Beading wire

Beading wire is a flexible cable made of very fine stainless steel strands twisted together and coated in nylon, which keeps it smooth and prevents the metal from tarnishing or fraying against beads. It behaves more like a cord than a solid wire, draping softly while still resisting stretch over time.

Strand count is the main thing that separates one beading wire from another: cables with more strands are generally more flexible and drape better, while cables with fewer strands tend to be a little stiffer and more resistant to kinking. Diameter also varies, and it needs to match both the bead holes and the crimp beads used to finish the ends.

When buying, choose a thickness that suits the beads: thin wire for lightweight seed beads and pearls, thicker wire for heavier stone or glass beads that could eventually saw through something too fine. A common mistake is choosing wire based on price alone and ending up with something too thin for the beads, which shows up later as a kink or a snapped strand inside the coating.