A chevron bead is a round, multi-colored glass bead. It was first produced in Italy in the 14th century, but is now manufactured in other parts of the world, such as India and China. Even though these beads are available in different sizes, each bead is typically wider than it is tall. There is a hole in the center of the bead for stringing wire, making it ideal for creating bracelets and necklaces. It may sometimes be called a rosetta or star bead.
Glass canes are used to create chevron beads. Anywhere from four to eight layers of glass can be used to manufacture them. Each layer might be a different color, or they layer may have multiple colors in itself. For this reason, most of these glass beads have bright, vivid patterns on them, and only a few are solid colored.
The color and design found on a chevron bead varies widely by manufacturer and region. Many from India may be made from bright-colored glass, while those from China could be pastel. Some beads may appear to have stripes or star-shaped patterns on them. The wide variety of styles contributes to the popularity of this type of bead in amateur jewelry making.
One of the characteristics of a chevron bead is its shape. It is a stocky round bead, somewhat flat on top and puffy on the sides. Generally, these beads are wide and circular rather than oval-shaped. There is usually a large hole running through the center of the bead so a crafter can string wire through it to create jewelry.
These glass beads are often used to make necklaces, bracelets, or earrings. Key chains and hair accessories could also be created with these. A single chevron bead could be placed on a bookmark as an accent.
Amateur crafters often enjoy creating things with these beads because they are easy to work with. Since they usually have a large hole at the top, they are typically easy to string together. Even though they are made of glass, chevron beads are very durable and do not break easily when they are dropped.
Chevron beads can be purchased at many craft and hobby stores. They typically come in one pound (.45 kg) packages. This means there are usually enough beads to create a necklace and bracelet set in each package. Choosing star beads and making custom jewelry from them can be a fun experience for people of all ages.