – 3.15	0.90 – 1.05	12–13	10–12	0.12-0.18mm: KO, One-G, Nymo B/D; FireLine 4-6 lb
Vintage	7/0	3.40 – 3.65	not documented	10–11	10–12	0.15-0.25mm: Nymo D/F, C-Lon fine; FireLine 6 lb

Delicas and Czech rounds are not interchangeable

A Delica and a Czech round at the same aught size have different footprints — Delicas build flatter, more pixel-like beadwork, and row counts will drift if you substitute one for the other in a pattern. Always swatch before switching families.

Transparent holes run larger than opaque

Per Preciosa's official spec, transparent and crystal colors have larger minimum holes than opaque colors at the same size — at 11/0 it's 0.70mm vs. 0.60mm. That's why the same thread can glide through a silver-lined bead and bind in an opaque one. When in doubt, step one thread size finer for opaques.

Working with micro beads (16/0 and finer)

Due to their extremely small size, micro beads may not be suitable for all beading projects. We recommend a beading tray and a fine beading needle (size 13–15) for best results.

Notes & Method

Beads per inch (strung): beads threaded snugly end-to-end (loom weft / strand direction). Rounds sit shorter than their diameter on the thread: count = 25.4mm ÷ (0.70 × diameter), computed across the diameter range. Delica counts use official Miyuki cylinder lengths (15/0: 1.15mm, 11/0: 1.30mm, 10/0: 1.70mm, 8/0: 2.75mm).
Loom warp direction: row-to-row spacing in loomwork equals bead diameter, so rows per inch ≈ 25.4 ÷ diameter (e.g., 11/0 Preciosa ≈ 12 rows/inch).
Needle & thread: English beading needle sizes (higher = finer). Thread guidance is maximum safe diameter for 2+ passes; silver-lined, dyed, and transparent colors can run tighter — step one size finer when in doubt.
SVC Antique Venetian & Éclats De Perles: antique beads are measured from original stock and sizing is approximate — holes are undocumented and vary lot to lot. Always test-thread a sample before committing to a project, and pre-sort beads before count-critical work. Counts for antique and vintage lots are estimates.
Éclats De Perles 7/0: hole range was missing in the source document and is not documented.

Packaging & Quantities

Czech Rocailles — by the hank

Preciosa Ornela rocailles are our most popular seed bead and the workhorse of the bead world — round, slightly squat, and available in more colors, sizes, and finishes than any other family we carry. Sizes 15/0 through 8/0 are sold by the hank.

Shop Czech Rocailles

Rocaille hank quantities
Size	Beads per Hank	Hanks per Kilo
15/0	5300	48
14/0	5100	44
13/0	4960	36
12/0	4720	28
11/0	4000	24
10/0	3920	20
8/0	2960	12

Charlotte & True Cut — by the hank

Charlottes and True Cuts are round seed beads with a single ground facet. That one flat side catches the light irregularly, adding sparkle and depth a plain round can't match. A Charlotte is simply a True Cut in size 13/0. Buy a few more than the pattern calls for — nobody wants to be a day late and a bead short.

Shop Charlottes & True Cuts

Charlotte and True Cut hank quantities
Size	Beads per Hank	Hanks per Kilo
15/0	5300	60
13/0	3000	72
11/0	4000	26
10/0	3920	22
8/0	246 beads per strand	144 strands

Not intended for children under 12 years of age. Some metallic and galvanized colors are not colorfast — see Care & Storage.

Large Seed Beads — by the strand

Our largest rocailles — sizes 6/0 up through the 31–34 "potato" rarity sizes, often called crow or pony beads — have generous holes suited to leather, hemp, and thicker cords. Bold color, chunky texture, and quick coverage for statement jewelry and décor.

Shop Large Seed Beads

Large seed bead strand quantities
Size	Beads per Strand	Strands per Kilo
6/0	180	72
4/0	155	64
3/0	125	36
2/0	120	38
1/0	105	30
31	90	26
32	85	22
33	80	18

Miyuki Delicas — by the gram

Delicas are precision cylinder beads, and their uniformity is the whole point: rows line up, patterns stay crisp, and peyote or loom work reads like pixels. They're sold by the gram — here's what a gram actually gets you.

