Welcome to Beadsisters

Project of the Month

Half Persian 3-1 Band This month's Project of the Month is a Half Persian 3-1 Band. The band is essentially sheet half Persian 3-1 but made so that the finished piece is symmetrical. Half Persian 3-1 is a weave that has a back and front, both of which look good so you will be making two bracelets in one. We have made the band in three colours as this helps to learn how to make this weave. The instructions are in our Library and are free - just follow the link. For the instructions, go to click here. For the supplies page, go to click here.

Don't Forget the Library

The Library is intended to help you by being a reference area for all sorts of crafts. Have a look every now and again. One day, it might prove useful for something you are doing. Click the Library button at the top of the menu on the left.

After several requests, we have introduced gift vouchers. These can be bought on-line or via the telephone.

The voucher will have a code printed on the front which can be entered on the check-out page as you are paying, or can be redeemed over the phone against a telephone order.

See the Gift Vouchers page for details, values available and terms of use.

• Check out the What's New page to see what new items have been recently added.
• Can't find what you are looking for? Maybe the Index page will help you to find it.
• Bookmark the site. Make it one of your 'favourites' so that you can easily get back to it.
• Remember that you can click on most pictures to see a larger image. Just click the 'back' button on your browser to get back to the web page.

If you are having problems with the website, or spot something that is wrong, or doesn't work, or if you just want help or advice, please contact us - see Contact Us page.

We pride ourselves on the quality of products available from our website. All items are hand-checked and double-checked prior to being dispatched, ensuring that you receive the best of the best.

All items are sourced from reputable manufacturers, and no items are fake or pertaining to be original when they are not. Since our products are of the highest quality and competatively priced, beware of cheap eastern imports available on less reputable sites. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

"It is unwise to pay too much, but it is worse to pay too little. When you pay too much, you lose a little money ... that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everthing, because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the things it was bought to do.

The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot ... it cannot be done. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run.

And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for the something better."
      [John Ruskin (1819-1900)]

Come and see us at one the bead fairs. Get the chance to see a selection of our beads up close. We usually take a good selection of beads and a wide range of jump rings, amongst other things such as findings, etc.

We don't take everything to the fairs, so if there is something in particular you want to see, let us know and we will make sure we have it with us.

Our next fairs are:

• The North East Bead Fair (19th May 2013) at the Holiday Inn, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
• The Scottish Bead Fair (25th August 2013) at the Perth Concert Hall

If you can't find what you are looking for, click on the 'INDEX' button near the top of the menu on the left hand side. This gives an alphabetically sorted list of stuff on our website with a link allowing you to jump directly to the page with it on.

If you still can't find what you are looking for, give us a call or email us. Even if we don't currently stock it, we may be able to get it for you.
 

Most beads are made from coloured glass and are, by their nature, colourfast and resilient to wear. Some beads, however, have a coating that is applied to the outside of the bead to provide a specific effect, such as a pearlescent finish, a metallic coating, etc. With these types of finish it is possible that excessive rubbing or contact with abrasive surfaces can affect the bead finish, removing the coating and revealing the base glass beneath.

It is also worth noting that many perfumes and hand creams contain petroleum-based oils (such as parfum) that can act as a solvent to certain types of bead finish. Care should therefore be exercised when using such beads in contact with skin or clothing as the colour of the bead may come off.

It is for this reason that we have decided to stop selling metallic finish Matsuno seed beads and metallic finish Miyuki Magatamas. If in doubt, contact us for advice.