Beadwork Bead Count Calculator
Calculate total bead count for bracelets, necklaces, and flat beadwork from project dimensions, seed bead size, and stitch type.
Includes a weight estimate.
Calculating bead counts for any project
The number of beads needed depends on the bead size, the stitch technique, and the area you want to cover. Different stitches use beads at different densities because of how they interlock.
Basic bead count formula:
Beads across = Width (mm) ÷ Bead width (mm)
Beads down = Length (mm) ÷ Bead height (mm)
Total beads = Beads across × Beads down × Stitch density factor
Seed bead sizes and dimensions:
| Bead Size | Width (mm) | Height (mm) | Beads per inch (across) | Beads per inch (strung) | Beads per gram |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15/0 | 1.3 | 1.0 | 20 | 25 | 290 |
| 11/0 Delica | 1.6 | 1.3 | 16 | 20 | 190 |
| 11/0 seed | 1.8 | 1.4 | 14 | 18 | 110 |
| 8/0 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 10 | 13 | 38 |
| 6/0 | 3.3 | 2.5 | 8 | 10 | 15 |
The two beads-per-inch columns are not interchangeable, and mixing them up is the most common source of a bead order that comes up short. Across is how many columns fit in an inch of width, and it uses the bead’s width. Strung is how many fit on an inch of thread with the hole running along the thread, which uses the shorter height dimension. A spiral rope or a strung necklace uses the second column; a loom or peyote panel uses the first for its width and the second for its length.
These figures are approximate. Actual dimensions vary a little between manufacturers, with Miyuki and Toho running very close to each other and Czech beads slightly less uniform. Every beadwork calculator on this site uses this same table, so the numbers agree across pages.
Stitch density factors:
| Stitch Type | Density Factor | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Loom weaving | 1.00 | Beads in a perfect grid, no offset |
| Square stitch | 1.00 | Same as loom but hand-stitched |
| Peyote (flat even) | 1.00 | Offset rows, but same total count as grid |
| Brick stitch | 1.00 | Similar density to peyote |
| Right angle weave | 0.75 | More open; ~25% fewer beads for same area |
| Herringbone/Ndebele | 0.85 | Paired columns with slight gaps |
| Netting (3-bead) | 0.50 | Very open stitch, half the bead density |
Worked example, peyote stitch bracelet:
Bracelet dimensions: 170 mm long × 25 mm wide, using 11/0 seed beads.
Beads across: 25 ÷ 1.8 = 13.9 → 14 columns Beads down: 170 ÷ 1.4 = 121.4 → 122 rows Total: 14 × 122 × 1.0 = 1,708 beads
Weight of the beadwork itself: 1,708 ÷ 110 = 15.5 grams
Then buy 15% extra for defective beads (misshapen, or the wrong color turning up in the batch) and for the ones you drop on the floor. That takes the order to 1,965 beads, or 17.9 grams. The calculator above reports the larger figure, because that is the one you take to the shop.
Grams vs. count: Seed beads are sold by weight, in grams or tubes. A standard 8 g tube of 11/0 beads contains about 880 beads, and a 30 g bag about 3,300. So this bracelet needs a little over two tubes, which means buying three. The calculator rounds that up for you, because two tubes and a shortfall of 200 beads is the worst possible outcome.
How we build and check this calculator
This calculator runs entirely in your browser, so the numbers you enter stay on your device. The math behind it is written by hand and tested against worked examples and standard references before the page goes live.
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