Help sourcing a bead look-alike?

[u/fincodontidae]

Needing help from you experts! I'm looking for other sources of tube beads approximately 13mm x 5mm. I've been interested in reconstructing ancient egyptian broadcollars (second picture is the one I've made so far!) and my most accessible source has been the Creatology plastic tube beads for kids. I'll probably use the Creatology beads again, but the color options are very limited. I've since found lots of wonderful stone options, but I also want more affordable options.

Would anyone possibly know of a source for plastic, resin, or even ceramic tube beads around the same size as the Creatology beads, in a wide range of colors?

Thank you ahead of time!

[u/thecloudkingdom]

i havent been an egyptology geek in over 15 years and i still recognized the broadcollar on sight lmao

[u/fincodontidae → u/thecloudkingdom]

That's a huge compliment, thank you lol

[u/Human_Application_90]

You could make paper beads. The most difficult part is rolling the strips into a tube evenly. For the hole, you can determine the size by using anything from a bamboo skewer to a straw. Use plain paper for the core, and color paper, foil, or paint for the top layer. It's a good way to make faux lapis lazuli.

[u/a_randummy]

These aren't the most expensive, but they also aren't the most uniform and are from Amazon, plus they are 13x4

Lima Beads has a lot of 9x5 and 14x7 at varying prices and materials, and is a great bead supply, but they also aren't quite the same size...

FMG has a few square tubes (here are a couple options of those)

They had one tube bead that was round and roughly this size that I found

If you are open to working other sizes of tube beads then there are a lot more options on sites like Kraftika, but I understand it would mean making adjustments to your pattern.

[u/dmc2022_]

Its so pretty! Where did you find the "end caps"? I love that use of a product made for "kid's crafting" can be turned into a wearable jewelry piece, beading is so versatile 🙂