Storm Duo Beads

Share

If you’ve found this post, then you are probably wanting to find out about Storm Duo beads. Maybe you don’t know what they are. Or perhaps you want a pattern that uses them, or you want to buy some. Well, this is exactly the place to get all that information. So, let’s get on with it…

Online Beading Classes for all. Click https://my-world-of-beads.teachable.com/courses
Storm Duo Beads

What are Storm Duo Beads?

These beads were introduced to the beading market in 2018. They are an exclusive design by the Potomac Bead Company.

The Storm Duo is a two holed bead. It measures about 7mm by 3mm and has an unusual curved shape, as you see from the photo. The holes are positioned at the top and bottom.

These beads come in a range of colours and finishes. So, you have plenty of scope for your beading projects.

Where can you buy Storm Duo Beads?

Well, the first port of call should always be your Local Bead Store. Now, being an exclusive bead shape, you may not find these in every store.

If you live in the US, then you can buy direct from Potomac. The company also has an EU website.

If you want to skip hunting around, then here is a recommended UK supplier that you can use right now.

Storm Duo Beads Fire Necklace Pattern, Katie Dean, Beadflowers

Working with Storm Duo Beads

If you are a designer, then you’re definitely going to want to try these beads. They tessellate in lots of interesting ways. So, you can start by just playing with this idea. How many different options can you find?

They also mix really well with other seed beads. So, once you have an idea of how they sit together, it’s time to grab the rest of the beads in your stash. What happens if you try them with Superduos? Do they fit well with pearls? How do they work with a little crystal sparkle mixed in?

I can tell you they work brilliantly with IrisDuos – another Potomac exclusive bead shape. But what other combinations can you discover?

Then, how about techniques? How do they work with the basic bead-weaving stitches? Tip: Peyote stitch is a good place to start here…

So, I hope that gives you some ideas to start working on.

If you’re not into designing, then don’t worry. I have some pattern suggestions coming right up…

Storm Duo Beads Used as embellishment on Fire and Water beaded box, Katie Dean, Beadflowers

Patterns using Storm Duo Beads

I’ve included a couple of photos of patterns in this blog post. Each photo links to the pattern. So, if something takes your fancy, just click on the photo to grab your pattern.

A lot of top beading designers have been using these beads in projects. So, you can certainly browse their websites. Anna Lindell, Erika Sandor and Debora Hodoyer all have lovely designs you can try. They are all featured in the Beading Patterns Directory. So, use that to find the websites where they sell their work.

Typically, you will see the Storm Duo beads used with other seed beads. Sometimes they are the focal point of a design. Sometimes, they just add some embellishment. A pack of these beads will give you around 80 beads, so you don’t have to invest much if you want to try them out.

I do invite you to give them a try. I think you will have a lot of fun using them!

20% off Etsy beading patterns

You may also like...

3 Responses

  1. LINDA SALIN says:

    Hi Katie, have a concern about stormduo, the etched finish. Contacted the place I bought them and got a small refund but that finish does not cover the sides of all the beads which is what shows. Out of 100 beads purchased 32 are usable. I want to complain to manufacturer but don’t know who it is. Potomac is no help. The quality control for this finish is horrible. Money wasted and 3/4 of these with this finish is not usable. The opaque finish is fine, it is just the etched. It did not cover the sides of the beads.

    • beadflowers says:

      Thank you for sharing that, Linda. I can understand your frustration – it’s actually (or should be) rare to find that percentage of unuseable beads in a pack. I know that colour finishes can sometimes be unreliable, and sometimes react differently to different people’s skin (not saying that’s what has happened here). My understanding is that the Stormduo bead is a Potomac design, and that they use a factory in the Czech Republic to manufacture their ‘own product’ ranges. So, I would say that the buck stops with Potomac, and it’s saddening to hear that they haven’t been as helpful as you would wish in this case. It sounds like you have contacted the right people about the issue, so I’m sorry to hear that you haven’t received more help. I guess in a case like that, it comes down to ‘unfortunate lesson learned’. This isn’t a bead finish that I personally have used, so I’m not able to say whether your experience is normal, or if you were just super-unlucky with a bad batch. But I really appreciate you raising this here and others are welcome to share their experiences to add to this conversation. Thank you.

  2. LINDA SALIN says:

    thank you so much for your very kind answer. I really appreciate it. I have run into minor problems with some coatings before but never to this extent.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

%d bloggers like this: