From Sherri Osborn,
Your Guide to Family Crafts.
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The suggestions shared here might help you when you are making the free patterns I shared, patterns from other sources, or patterns you create yourself.

Safety pins come in many different sizes. Here are some tips on choosing sizes for your own designs:

• A size #3 pin is 2-inches long.
• A size #2 pin is 1-1/2-inches long.
• A size #1 pin is 1-1/16-inches long.
• A size #0 pin is 7/8-inch long.
• A size #00 pin is 3/4-inch long.
• A safety pin that is 7/8 of an inch long will hold 8 seed beads.

• A safety pin that is 1 1/16 inches long will hold 10 seed beads.

• A safety pin that is more than 1 1/16 inches long is usually too wide to hold seed beads.

• A safety pin that is 1 1/2 inches long will hold up to 10 beaded safety pins.

• A safety pin that is 1 3/4 inches long will hold up to 12 beaded safety pins.

• A safety pin that is 2 inches long will hold up to 14 beaded safety pins.

Make sure you buy seed beads only for these projects. If you use the beads that are slightly larger, you will not be able to complete the patterns as shown. (Until I wrote this feature, I was not aware that sometimes you can run across different sizes of seed beads! Although my seed beads do not have a size listed on them, they seem to be about 2mm which would mean they are size 10/0).

The holes in the seed beads vary a bit. You will find that, while some seed beads fit perfectly on your safety pins, others will be too small. This is normal! Simply put aside the ones whose holes are too small and save them for another project.

One last note, shared by Denise the About Guide to Parenting Adolescents: If you use brass pins, you should spray them lightly on both sides with an acrylic sealer because they will tarnish and RUST.

Keep these notes about the sizes on hand when making your own patterns and purchasing supplies. Have fun!

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