Seed bead sizes: which bead fits your fabric
A bead is sewn into a cell of the canvas — so the canvas sets the size of the work, not the bead. That leaves one question: which number fits the cell.
Updated
Seed bead size chart
A seed bead size is a rough count of beads per inch of strung thread: the bigger the number, the smaller the bead. So 15/0 is the smallest in the chart and 6/0 the largest. The last column is the canvas whose cell comes closest to the bead.
| Size | Diameter, mm | Diameter, in | Fabric with the closest cell |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6/0 | 4.0 | 0.16 | Aida 11 |
| 8/0 | 3.0 | 0.12 | Aida 11 |
| 10/0 | 2.3 | 0.09 | Aida 11 |
| 11/0 | 2.1 | 0.08 | Aida 11 |
| 15/0 | 1.5 | 0.06 | Aida 16 |
The commonest mistake in sizing beadwork is to measure from the bead. It sounds reasonable: if a 10/0 bead is 2.3 mm, a hundred of them make 23 cm. They do not. A bead is sewn into a cell of the canvas, and the spacing between neighboring beads is set by the canvas. The bead may be a little smaller or a little larger than the cell without changing the finished size at all.
So beadwork is sized exactly like cross stitch: stitches divided by canvas density. The difference is in the look — the surface comes out raised and glossy — and in having to pick a bead number.
The cell in millimeters
Choosing comes down to a single number: the side of the canvas cell. It follows from the density — ten millimeters divided by the stitches per centimeter. Then you look for the nearest bead diameter.
| Fabric | Stitches per cm | Cell, mm | Bead | ± |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aida 14 | 5.51 | 1.81 | 11/0 | 0.29 |
| Aida 11 | 4.33 | 2.31 | 10/0 | 0.01 |
| Aida 16 | 6.30 | 1.59 | 15/0 | 0.09 |
| Aida 18 | 7.09 | 1.41 | 15/0 | 0.09 |
| Evenweave 28 ct | 5.51 | 1.81 | 11/0 | 0.29 |
| Evenweave 32 ct | 6.30 | 1.59 | 15/0 | 0.09 |
That last column matters more than the one before it. On Aida 11 the match is almost exact — 0.01 mm out, and a 10/0 sits in the cell as if made for it. On Aida 14, the most popular canvas of all, no exact number exists: the cell is 1.81 mm and the nearest bead, 11/0, is 2.1 mm — 0.29 mm too big. It sits slightly tighter than ideal, which is why descriptions say "closest" rather than "correct".
What happens with the wrong number
- Smaller than the cell — canvas shows between the beads and the work looks sparse. Only tinting the fabric to match will save it.
- Larger than the cell — beads push against each other and stop lying straight. The row starts to wander, and no amount of tension fixes that.
- A gap of up to 0.2–0.3 mm is workable. That is exactly the tolerance Aida 14 and 11/0 fall into, and exactly why that pairing is the most common one.
Bead sizes vary between makers: an 11/0 from a Czech supplier and a Japanese one are not always the same number. So treat the table above as a guide for buying, not a law. If you can, hold a few beads against the actual canvas before committing to a full pack.
The chart itself is the same one you would use for cross stitch: one cell, one bead. In the builder it helps to switch the cells to circles — the chart then reads much closer to what will end up on the fabric.
In short
- Which bead size goes with which canvas?
- The bead should match the canvas cell. On Aida 11 the cell is 2.31 mm and a 10/0 fits; on Aida 14 the cell is 1.81 mm and 11/0 is closest; on dense Aida 18 the cell is 1.41 mm and you need 15/0. A gap of up to 0.2–0.3 mm is workable.
- Does the bead itself set the size of the work?
- No. A bead is sewn into a cell of the canvas, so the spacing is set by the canvas, not by the bead diameter. Beadwork is sized like cross stitch: stitch count divided by canvas density.
The numbers and charts on this page are computed by the same code as the builder.