What Are Cylin Beads? Cylin vs. Miyuki Delica Beads

If you enjoy detailed beadwork, you may already be familiar with cylinder beads. Their straight sides and consistent shape allow them to fit closely together, creating smooth rows, clean patterns and a tiled appearance.

Miyuki Delica beads have long been one of the most recognizable cylinder beads, but they are no longer the only option. Cylin™ beads from John Bead offer makers another choice with an extensive selection of colors and finishes.

So, what are Cylin beads, and how do they compare with Miyuki Delica beads?

What Are Cylin Beads?

Cylin™ beads are cylindrical glass seed beads produced for John Bead. Unlike traditional round seed beads, cylinder beads have straight sides and a tube-like shape. This allows neighbouring beads to sit closely together with less visible space between them.

John Bead describes Cylin beads as smooth, consistent beads designed to create clean rows and precise spacing both on and off the loom.

Size 11/0 Cylin beads measure approximately 1.6 mm in diameter and 1.28 mm from end to end, with an approximately 0.8 mm hole. Small differences may occur among finishes, production runs and individual beads.

You can explore more than 150 colors and finishes in our Cylin seed bead collection.

What Are Miyuki Delica Beads?

Delica® is the name Miyuki uses for its precision-made cylinder beads. Miyuki is a Japanese bead manufacturer known for producing seed beads with consistent sizing, shapes and holes.

An 11/0 Miyuki Delica measures approximately 1.6 mm in diameter and 1.3 mm in length, with a hole measuring approximately 0.8 to 0.85 mm. Its straight cylinder shape allows Delicas to line up neatly in bead weaving and loomwork.

Because “Delica” is a Miyuki product name, it should not be used as the generic name for every cylinder bead. Cylin and Delica are both cylinder beads, but they are produced by different companies.

Browse our Miyuki Delica seed bead collection to see the colors currently available.

Cylin vs. Miyuki Delica Beads

Cylin 11/0 and Miyuki Delica 11/0 beads have very similar published measurements. Both are glass cylinder beads designed for detailed beadwork, but they come from different manufacturers and offer different color and finish selections.

Manufacturer and origin

Cylin beads are produced for John Bead, a Canadian company headquartered in Toronto. John Bead lists the country of manufacture for its Cylin beads as China.

Miyuki Delica beads are produced by Miyuki in Japan.

Shape

Both beads have straight sides and a cylindrical shape. This distinguishes them from round seed beads, which have curved outer edges and create a different texture when stitched together.

Size

The published measurements for size 11/0 Cylin and Miyuki Delica beads are very close:

• Cylin 11/0: approximately 1.6 mm in diameter and 1.28 mm in length

• Miyuki Delica 11/0: approximately 1.6 mm in diameter and 1.3 mm in length

These are approximate measurements. Coatings and finishes may slightly affect the dimensions of individual beads.

Hole size

Cylin 11/0 beads have an approximately 0.8 mm hole. Miyuki lists its 11/0 Delica hole at approximately 0.8 to 0.85 mm.

Their relatively generous holes can accommodate multiple passes of fine beading thread, depending on the thread, needle and tension being used.

Colors and finishes

Both brands offer a range of opaque, transparent, metallic, matte, lined and iridescent finishes. The exact colors and specialty finishes differ between the two collections.

Cylin has also introduced distinctive options such as Glow in the Dark and Gilded Halo finishes, giving makers additional choices for themed and high-contrast designs.

If you would like to compare cylinder beads with other types of seed beads, read our guide to which seed beads are most uniform.

Can Cylin and Delica Beads Be Used in the Same Patterns?

In many cases, an 11/0 Cylin bead can be used in a pattern written for an 11/0 cylinder bead because its published dimensions are very close to those of a Miyuki Delica.

However, replacing one bead brand with another is different from mixing both brands throughout the same design. Even small differences in height, coatings, finish or tension can affect the alignment and finished dimensions of precise beadwork.

Before combining brands in a large or highly structured pattern, make a small sample using the beads and thread you plan to use. This allows you to check the spacing, tension and finished appearance before committing to the full project.

What Projects Work Well With Cylin Beads?

The uniform cylinder shape makes Cylin beads particularly useful for projects where straight rows and detailed patterns are important.

They can be used for:

• Peyote stitch

• Brick stitch

• Loomwork

• Beaded earrings

• Geometric beadwork

• Bead embroidery

• Detailed bracelets

• Patterned panels and tapestry-style beadwork

Cylinder beads fit together almost like small tiles, helping letters, symbols and geometric designs appear clearly. Round seed beads can be used for many of the same techniques, but they create a softer, more textured surface.

Are Cylin Beads a Replacement for Delica Beads?

Cylin beads provide an additional cylinder-bead option; they do not make Miyuki Delicas obsolete. Some makers may prefer a particular brand because of its colors, finishes, availability or how it behaves with their personal stitching tension.

The better question is not which brand is universally best, but which bead works best for your project.

Choose based on:

• The color or finish required by your design

• Availability

• The other beads being used

• The precision required by the pattern

• Your preferred thread and tension

• The finished texture you want to create

When exact consistency matters, purchase enough beads from the same brand, color and production batch to complete your project.

Where to Buy Cylin Beads in Canada

Alberta Bead Store carries more than 150 Cylin seed bead colors and finishes, including Glow in the Dark and specialty collections. You can shop Cylin seed beads online in Canada, browse our Miyuki Delica beads, or compare them with our complete 11/0 seed bead collection.

You can also visit Alberta Bead Store inside Crystals and Sun Signs in Red Deer, Alberta, to see the colors and finishes in person.