What is a stopper bead?

Stopper beads are small metal beads with a rubber or silicone washer inside the hole. This washer is stretchable and will lock slightly onto the wire(s) used, without being a permanent fixture. They can therefore be removed.

They are available in different types of metal: Gold Filled, 925 Sterling Silver, Fine gold plated brass, silver-plated brass, stainless steel, rose gold, bronze, etc. They also come in a variety of shapes. Some are simple round beads or fancy shapes, others have a ring to add a charm, and some are double. Double stopper beads, in particular, can be used as a clasp or to create multi-strand jewelry.

How do I use a stopper bead?

There are three main uses for these beads:

• As an adjustable clasp.
• To block beads in the center of a necklace, a pair of earrings or a bracelet.
• To prevent beads from falling out of a pair of hoop earrings.

How to choose a bead stopper for your jewelry?

Normally, the hole size is indicated on each bead product sheet. If this information is missing, don't hesitate to ask our customer service department.

As the rubber washer is stretchable, you need to take a bead with a hole the same size as your wire if you want it to slide easily, or take a bead with a hole smaller than your wire.
If you need to run your wire twice through the bead, as is the case when using it as a clasp, then make sure that the hole is just a little smaller than twice the diameter of your wire.
When we use the word "wire" here, we also mean the wire of a creole, for example.
If the wire is soft and flattens easily, you can use a much smaller hole.

Bead / wire compatibility

It's hard to give a perfect rule of thumb as to which stopper beads are compatible with which wires. Indeed, between a rigid and a soft wire, the bead's ability to stay blocked will be different. What's more, some wires only have an approximate or rounded dimension given by the manufacturer. It's best to go by what has already been tested in our tutorials. You can also use the table below with a few examples.

"Stop Perles" means that the bead stopper passes over a single wire and blocks the beads.
"Clasp" means that the wire can pass through twice and the bead can be used as a clasp.

How do I thread a flexible wire through a stopper bead?

As the hole is small, it becomes very complicated to pass the thread through the bead without a needle. However, sometimes the needles compatible with your thread are too big to pass through the bead, and when you have to pass the thread twice through the bead, it becomes even more complicated. The trick is to wrap a slightly stiff wire around the thread to create a sort of homemade needle. This technique also works with chain. Attach the wire to the last link of the chain.

There are also flexible wires with a fine needle pre-attached to them. These woven nylon or silk wires are very practical. Remember to fully unwind the wire from the insert, so that you can use the end of the wire first. This way, you can keep the needle until you've used up all the thread.

Examples of stopper bead use

As mentioned, stopper beads can be used to secure beads to a support or as a sliding clasp. Here's how to attach them in these different situations:

• As a clasp on a chain.
• To secure beads in hoop earrings.
• As a clasp on a cord bracelet.
• To secure beads on cord.