Beginner's Guide to Beading: Essential Supplies You Need

Thinking about getting into beading and jewellery making? You've come to the right place. The good news is that you don't need a lot of equipment to get started — just a few quality supplies and some beautiful natural gemstone beads. Here's everything a beginner needs to begin their beading journey.

1. Natural Gemstone Beads

The beads are the star of the show! For beginners, we recommend starting with round beads in 6mm or 8mm — they're uniform in shape, easy to thread, and look stunning in any design.

Here are some brilliant starter choices from our collection:

• Black Onyx AAA+ Round Beads – A timeless classic. Sleek, polished, and incredibly versatile.
• Blue Aventurine AA Round Beads – A soft blue-grey with a gentle shimmer. Perfect for calming, everyday jewellery.
• Fluorite AAA Round Beads – Stunning multi-colour banding in purples and greens. No two beads are alike.
• Dalmatian Jasper Round Beads – Fun, playful, and great for gifting.
• Amazonite AAA Round Beads – A gorgeous teal-green that pairs beautifully with gold or silver findings.

All our beads are sold as full strands (15–15.5"), giving you plenty to work with for multiple projects.

2. Beading Thread

The right thread makes all the difference. For natural gemstone beads, silk thread is the gold standard — it's strong, flexible, and has a beautiful drape that synthetic threads can't match.

Our Natural Silk Thread 0.6mm with Needle is ideal for beginners. It comes with a needle already attached, so you can start threading straight away without any fiddly setup. It's suitable for bracelets, necklaces, and knotted designs.

3. Scissors

A small, sharp pair of scissors is essential for cutting thread cleanly. Embroidery scissors or nail scissors work perfectly — the smaller the better for precision trimming near knots.

4. A Bead Mat

A bead mat (or even a folded towel) is a simple but invaluable tool. It stops your beads from rolling off the table and lets you lay out your design before you start stringing. Most craft shops sell dedicated bead mats for just a few pounds.

5. A Ruler or Tape Measure

You'll need to measure your wrist or neck to get the right bracelet or necklace length. A standard adult bracelet is 17–19cm; a choker necklace is around 40cm. Always measure before you cut your thread!

6. Clasps and Findings (Optional)

If you want a professional finish with a proper clasp, you'll need jewellery findings — these include lobster clasps, toggle clasps, jump rings, and crimp beads. These are available from most craft shops and online jewellery suppliers. As a beginner, you can also simply tie your bracelet with a knot and skip the clasp entirely.

7. Clear Jewellery Glue (Optional)

A tiny drop of clear jewellery glue on your knots adds extra security and peace of mind. It dries invisible and keeps your knots from loosening over time.

Your First Project

Once you have your supplies, why not try making a simple beaded bracelet? It's the perfect first project — quick to complete, satisfying to wear, and easy to customise. Check out our step-by-step bracelet guide to get started.

Shop Your Starter Kit

Browse our full range of natural gemstone beads and pick up your Natural Silk Thread to get everything you need in one place. All our beads are AA or AAA grade — quality you can see and feel. Happy beading!