How Many Beads Will I Need?

Trying to estimate how many beads you might need to make any given project can be a tough thing to figure out. Seed bead sizes can vary widely, depending on the type of seed bead you are using. There are also slight differences in the weight of seed beads depending on the finish of the bead. Metal seed beads will weigh much more than glass seed beads, resulting in less beads per gram than glass beads.

Use this table to figure out how many seed beads you will need when bead amounts are measured in grams. This table also gives an estimate of how many beads you will need when strung end-to-end.

If you are doing loomwork, square stitch or Ndebele (herringbone) stitch, you can use this table to figure out the approximate number of beads per square inch or per square centimeter.

Remember that the amounts and measurements given in these tables are only estimates. They were calculated by weighing and measure opaque black Japanese seed beads and cylinder beads. Always buy more seed beads than you think you will need for a project to avoid running out in the middle of the project.

Table of Bead Measurements

Type of Bead	How Many Per Gram
15/0 seed bead	290
11/0 cylinder bead	190
11/0 seed beads	110
8/0 seed beads	38
6/0 seed beads	15
How Many Beads Strung Per Linear Measurement
Type of Bead	Per Inch	Per Centimeter
15/0 seed bead	24	9
11/0 cylinder bead	20	7
11/0 seed bead	18	7
8/0 seed bead	13	5
6/0 seed bead	10	4
How Many Beads Per Square Area Measurement
Type of Bead	Per Square Inch	Per Square Centimeter
15/0 seed bead	330	54
11/0 cylinder bead	285	42
11/0 seed bead	216	35
8/0 seed bead	108	20
6/0 seed bead	70	12