PEARL KNOTTING/STRINGING

[cellentani]

Now thread your needle through the next pearl and knot in the same way.

 

[cellentani]

Thread the third pearl, but this time, cut the tail as close as possible before knotting.

 

[cellentani]

Now with only one double-strand remaining, knot against the third pearl. Continue with the rest of the pearls.

 

[cellentani]

Finishing the necklace is almost the same, just in reverse. Add your last 2 pearls without knotting, the french wire, and the remaining clasp part.

 

[cellentani]

This time, keep all the pearls as close together as possible, and go back through the last pearl (this is where a flexible needle comes in handy!). Once the french wire is pulled tight, make a knot between the pearls.

 

[cellentani]

Pull the knot tight and thread through the next pearl. There will already be a knot there, so you can just clip the thread at this point. Some people use glue on the end knots for extra security.

I know that was long, but I hope it helps! Keep us posted on your progress.

 

[glitterata]

Wow, thank you, Cell! That was really helpful--such clear pictures!

Just to make sure I understand, you don''t thread all the pearls before knotting them, right? You thread them one by one as you go along?

I''ve been practicing knotting, but I can''t get the knots very tight. I''ve been using a sturdy straight pin (the kind you keep slipcovers on furniture with) to pull the knots close to the pearls, but they always come out a little loose. I''m going to try with a thinner pin, but I would welcome any advice. Is there a better method? I haven''t tried tweezers, partly because I haven''t bought any yet and partly because it looks like that would make an even looser knot than the pin.

 

[cellentani]

Date: 10/12/2009 11:18:30 PM
Author: glitterata
Wow, thank you, Cell! That was really helpful--such clear pictures!

Just to make sure I understand, you don''t thread all the pearls before knotting them, right? You thread them one by one as you go along?

I''ve been practicing knotting, but I can''t get the knots very tight. I''ve been using a sturdy straight pin (the kind you keep slipcovers on furniture with) to pull the knots close to the pearls, but they always come out a little loose. I''m going to try with a thinner pin, but I would welcome any advice. Is there a better method? I haven''t tried tweezers, partly because I haven''t bought any yet and partly because it looks like that would make an even looser knot than the pin.

You''re very welcome glitterata!

After securing the clasp and first 3 pearls, you CAN thread all the pearls on before knotting them - you would just keep them at one end of your thread and slide one at a time to the other side to be knotted. You would probably need a slightly longer thread to give you a little more room to knot, and you would need to tie the other end (needle end) so the pearls don''t fall off. I''ve tried it this way once and found it cumbersome, so I just thread them on one at a time.

I don''t use tweezers, but I''ve seen a video of knotting that way. Before pulling your knot tight (when it''s still a big loop), put the tweezers through the loop and pinch the double strand as close to the pearl as possible. Then pull your knot tight, keeping tension on the tweezers to keep them in place. The knot should (in theory) slide down the end of the tweezers right next to the pearl. Let me see if I can get a pic or two of how I knot. I''ll have to get hubs to help...

 

[cellentani]

This is how I''m holding the thread and pearls as I get ready to tighten the knot.

 

[cellentani]

Keeping tension on the thread to keep the knot at the base of the pearl, I use 2 fingers to grab behind the second pearl. That way, when I use my thumb to press on the knot (the way you'd put your finger on the string to tie a bow), I have some leverage. I'm basically pressing the two pearls together as I pull the thread, and it helps to keep everything nice and tight. My strand isn't always off the mat - I noticed that sometimes the pearls are resting on the mat, but I'm still basically holding everything the same way.

ETA: you can see that my ring finger is still holding the loop tight. When I feel that my thumb's grip on the knot is secure, I'll take the ring finger out and pull the thread, keeping my thumb in that same spot until the knot is tight. Don't forget to separate the strands afterwards and pull - makes the knot even tighter.

 

[glitterata]

Wow, did that method ever not work for me! I tried it just now and ended up with knots two inches apart! What am I doing wrong?

The only way I''ve managed to get the knots anywhere near the pearls is to knot around the pin and use the pin to slide the knot closer to the pearl. But that always results in at least a pin''s-diameter''s worth of slack between the knot and the pearl, so it''s not very good. (I tried with a thin needle, but all that happened was the knot flew off the needle and cinched itself three inches away from the rest of the strand, too tight for me to unpick it.)

Very frustrating.

(But thank you for your kind advice.)

 

[cellentani]

Date: 10/13/2009 1:22:38 AM
Author: glitterata
Wow, did that method ever not work for me! I tried it just now and ended up with knots two inches apart! What am I doing wrong?

The only way I''ve managed to get the knots anywhere near the pearls is to knot around the pin and use the pin to slide the knot closer to the pearl. But that always results in at least a pin''s-diameter''s worth of slack between the knot and the pearl, so it''s not very good. (I tried with a thin needle, but all that happened was the knot flew off the needle and cinched itself three inches away from the rest of the strand, too tight for me to unpick it.)

Very frustrating.

(But thank you for your kind advice.)

Aww, sorry about that glitterata! Don''t worry, that method''s not for everyone. Here''s a youtube video on the tweezer method. Maybe see if that works better for you. I tried the pin method and had a hard time getting my knots really snug against the pearl too. I had marginally better results with tweezers.

 

[that_someone_special]

Wow, cellentani, you are way too cool for school!

You are so helpful! I will def refer to this thread later on for help.

Thanks for posting pictures and everything!

 

[glitterata]

Yes, Cell, thank you SOO much for all that excellent explanation! I really appreciate it, event though my fingers aren''t as smart as yours. Maybe with practice...

 

[cellentani]

Date: 10/13/2009 8:21:21 PM
Author: swedish bean
Wow, cellentani, you are way too cool for school!

You are so helpful! I will def refer to this thread later on for help.

Thanks for posting pictures and everything!

Thanks swedish bean - you should definitely try knotting. By the way, I''m still hoping you''ll post pics of all the stuff you got. I lost track of the final tally, but I know you''re swimming in pearls right now!

 

[cellentani]

Date: 10/13/2009 11:59:33 PM
Author: glitterata
Yes, Cell, thank you SOO much for all that excellent explanation! I really appreciate it, event though my fingers aren''t as smart as yours. Maybe with practice...

Definitely keep trying glitterata - it took me awhile to get the hang of it. Did you get your necklace yet, and are you still going to return it? Dang, if I lived near you, I''d restring that baby myself for you!

 

[glitterata]

No, my necklace hasn''t arrived yet. I''ve been practicing on a pretty $5 strand of little 5 mm egg-shaped pearls I got at a bead shop.

Thank you for that kind thought--I wish we lived near each other too! Then I would watch your technique in person and maybe you could tell me what I''m doing wrong.

 

[that_someone_special]

Date: 10/14/2009 11:04:24 AM
Author: cellentani

Date: 10/13/2009 8:21:21 PM

Author: swedish bean

Wow, cellentani, you are way too cool for school!

You are so helpful! I will def refer to this thread later on for help.


Thanks for posting pictures and everything!

Thanks swedish bean - you should definitely try knotting. By the way, I''m still hoping you''ll post pics of all the stuff you got. I lost track of the final tally, but I know you''re swimming in pearls right now!

I won 32 auctions- but that includes many strands, 1 stone, and one LOGR ring. Oh and several single tear shaped pearls ... lol I DID take pictures the other day.. lemme go play around with them.. brb

 

[glitterata]

FYI, I just had great success beading a strand of agate beads using this method:

double thread method

I''m going to try it with some pearls now.

 

[cellentani]

Yay, Glitterata - I'm glad you found a method that works for you! I've seen this method referred to as Japanese knotting, but don't know how accurate that is. Basically, instead of threading only 3 pearls on the silk as I do for attaching a clasp, you thread ALL the pearls on and use only one strand to knot. I think this method would make smaller knots, which is nice. I'd love to see pics of your finished agate beads and pearls!

 

[glitterata]

Cellentani, I owe you a great big thank you! I can see this is going to be a really fun new hobby.