Shop Miyuki Delicas

Delica quantities per gram
Code (Size)	Beads per Gram	Beads per 100 Grams
DB (11/0)	200	20,000
DBS (15/0)	350	35,000
DBM (10/0)	108	10,800
DBL (8/0)	45	4,500

Cut Delicas (DBC, DBSC, DBMC, DBLC) run the same counts as their round counterparts.

Bulk reference: beads per kilo & pound (official Preciosa counts)

Preciosa rocaille counts per kilo and pound
Size	Beads per Kilo (approx.)	Beads per Pound (approx.)
15/0	625,000	283,500
14/0	325,000	147,420
13/0	291,000	131,998
12/0	165,000	74,844
11/0	130,000	58,968
10/0	91,000	41,278
9/0	68,000	30,845
8/0	42,000	19,051
7/0	21,100	9,571
6/0	13,300	6,033
5/0	12,100	5,489
4/0	7,400	3,357
3/0	5,300	2,404
2/0	4,800	2,177
1/0	3,800	1,724
31	3,000	1,361
32	2,500	1,134
33	2,200	998
34	1,800	816

Preciosa bugle bead counts per kilo and pound
Bugle Size (length)	Beads per Kilo (approx.)	Beads per Pound (approx.)
0.5" (1.6mm)	140,800	63,867
1" (2.3mm)	100,100	45,405
1.5" (3.4mm)	67,600	30,663
2" (4.6mm)	49,100	22,272
3" (6.8mm)	23,000	10,433
4" (9.0mm)	18,100	8,210
5" (11.3mm)	13,200	5,988
6" (13.5mm)	10,070	4,568
6.7" (15mm)	7,700	3,493
8.9" (20mm)	5,900	2,676
11.1" (25mm)	4,500	2,041
13.3" (30mm)	3,700	1,678
15.6" (35mm)	3,050	1,383

Bugle sizes are designated in inches (") by Preciosa as a legacy convention, though the actual measurement is in millimeters. Source: official Preciosa Ornela specifications.

Beads per Length

Planning a strand? Approximate bead counts for common finished lengths, by bead size in millimeters. These are for round beads measured in mm — for aught-sized seed beads, use the strung beads-per-inch column in Sizing & Tolerances.

Approximate beads per strand length
Bead Size	1 inch	7 inches	9 inches	12 inches	16 inches	20 inches	24 inches
2mm	12.25	85.75	110.25	147	196	220.5	294
3mm	8.25	57.75	74.25	99	132	165	198
4mm	6.25	43.75	56.25	75	100	125	150
5mm	4.25	29.75	38.25	51	68	85	102
6mm	3.25	22.75	29.25	39	52	65	78
8mm	2.25	15.75	20.25	27	36	45	54
10mm	1.6	11.2	14.4	19.2	25.6	32	38.4
12mm	1.35	9.45	12.15	16.2	21.6	27	32.4
14mm	0.85	5.95	7.65	10.2	13.6	17	20.4
16mm	0.65	4.55	5.85	7.8	10.4	13	15.6

Care & Storage

Glass seed beads are tougher than they look, but finishes vary. From official Preciosa Ornela product specifications, plus our own experience:

Cosmetics & perspiration: ordinary cosmetics and normal perspiration don't affect glass or its surface treatment under everyday decorative use.
Washing: a color wash cycle up to 40°C (100°F) with a non-bleach liquid detergent won't harm standard seed beads. For embroidery with delicate finishes, hand washing with mild soap is the gentler choice.
Storage: store beads in a dry, dark place for maximum shelf life and color fastness.
Silver-lined colors: the lining can change color with exposure to sulphur, acid, or chlorine, and decays if the silver surface is scratched. Extreme heat and humidity can discolor it.
Metallic, galvanized & dyed finishes: these are the most delicate finishes and may not be colorfast. Test before use, avoid excessive sunlight and chemicals, and remove jewelry before washing and bathing. Duracoat and glass-body colors are the most durable.
Friction: surface treatments are wear-resistant, but excessive rubbing can cause partial finish loss — inside-coated beads deserve extra care, since scratched holes lead to gradual color loss.

Miyuki Delica Part Number Converter

Working from a pattern that calls out Delica numbers? Type a Miyuki number (or one of our part numbers) below to find the match in our catalog.

