Glass Bugle Tube Beads for Jewellery, Embroidery and Decoration

Glass bugle beads are small, elongated glass pieces. Unlike round beads, they line up more evenly on a strand and give the finished piece a different look.

Here you’ll find tube beads in a range of sizes, colours and finishes. Use them for bracelets, necklaces, earrings, embroidery, charms and decorative projects.

Types of glass bugle beads

• Tubes and sticks — elongated glass beads that line up differently from rounds. They work both as the body of a strand and to separate individual elements.
• MIYUKI Delica Round — small, uniform cylindrical glass beads (a well-known Japanese seed-bead line). Handy for precise arrangements, embroidery and detailed patterns.
• Faceted and cube — with sharper edges and more play of light. Good when you want a slightly different texture on the strand.

The models come in opaque and transparent colours, plus rainbow, matte and other decorative coatings. You’ll find plainer black, white and coloured beads as well as bright and graduated options.

Shapes and sizes

• 2–3 mm. Fine beads for detailed bracelets, embroidery and small decorative elements.
• 4–5 mm. A handy size for combining with other small beads and for a more varied rhythm on the strand.
• 7 mm sticks. A longer shape that shows more on the strand and works as an accent between round beads.
• Faceted and cube models. Good when you want a more geometric look and more reflection off the surface.

On some models the shape is close to a short cylinder; on others the stick is faceted or has a square profile. So two models of a similar size can look quite different in the finished piece.

What they’re used for

• Bracelets and necklaces. Line the bugles up on their own, or alternate them with rounds, spacers and other shapes.
• Earrings. The shorter, smaller models are handy for fine dangly earrings and small colourful accents.
• Embroidery. The small cylindrical beads are ideal for laying out lines, contours and geometric motifs.
• Seasonal charms. Small glass bugles can be added to yarn or cord for a splash of colour.
• Decorations. Use them for small decorative details on cards, boxes, accessories and other suitable surfaces.

What else you’ll need

For working with small glass beads, you’ll find a suitable base, needles and finishing parts useful:

Cords and elastics

for stringing

Needles and threaders

for precision

Metal spacers

for composition

Clasps and parts

for finishing touches

Frequently asked questions