I successfully beaded my big agate beads and my little trial pearls. The knots where the clasps attach are a little messy, but I bet I''ll get better with practice. Everything else went great, including the french wire connectors (which I used for the pearls)--you''re right, it makes a nice finishing touch.

I''ll post pictures tomorrow.

What I like about the "Japanese" method is that it makes it totally easy to get the knots extremely close up against the beads.

I guess the drawback is having to thread the pearls twice, once when they''re already threaded. But it''s not that hard if you use fine enough thread, and it was totally worth it to me.

Anyway, THANK YOU Cellentani, you inspiration, you!

 

[mochi]

Cellentani: Thank you so much for the tutorial!! I''m going to the bead store tomorrow to get some supplies and try to string some pearls that I purchased from ebay (pearlluna and LILEI1971). I should take some pictures and post them.

 

[cellentani]

Date: 10/16/2009 11:06:49 PM
Author: mochi
Cellentani: Thank you so much for the tutorial!! I'm going to the bead store tomorrow to get some supplies and try to string some pearls that I purchased from ebay (pearlluna and LILEI1971). I should take some pictures and post them.

mochi, I would love to see your pearls - please do come back and post pics! I've been looking at some more pearlluner strands for myself, and am very interested in seeing what you got.

 

[cellentani]

Hey glitterata, I have a question about your method of stringing: after you string all the pearls on your single strand, you then thread the french wire and clasp, and double back through the last pearl, right? So the last pearl only has 2 strands going through it? Do you find that the threads pull too easily through the last pearl and won't hold the french wire tight (doubled over), or is everything tight enough to hold it? When I tried that method with my silk, the pearl didn't hold the threads tight enough, and it was impossible to tie a knot and keep the french wire doubled over. Then again, if you're using the carded silk with the pre-threaded needle, I think a single strand is equal to my double strand - I know that type of thread is a little thicker. Maybe you've got some skills I don't!

 

[cellentani]

I just found a site that has the most amazing clasps, but unfortunately, they''re wholesale only.

Check these out:

 

[cellentani]

Yum!

 

[cellentani]

 

[cellentani]

There are lots more like this at www.cgmfindings.com

These clasps were from the 14K fancy multi-strand category, but there are plainer ones too.

 

[that_someone_special]

I bought some stuff last night but I'm sitting here all confused on where to start

I feel dumb!

ETA I KNEW I forgot something!! The french wire! I guess off to the store again today

 

[glitterata]

Date: 10/17/2009 9:37:07 AM
Author: cellentani
Hey glitterata, I have a question about your method of stringing: after you string all the pearls on your single strand, you then thread the french wire and clasp, and double back through the last pearl, right? So the last pearl only has 2 strands going through it? Do you find that the threads pull too easily through the last pearl and won''t hold the french wire tight (doubled over), or is everything tight enough to hold it? When I tried that method with my silk, the pearl didn''t hold the threads tight enough, and it was impossible to tie a knot and keep the french wire doubled over. Then again, if you''re using the carded silk with the pre-threaded needle, I think a single strand is equal to my double strand - I know that type of thread is a little thicker. Maybe you''ve got some skills I don''t!

I think it''s just a matter of properly matching the thread size to the pearl holes. Yes, I use the thread on cards, which is a twisted double strand. The nice thing about it is that it''s no thicker where it attaches to the needle than anywhere else, if you know what I mean. I try to choose thread that''s the right width so that I can pull it through the pearl three times and the needle goes through snugly the last time, but it does go through. (That''s because the thread goes through the pearls near the last clasp three times.)

But to solve your problem, I think the most important consideration is probably to choose thread thick enough that when you make a single knot, that knot is big enough not to go through the pearl hole. That way when you get both strands of thread through that first pearl and knot them together, the knot holds the clasp and french wire tight. Does that makes sense?

If your thread is too thin, maybe you should use it doubled. Cut twice as much thread as you would usually, thread it through the needle, and tie a knot at the end. Then use that the way I use a single thread.