A Wire Guide for Seed Beads

Although I am not a beading expert, I have used a variety of different kinds of beads in many craft projects. From the smallest round seed bead to the larger irregular shaped bead, one thing that often stumps me is the appropriate wire size for a particular seed bead. I also get confused on how many beads are in a hank. According to Wikipedia, a hank is a unit bundle of strands of seed or bugle beads. Each hank holds a different number of beads based on the size of the particular bead. Beads are measured in aughts (a cipher or zero), millimeters and inches. One thing that helps me remember wire and bead sizes is that the higher number of a seed bead, the smaller the bead and wire. I also use a bead chart with the following information.

-Seed bead size 6/0 and 7/0 has 2240 beads in a hank and uses wire size 15 gauge.
-Seed bead size 8/0 and 9/0 has 2960 beads in a hank and uses wire size 18 gauge.
-Seed bead size 10/0 has 3920 beads in a hank and uses wire size 18 gauge.
-Seed bead size 11/0 has 4000 beads in a hank and uses wire size 22 gauge.
-Seed bead size 12/0 has 4720 beads in a hank and uses wire size 22 gauge.
-Seed bead size 13/0 has 4960 beads in a hank and uses wire size 22 gauge.
-Seed bead size 14/0 has 5100 beads in a hank and uses wire size 22 gauge.
-Seed bead size 15/0 has 5300 beads in a hank and uses wire size 24 gauge.
-Seed bead size 16/0 has 5500 beads in a hank and uses wire size 24 gauge.
-Seed bead size 18/0 has 5800 beads in a hank and uses wire size 24 gauge.
-Seed bead size 20/0 has 6000 beads in a hank and uses wire size 24 gauge.
-Seed bead size 22/0 has 6240 beads in a hank and uses wire size 24 gauge.

When working on craft projects I try to remember how many of the type of seed bead I am using is in an inch. 6/0 and 7/0 uses 10 seed beads per inch, 8/0 and 9/0 uses 13 seed beads per inch, 10/0 to 14/0 uses approximately 18 seeds beads per inch, and 15/0 to 22/0 will use up to 27 seed beads per inch. Bead size per inch is important when determining how many beads are needed per length of a necklace or bracelet.

**All sizes are approximate.

Sources: Personal Experience, Fire Mountain Gems