Bead Spotlight: Czech Druks

Is there such a thing as extraordinary simplicity? Czech glass druks - also called pressed glass rounds - are as basic and simple as a bead could possibly be, and yet they are incredibly exciting to work with.

When it comes to variety of colors and finishes, druks are close competitors for seed beads and crystals. They come in opaque, transparent, lustered, metallic, and aurora borealis, and there are even a few that mimic our favorite gemstones. My favorite druk finishes of late are the limited editions at Artbeads.com. Tortoise and the two-tone black and white are at the top of my list, and always within arm’s reach.

Druks also come in assorted sizes, from 3mm up to 18mm, which makes them ideal as accent beads for all manner of techniques. They look fantastic in tubular or pearl netting, and because they’re less expensive, you can add them to your stash in larger quantities than crystals or pearls, and design to your heart’s content.

By far the best quality of Czech pressed glass beads is their smoothness. The bead holes have a gently curved shape, rather than a straight edge, so they’re very gentle on threads and ideal for bead weaving. I like to use them with circular brick stitch to make buttons and pendants.


Here are a few fun projects with druk beads you can try:

Easy Wine Charms
Cascade Hoop Earrings
Autumn Artistry Bracelet

What’s your favorite druk finish?

Some of the druk beads pictured above were provided by Artbeads.com. Inspirational Beading has not received paid compensation for including Artbeads.com products or reviews in this blog post. I have shared my honest opinions about the products shown here.

Copyright 2010 Inspirational Beading