Seed beads are often sold on hanks, or temporary strings. It can be time consuming to restring the beads one at a time for your project, so we explain two ways of stringing beads that come on hanks.

If you are using a soft material, such as thread, here is a method that works well. Lay out the hanks in a straight line. String your needle with your permanent thread and slip the needle through the holes of the hank, and through as many beads as possible. Pull the temporary string out and slide the beads onto the needle and on the permanent thread. If you are using a stiffer material, such as Beadalon, this bead stringing technique may work well. Lay the hanks in a straight line and pinch a row of beads between your thumb and index finger. Half to three quarters of an inch are a good amount for this technique. Gently pull the beads off the hank and insert the Beadalon through the beads.