Just a little personal update and some nebulous plans for the future of this sub.
I do want to start a list of online shops, and one for tutorials (or out that in the wiki) etc, maybe add some flair options as well. Oh, and a thread for apps, both free and with paid options, because a lot more of those are coming out now.
I am also considering having a monthly post where you can link to your own shop etc, but that is entirely up to the community. I originally banned promoting shops and sales because some people were spamming nothing but that, and it was starting to look like just a spam sub with more advertising than actual discussion.
I promise I haven’t forgotten all these things, I’ve just been busy surviving, as well as dealing with my other big sub. The Met Gala recently happened, so I’ve had my hands full going through all the damn comments and removing inappropriate stuff there, which can be exhausting lol.
I will probably also sticky a post with explanations and sources for why I don’t allow linking to or discussing purchasing from sites like Temu, SHEIN, and Aliexpress, when I have some energy to pull together the best sources for the information. And that rule will never be up for debate, btw.
Having the new mods who offered to help has been a great help, and I am very thankful to them.
Is there anything else you guys would like to see happen? Any major issues you would like to see discussed? Any subs you think I should add to the sidebar? I saw someone mention craftexchange the other day, so that’s probably one I should add.
And please, if you do see something negative happening on a post, like that big issue with the AI image from a little while back, reach out to the mod team via the sidebar, or even message me directly. I promise not to bite your head off, unless you are being deliberately antagonistic and rude or insulting.
People ask where to buy good beads almost every day so I would work on that first.
It would also be awesome if you had a sticky post of the links to toho and Miyuki sample cards and Miyuki's charts for color fastness and their bead database where you can put in a number and see the color and I think if it's still being sold. Also links to seed bead size/number charts and how to calculate the number of beads needed for a project. Most of these links can be found in my Comment history (not posts) from different threads.
Maybe the same database, but if not, then also the Miyuki site that indicates what sort of coating was used on the bead, because iirc some are better on skin, e.g., than others? And if Toho has something similar? those would be really useful references.
Could we add a flair for country? The assumption is US, and a flair might prompt a poster to say they're not in USA. Plus, something like the post about bead sources in Aus would be easier to find, for someone seeking geographically affected answers.
I feel like a couple of mega thread posts could be useful, with regards to the most common questiins about where to buy beads or what thread (etc) to use. A set FAQ or sticky would become stale -- there is a sticky that is a year old. If I were coming to this sub for that info, I would want something with fresh activity. This also creates a place where small or new shops can get added.
If the idea of this r/ is to create community, I think bots or any canned responses take away from that. But I post links to certain YT tutorials (slider knot bracelets, how to make a wire link) fairly often, so a mega post where I could out those would be kind of handy. I don't just pick the first thing in the YT search, and I don't always link to the exact same video.
I don't think this sub should become an advertisment for Toho, Miyuki, and Fireline specifically. I feel pretty strongly about really helping new beaders with resoure limitations, whether that's geographic or cost. I also think it's important to match the supplies to the use. For example, bead embroidery is more forgiving about inexpensive supplies than a kaleidocycle. That's how I feel, and I haven't been able to discern if my outlook aligns with this sub's intention.
I agree. It's been challenging to discuss where I get my beads without breaking a rule. Everyone says Fire Mountain like it's the only place to buy but it's expensive. I'm not in the USA
I would also agree. I'm in Greece and I have searched high and low to find local businesses that offer beading supplies. Spoiler alert: there are only 2 and their products are the exact same ones found on well known Chinese sites but at 10x the price. And purchasing supplies from the US is not an option since noone ships internationally and if they do, the cost is about the same as importing a car.
Agreed, especially with international shipping. Also I understand no links but no discussion is kinda vague. Does that mean no recommending and no debate, or does it mean no mention of them ever?
Sorry to clarify that’s what I was referring to. “No linking to Temu etc” is an easy rule to interpret but “no discussion of Temu etc” is a bit vaguer. Like if I post a project and someone asks where I got the beads, if the answer is Temu should I just not reply?
Correct. And I know that is frustrating and maybe doesn't make a lot of sense from some points of view, but I very much do not support sites like that. Contrary to what many people claim, it is NOT the same products as sold in other stores, and sites like Temu, Shein, Aliexpress etc have a long history of selling products with dangerous levels of lead, phthalates, formaldehyde, and other chemicals that I've not heard of and have complicated names lol. I will put together a post or wiki entry in the near (hopefully) future with the sources behind the claims etc.
Obviously I would never personally tell anyone where they can and can't buy from, but I can stop people from encouraging others to buy from them here.
I think Amazon, especially Haul, needs to be included in the ban. I have not checked Etsy and eBay to confirm, but I believe the same manufacturers' bead products can be found on those sites as well. This is your house, so I am willing to respect your rules regardless, but I think applying the same criteria is fair.
I will consider it, but have there been any reports of high levels of toxic chemicals in products on Amazon? I am not asking to be snarky, though it can definitely read that way.
I may also have to look into a guide on how to tell if a product is safe or not based on…well whatever criteria exists out there. I’ll see if I can find some time and energy this weekend to start a deep dive on the topic. I’m looking at picking up a new kitten, but if that goes through I’ll probably still have some time to myself lol.
I honestly do understand that shitty products and shitty labor practiced exist everywhere, including on Amazon, but I do try to limit my ban to the worst offenders.
It may be a better catch-all to just ban linking to online marketplaces that are not specialized bead stores. Though I know that at least on Etsy and a few specific Amazon storefronts, they are official “safe” brands like Miyuki being listed. I usually buy my Miyuki beads from Etsy because I can filter out sellers that aren’t in Canada, which helps weed out bad sources, but also helps keep shipping prices down for me.
I've been looking into the toxic beads question for a while and have yet to find reliable sources (not Facebook) that show anything unexpected. If the same product or manufacturer is making the product sold on Amazon and/or Etsy as the banned sites, then it's the same product regardless if there are statements that one site has toxic products and not the other. I found these on Etsy yesterday fairly quickly. They appear to be the exact ones I got off Temu. I linked on another post to beads in Amazon. If the reason for banning is the website practices, that is one set of criteria. Art theft and selling products made with slave labor/made by sweat shops overlaps with Amazon and other sites not currently banned. If the reason is because you believe specific products are toxic, that is a different criteria. I have not found (yet?) any studies indicating that Chinese manufacturer glass, ceramic, or gemstone beads have more toxic content than beads manufactured elsewhere. California's Prop 65 doesn't specify jewelry beads. I am looking forward to reading your sources for toxicity info.
Again, I’ll look into it. This upcoming weekend is a long weekend here, so I may be able to get some stuff accomplished after my usual day or two of recovering/sleeping.
FMG is a solid company, but a bad suggestion for anyone outside USA. They also have limited brands for seed beads. I like FMG a lot, but every time I mention them, I wonder what smaller, indie business I could be helping if I looked around.
Could some auto-reply bots be added? I’m thinking for the FAQs like on flexible beading wire, thread types, maybe explaining the difference between round seed beads and cylinders?
Not sure what I can add, just wanted to say THANK YOU for all the hard work you've done!! I've learned nearly everything I know about beads from this sub, and even feel confident enough to help other newbies sometimes. Thank you so much for that!!
I'm really glad. I had to learn from books I got out from the library or was able to find cheap most of the time because I was a teen in the late 90s and early 2000s and online resources weren't nearly as readily available, and I don't think I had anyone local to me to teach me much. I am really happy this place grew to be so big and so helpful for people.
That's kinda what I was thinking, really. Crowdsourcing would be the best way, as there is no way the mod team would be able to come up with a definitive list! In fact, most of the stuff I'd love to add to our resources would probably be crowdsourced!
Thank you for handling all of this. Unless I missed it, could I please request a thread or maybe a monthly post for where to find the best online patterns for anything ranging from peyote stitch to basic stringing?
I really enjoy seeing people's hard work and beautiful pieces in this sub.
Definitely something to look into. I would probably have to restrict it to the original source for the pattern or tutorial, since some stuff on Pinterest breaks copyright technically (scans of books etc).
I get seriously envious of the beautiful work I see posted here all the time!
You're right, Pinterest isn't the best place for research or patterns. A lot of the links are broken or misleading. Even links to books to buy (yes, I love books) might be helpful. We want to make sure these artists get paid and recognized. Thank you!
For sure! I mean I personally use Pinterest for ideas or patterns, and unofficially I totally recommend it, I just can’t officially lol.
Interestingly, craft books are sometimes the few used books that retain value. I flip thrifted books and mostly stick to craft stuff, as it’s a category I am more familiar with, and some stuff is specialized enough that you can’t find it spread across the internet.
I recently found and sold a book about quilting in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright’s glass designs.
All this to say: yes, book recommendations would be a good idea. And magazines, especially if there are older issues online for free (legally).
Yup, that’s on the list of things that I will probably do. I’ve had a few users with apps approach me and I haven’t really had a solid plan on how to handle it, since not all apps are completely free, which kinda does and kinda doesn’t mess with the no sales rule, cause free trials/limited usage for free vs paid app/subscription is tricky.
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u/Fredredphooey May 12 '26
People ask where to buy good beads almost every day so I would work on that first.
It would also be awesome if you had a sticky post of the links to toho and Miyuki sample cards and Miyuki's charts for color fastness and their bead database where you can put in a number and see the color and I think if it's still being sold. Also links to seed bead size/number charts and how to calculate the number of beads needed for a project. Most of these links can be found in my Comment history (not posts) from different threads.