You are seeing them EVERYWHERE at the moment- the hot new Czech Two-Hole Tile Beads. They have all the versatility of their Miyuki counterparts, but the corners are softer and the look more rustic overall. We are seeing them paired with leather and cord this season to create casual, organic feeling bracelets. We say NEW, but they were actually first produced in the Czech Republic (as it is now known!) in the 1930s and recently have been brought back to production!
Miyuki’s Tila Beads have near perfect shapes and holes with crisp, sharp corners and edges. They are so fun to bead with as you can make up a piece with relative ease in a short space of time (unlike those itty bitty seeds). They create great checkerboard effects too, as seen in the video below (ignore where it says ‘tubular peyote stitch’ because it obviously isn’t!):
But they are not the only square shaped beads on the market! If you prefer your square beads to stack and be substantial, you could also try a cube shape. In the glass category there are the Czech Cubes (which we stock in two sizes) and the Miyuki Squares (which we also stock in two sizes). Their differences are similar to the two-holed square beads- the Czech ones are more rounded and soft, whilst the Japanese thread together very neatly due to their consistency of shape and sharp corners.
And of course nothing rivals the brilliance and depth of Swarovski Crystal Cubes. Considerably costlier but worth every penny for the elegance.
What will you create with square-shaped beads this autumn? Share your square bead photos on our Facebook page and you will be entered to win a selection of Japanese and Czech square shaped beads for your beading fun! Entries in by Dec 31st 2012 please:)