Delica number to Shipwreck Beads part number
Delica #	Our #
DB001	14SD309
DB002	14SD579-D
DB003	14SD588
DB004	14SD599-T
DB005	14SD579
DB006	14SD309-AB
DB007	14SD558
DB010	14SD109
DB011	14SD883
DB012	14SD898-AB
DB021	14SD815
DB022	14SD555
DB022L	14SD555-LT
DB023	14SD555-AB
DB024	14SD587
DB026	14SD817
DB027	14SD586
DB029	14SD557
DB031	14SD854
DB033	14SD754
DB034	14SD854-LT
DB035	14SD812
DB037	14SD7212
DB038	14SD815-P
DB040	14SD857-P
DB041	14SD412
DB042	14SD454
DB044	14SD472
DB045	14SD433
DB046	14SD482
DB047	14SD474
DB048	14SD405
DB050	14SD312-T
DB051	14SD512-T
DB053	14SD722-AB
DB054	14SD736-AB
DB056	14SD796
DB058	14SD776-AB
DB059	14SD798-AB
DB060	14SD782-AB
DB062	14SD790-AB
DB063	14SD764-AB
DB069	14SD791-AB
DB071	14SD792-AB
DB073	14SD798
DB076	14SD762-AB
DB077	14SD766-AB
DB079	14SD767-AB
DB080	14SD795-AB
DB082	14SD591-T
DB085	14SD763-AB
DB103	14SD344-GL
DB104	14SD593-T
DB105	14SD547-T
DB106	14SD392
DB107	14SD305-AB
DB108	14SD396-T
DB111	14SD306-AB
DB112	14SD386
DB115	14SD358-GL
DB116	14SD348
DB117	14SD397
DB124	14SD583-T
DB128	14SD599-GL
DB135	14SD897
DB141	14SD212
DB144	14SD455
DB145	14SD422
DB148	14SD487
DB150	14SD459
DB157	14SD551
DB165	14SD576
DB167	14SD172-AB
DB177	14SD563-T
DB183	14SD479
DB200	14SD112
DB202	14SD612-AB
DB203	14SD622
DB204	14SD651
DB205	14SD651-2
DB206	14SD136
DB207	14SD336-PL
DB208	14SD352
DB209	14SD304
DB211	14SD311
DB214	14SD544
DB216	14SD578
DB217	14SD164
DB221	14SD410
DB234	14SD691
DB243	14SD673
DB249	14SD697
DB251	14SD815-L
DB253	14SD394
DB262	14SD382
DB267	14SD367-BL
DB272	14SD756-AB
DB274	14SD783
DB282	14SD748
DB287	14SD759-AB
DB295	14SD746-AB
DB296	14SD548-T
DB301	14SD807-M
DB306	14SD808-M
DB307	14SD817-M
DB310	14SD109-M
DB312	14SD857-M
DB322	14SD856-M
DB323	14SD599-M
DB324	14SD588-M
DB327	14SD586-M
DB340	14SD857-PM
DB351	14SD112-M
DB352	14SD151-M
DB353	14SD152-M
DB354	14SD191-M
DB355	14SD194-M
DB356	14SD196-M
DB361	14SD174-M
DB362	14SD346-M
DB373	14SD584-M
DB374	14SD180-SM
DB377	14SD878-M
DB2051	14SD741-LM
DB2053	14SD786-LM
DB2102	14SD123-D
DB2103	14SD133-D
DB2104	14SD134-D
DB2107	14SD153-D
DB2108	14SD154-D
DB2109	14SD155-D
DB2111	14SD136-D
DB2112	14SD136-1D
DB2114	14SD143-D
DB2115	14SD193-D
DB2116	14SD192-D
DB2117	14SD192-1D
DB2118	14SD195-D
DB2119	14SD146-D
DB2121	14SD181-D
DB2122	14SD182-D
DB2123	14SD183-D
DB2124	14SD183-1D
DB2125	14SD182-1D
DB2126	14SD184-D
DB2127	14SD186-D
DB2128	14SD162-D
DB2129	14SD171-D
DB2130	14SD163-D
DB2131	14SD186-1D
DB2132	14SD173-D
DB2133	14SD164-D
DB2134	14SD174-D
DB2135	14SD175-D
DB2136	14SD196-D
DB2137	14SD195-1D
DB2138	14SD196-1D
DB2139	14SD197-D
DB2140	14SD198-D
DB2142	14SD157-D
DB2151	14SD456-D
DB2152	14SD442-D
DB2153	14SD492-D
DB2154	14SD493-D

No matches — double-check the number, or ask us and we'll track it down.