For my bead stitchery I just LOVE FireLine! It is strong, doesn't stretch, and is great with sharp-edged crystals and other similar beads. It comes in "smoke" and "crystal" colors in 4#, 6#, and 8# tensile strength. I almost always use the 6# FireLine. The smoke color blends in nicely with any kind of stitchery using blues, greens, purples, reds, darker and/or more vibrant colors. The crystal color is really whitish in character, so I use it more often for pale and light-colored bead designs, or in designs where the thread just doesn't show.

But look at all of the different colors available in Nymo beading thread! This is a color-grouping of 10 different colors that came in a tube. I purchased it at a  local bead store. Nymo comes in different weights. So far I've used "D" weight, which is I think a little heavier than 6# FireLine. A step down is "B" weight, which I've just started using. So much depends on how big the beads are that you are stitching. If you're making many passes through tiny 11o or 15o seed beads, the lighter weight thread would be a better bet.

I always prep my threads with beeswax, Thread Heaven, or both! It seems to give the thread a little more "body." I find that Nymo thread is a little more difficult to thread onto a needle (size D on a size 12 beading needle.) If anyone has a hint, please share! I've been a bit frustrated managing this task. I even tried a needle-threader but broke it on the first past!

Either way, you can't go wrong with either FireLine or Nymo.

The Little "Beaded Bead"

I am fascinated with beaded beads. If you're not familiar with this term, a beaded bead is a selection of different beads and crystals hand stitched into a compact little ball shape. The bead can be used just like real beads incorporated into different designs. Recently, I've taken a single pattern and have created variations on a theme using different colors, different sized beads, crystals, seed beads, etc. See what you think. Which one do you like best? My personal favorite it the necklace I created with dark hematite-finish chain and hand-stitched beads made with opal-look Swarovski crystals (third and last pictures.)

All are available on www.noellelabellejwelry.etsy.com