Purple Beads

I'm guessing the problem isn't that they are purple, but the kind of beads you are getting.

(You guessed it:)

I don't know anything about Beadazzled, but I would strongly suggest not getting beads from either Michaels or Joanne's. They end up being much more expensive then anything you buy online and probably more expensive then anything you would get at a bead store, and everything they sell is junk. Especially don't buy stringing materials there. It might seem like a good place to save money, but you will end up very frustrated with problems you wouldn't have if you had gotten "real" supplies.

marisa2

I had some crackle beads that had a coating for the color, which I was able to peel off. They were inexpensive beads from China. I also have some faceted Czech beads in an amethyst color that are just wonderful, and the color is fine.

I think if you avoid glass from China and India entirely you will have a better chance of getting quality beads. I don't shop at Michaels; I do have a craft/art supply store near here (Pearl art supplies) which stocks some crap, but also some things that aren't crap. You just have to be careful about what you buy. I've been learning as I go along. Price in this case is usually a good indicator of real value.

Laura

I have several shades of purple from Toho beads (Japanese seed beads) that I've used a lot. So far, no fading, peeling or color loss.

If you don't have local sources, here's a couple of links:

first vendor will sell in bulk quantities at a big savings, if youknow what you want.

The second one has some 'starter' samplers, one of which includes whole range of purples from more than one Japanese brand, not just Toho. I think the site uses a letter-code to identify the brand, and they have more Miyuki colors than Toho colors.

General Bead also has a good representation of Toho beads, but I haven't checked their purples selection lately.

My favorite Toho purple is Color #928, Purple-lined Light Amethyst, which is fairly intensely purple. But there are several other shades as well.

The color chart on the Bobby Bead site takes a while to load on dial-up, but is worth the wait. If your monitor is fairly color-true, you can trust what you see about as well as anything you can't see 'live' and in daylight.

Good luck. Purples are notoriously hard to make in glass, so there is a reason why you are having this problem.

Deirdre

This is a Truth.

Once you have identified specific things that have the quality you need, you can begin to save by buying those you use a lot ... in quantity. That is a way to get savings that isn't illusory or seductive, but genuine.

But at the start, while you sample things, be prepared to spend more than you will once you have identified those you -can- buy in bulk.

Deirdre

Laura,

Just out of curiousity, what town are you in?

I ask because there is a Pearl Art Supplies near me also, and they carry Blue Moon beads which are pretty decent.

Linda2

Philadelphia. Yeah, I like some of the Blue Moon beads :)

Laura

It is possible to 'seal' the colored surface of some beads by putting them in a plastic bag, spraying Clear Gloss Krylon acrylic sealer into the bag and shaking them up. Just be careful not to saturate them, or they'll all stick together. Shake from time to time until they dry to prevent that.

I've used that for galvanized metallic-surfaced beads, where the surface tends to flake off without such treatment, with some success. But I suspect this only slows down the process rather than eliminating surface-wear altogether.

At least the Charlene's sampler will let you 'road test' some purples and see how they hold up in daily use.

Deirdre

LOL. True...

Deirdre