The short answer: a full large pegboard holds about 850 beads, a small square board about 200. For any pattern, multiply its width by its height in beads and add ten percent for spills.
Running out of beads mid-project is the most common beading frustration. A quick estimate before you start tells you whether to open a fresh bag or pick a smaller pattern.
Quick estimates
- Full large board (29×29): about 841 beads.
- Small square board (11×11): about 121 beads.
- Keychain size (10×10): about 100 beads.
- Coaster (full board): about 850 beads.
- Pendant (8×8): about 64 beads.
The formula
Count the pattern grid: width in beads times height in beads equals total beads. A 20 by 20 pattern is 400 beads, plus a bit of slack. Most pattern charts in our pattern library list the bead count already, and color-specific bags are in our shop.