I am making a suncatcher to go outside, hanging on a tree. It will have seed beads (#11 the smallest) as well as large glass beads. What is the strongest wire to use that will go through these beads twice, and will not rust? Do I really need to run the wire through twice?
The answer depends on whether you want the suncatcher to move with the wind or not.
If you are not using a pre-existing wire frame, then the structure of your suncatcher will need to be built using a heavier gauge wire such as 12- to 10-gauge wire-wrapping wire. If you want to wire wrap, we recommend ParaWire™ or Zebra Wire™ for their strength, color and shape options. These copper-based wires are easily work-hardened for durability.
If you want the glass beads and seed beads to move, then .019 Accu-Flex® Beading Wire is an ideal choice for its combination of strength and flexibility. Be sure to crimp properly to secure your work. However, if you want the glass beads and seed beads to remain stationary, opt for wire-wrapping wire in a lighter gauge, such as 20- to 18-gauge wire.
Either way, click through to view each bead or component you are thinking of using and look at the listed hole size to determine the size of beading wire or wrapping wire to use. Size 11 seed beads can have varying hole sizes from .6mm to .8mm depending upon the brand. The size of wire to use is dependent upon the hole sizes of the elements you are using. Use the Wire Gauge Conversion Chart to see what gauge equates to the mm size of the stringing holes of your selected beads. Then choose that gauge wire that is just smaller than your smallest bead hole. If the appropriate gauges are used, you should only need your wire to thread through each bead once.
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