The Beaded Giraffe: A Bead Gallery



			Are you an experienced beader/designer, or are your venturing for the first time into the wonderful, colorful world of beads? Either way, The Beaded Giraffe is your "beading place" in Bethesda.

This is the place to find out what a Peridot or a Labradorite is. There are over 80 bead-related terms for you to browse.

Note: Some of the definitions and descriptions used here are copyright 1995 by Ornamental Resources, Incorporated. We are grateful for their permission to quote from their catalog to create this feature. This information may not be reproduced or distributed for financial gain or included in commercial collections or compilations without express permission from Ornamental Resources, Inc., P.O. Box 3010WW, Idaho Springs CO 80452. Visitors are permitted to print out this section for personal use only.

ALL | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |

-Padre Beads-

Turquoise colored glass trade beads made in China during the 17th and 18th century.

-Pearl-

Pearls have been fashioned into jewelry for thousands of years. The inner glow of the pearl (or pearlescence) gives it a mystical appearance and has been linked to moonlight and magic. Freshwater pearls are being cultivated in a wide variety of colors and shapes for the modern market. Pearls are believed to bring good luck, success, happiness and purity to the wearer, making it an ideal stone for brides.

-Peridot-

The vivid green of the peridot, reminiscent of the first signs of emerging life after the darkness of winter, has long been associated with the sun. A member of the olivine family, the word "peridot" is French and believed to be derived from the Arabic word faridot which means "gemstone." Peridot is thought by some to prevent blindness and to contain rays of sunlight. It first arrived in Europe during the crusades and quickly became a prized material for church ornamentation.

-Peking Glass-

Generic term for transparent to opaque glass made in mainland China in colors that are more subtle than those in glass made elsewhere.

-Picasso-

Dyed opaque swirled multicolored patterns over opaque glass.

-Pony-

Beads made of segments of drawn tubes of glass of various thicknesses, typically slightly oval in shape due to tumbling and polishing, the shorter dimension being through the hole. Larger than seed beads and smaller than crows. Also known as "E" beads, sizes 5/0 or 6/0. Pony beads were made prior to seed beads and were used extensively during the 1830's to 1850's.