If you make bead sets, what shapes sell the best for you? [Archive]

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Lisi

2009-07-06, 4:26pm

I just make donut rounds, always have and always will, but I'm itching to get my hands on a press again. I occasionally make flattened small tab/ovals, but that's about it. I don't look around much to see what else seems to be popular out there, so maybe you can enlighten me.

I know that the silver glasses are very popular right now though, and the beads you folks are putting out are drop-dead gorgeous!! I may splurge and get a few rods with my next big glass order to see if I can do anything magical.

So, what shapes are selling the best for you??

AKDesigns

2009-07-06, 4:29pm

Lisi, I had read someone's poll about bead shapes and the results were that jewelry makers wanted round beads. So I made round beads and they didn't sell. :lol: I gave up on making what I thought would sell and now I just make what I want. I think for me, pressed shapes like lentils and nuggets sell best.

Lisi

2009-07-06, 4:32pm

Carolyn M

2009-07-06, 8:18pm

Straight sided lentils seem to make the most money for me

Lisi

2009-07-07, 1:11am

I've been leaning toward buying a Spree again. I wish I never parted with it in the first place. :rolleyes:

shawnette

2009-07-07, 8:00am

I didn't vote in the poll because I don't sell for myself, but when I make sets & jewelry for work, the Nuggets sell lickety split. Occasionally, a jewelry designer would come through and want to see what beads I had that weren't already made into jewelry and if I had Nuggets, those always went 1st, then Sprees (straight sided lentils), then Rounds. It was like Christmas if they could put together a matching set with Nuggets and rounds, lol.

Elizabeth Beads

2009-07-07, 10:05am

SSLs, nuggets and donuts sell well, as do spiral pressed and crystal pressed beads. What I think sells well regardless of shape is sets. People love sets, even if that means a few accent beads to go with a focal. Mixed sets that have some round, some barrel, and some pressed beads attract attention. Colors are as important as shapes, you have your organic neutral lovers and your pink and pastel lovers and then the bling lovers of silver glass! It's always hard to predict what customers will like. I made oodles of hearts for my last show and sold relatively few but some beads I would have called fugly found homes. So beauty is in the eye of the buyer. :)

effemess

2009-07-07, 10:46am

Nuggets and lentils for bracelets, because they lie flat.. and all shapes for necklaces ....

sortaflower

2009-07-08, 6:13pm

Buttons, and second to buttons, rock/organic/nuggets, then third would be rounds of all sizes.

FishBulb

2009-07-09, 6:59am

Interesting poll! I'm still a long way from selling anything -- I have to be able to manage to make beads that are all the same size, for one thing -- but it's good to know for future reference. My favourite shapes are cubes and triangles. I got a press from Mike's Brass For Glass that makes triangle beads and I think they look just cool.

demcc2

2009-07-16, 8:40am

I really haven't started to sell, I'm with Fishbulb. I love to make lentils. I have Zooziis's lentil trio press. I also love silver glass, just wish it werent so darn expensive

Duane

Nitadee

2010-12-13, 7:28am

I voted for Lentils! SSL's or Sprees work well too, I think because it gives us a larger pallet to work on.
That being said....what I have been selling the most lately are sculptural beads. THINGS as it were. Not all animals, but...things. Okay, lets just say off mandrel..that about covers it ;)
BUt the main thing is, I have JUST started to make set. Still a newbie in that regard.
:love:
Nita

Lisi

2010-12-13, 10:53am

Still doing rounds here...and maybe I could sell even more beads if I made other shapes as well. My problem is that I buy presses and then sell them when I'm desperate for cash. If that would stop, I'd be making those beads. haha

Leanne

2010-12-14, 12:45am

maybe next time you buy a press you need to do something to it to make it so it wouldn't sell well. Like take a marker and write your name all over the handle. Or a giant big swearword. That way you couldn't get much money for it.
I know what you mean though I have sold several of my presses when desperate for cash....

Roo Blaty

2010-12-14, 6:07am

Hey....this poll started in 2009...I'm wondering if the "selling shapes" have changed at all??

I'm asking Santa for a new press but not sure which one you professionals would choose as your favorite.:love:

And while I'm asking, can you post a photo of the shape you're talking about since I bought a "pillow" press that doesn't look like the pillows I've seen. :lol: Don't want to make another mistake!

Thanks to you all!!!
Roo

redbearmountain

2010-12-14, 11:58am

Rounds and barrels, bicones, sell the best for me in sets! I love lentils but they don't do as well for me. Last summer it was bicone shapes! I make a variety because you just never know what will sell and when. I have people from all over the world come in my store with all very different taste of styles. Niya

Roo Blaty

2010-12-15, 6:06pm

That makes sense...when I lived in Europe, the clothes were waaaaay ahead of what we had been wearing in the states. So it figures that anything goes, I guess. I need to stop worrying so much and just make beads! LOL

Lisi

2010-12-16, 2:18pm

giapet

2011-01-01, 12:20pm

I answered lentils but in all honesty I make more of them so naturally they would be the ones that I sell more of.

Roo Blaty

2011-01-12, 8:57am

HAHA I never thought of that!! Great idea! :D

LOL, right! That IS a good idea.
And Lisi...your avitar is soooo full of beads. I can't seem to make that many that match. Altho I AM up to 4 or 5 that really DO match. (super, I've got about 60 to go to get up to your avitar amount! LOL)

I just get bored of making the same thing over and over! #-o:lol:

Lisi

2011-01-12, 3:33pm

LOL, right! That IS a good idea.
And Lisi...your avitar is soooo full of beads. I can't seem to make that many that match. Altho I AM up to 4 or 5 that really DO match. (super, I've got about 60 to go to get up to your avitar amount! LOL)

I just get bored of making the same thing over and over! #-o:lol:

Oh trust me, sometimes making them makes me go batty! Of course a lot of people already know that about me. :lol:

So you're up to 4-5 that match, that's great!! All it took was some practice and focus, right? That's what I tell everyone, you must really focus and try and do the same exact thing each time to get beads that look 99.5% the same. (that percentage is just a joke, hehe) Some people don't expect or even like their beads to be "perfect", but then there are some people that are perfectionists by nature. I am with beads but not everything else, thank God...or I would be one miserable person! lol

Roo Blaty

2011-01-13, 6:52am

Lisi, you're funny!

And yes, I had to force myself to do the same thing over and over. And I do mean force. However, I really liked making witch hats and pumpkins over and over. (of course, snowguys, too)

I can only make "sets" if I use my lentil press and make those "Barley Lentil" type beads. They match b/c they are the same shape and basically the same color...but not quite the same pattern. It's different enough that I don't get bored but the same enough that they count as a set, right??? :lol: 8-[

I've kind of gotten the hang of one of my beadrollers, finally. And bought some of that frit that makes the beads look like sugar. So now I can do sugar-bead sets. But do those SELL???

I still think my boredom with sets stems from my need to do sculptural...or my inability to make sets has led to my need for sculptural?? :rolleyes: