Bead Calculator and Planner
How many beads do I need?
Choose a project and enter your size to get a starting point for how many beads and strands to buy, and which cord fits.
*Our math makes a few sizing assumptions, and natural stones vary, so treat it as a guide and be sure to check the product details of the items you choose to craft with.
Wrap a strip of paper around your wrist just below the wrist bone, mark where it meets, and measure the paper.
A mala has 108 beads, plus 1 guru bead where the 2 ends meet. Choose your bead below.
A five-decade rosary has 53 Hail Mary beads and 6 Our Father beads, plus a centerpiece and a crucifix. Choose your Hail Mary bead below.
Spacers, knots and how many you're making
Save copies a link you can bookmark or send to a friend.
How we count
For bracelets and anklets, we start with your wrist or ankle size and add room based on the fit you choose: Snug adds 1/4 in, Comfortable adds 1/2 in and Loose adds 3/4 in. Then we add a little more for the beads themselves, since bigger beads take up more room on the inside of the bracelet. For example, a 6.5 in wrist with a Comfortable fit and 8mm beads comes out to about 7.6 in, measured through the middle of the beads.
Our round beads come on 15 in strands. We use the low end of our strand counts, for example 45 beads on a strand of 8mm rounds, so you don't come up short. Rondelle and other shape counts vary, and most of those listings include a photo of a full strand with the count. Large hole beads are sold by the half strand.
Beads often run a little larger than their stated size, so we count each one as about 5% larger. We also set aside about 1% of each strand for the occasional flawed bead. Every number here is an estimate.
Disclaimer
This plan is an estimate, not an exact count. Beads vary in size, shape and hole size from one to the next, and the number of beads on a strand varies too. Your stringing material, knots, spacers and clasp also change the finished length. Use these numbers as a starting point, check the fit as you string, and allow a little extra. Tejas Beads can't guarantee that a finished piece will match the plan.
Reference charts
Quick conversions for bead sizes, wire, necklaces, rings and weights.
Bead size next to a penny
Any bead size beside a penny, plus a stack of pennies as tall as the bead, all drawn to true relative scale.
Screens vary, so sizes may not be life size on your display. The bead and pennies are always in true proportion to each other, so compare against a real penny.
Wire gauge to millimeters
American Wire Gauge (AWG). A higher gauge means thinner wire.
Millimeters to inches
For bead sizes, cabochons and findings.
Necklace length guide
Standard necklace styles by finished length.
Ring size converter
US sizes converted to UK letters, EU sizes and millimeters.
Weight converter
Grams, ounces and carats for stones and metals.
Seed bead sizes
Seed beads use aught sizing. The bigger the first number, the smaller the bead.
| Aught size | Approx. diameter | Beads per inch |
|---|---|---|
| 15/0 | 1.5 mm | About 17 |
| 11/0 | 2.1 mm | About 12 |
| 8/0 | 3.1 mm | About 8 |
| 6/0 | 4.1 mm | About 6 |