100 Inch Rope Challenge!!

Thank you all ! I'll try to practice Knotty's way.
Caitlyn, Thanks for finding the post.. This was the one I was referring to. I still don't understand how to attach single temporary strand to my thread. Knot will not do in 90% of cases.
I got more of purple 3.8-4.5mm pearls ( 10 strands), so I'll practice on those my technique....
 
I need to respectfully disagree with Caitlin on her strand being qualified for the lowly beaders club! Because my "entry" takes that prize all by itself! I have just been beading for about a month but I love it and will continue to learn and grow from everyone on this board. But all of that aside - OH MY GOSH! I made a 10 foot endless strand!!!!! On to my strand...

1. Describe the pearls, size, etc, and what they are strung on! I used some inexpensive freshwaters that I found on eBay. They are 6 - 7 mm white rice freshwater pearls with blue sapphire beads and 5 mm twisted heisi. I wanted the blue sapphires as my wedding ring has sapphires in it. It is strung on a double thread of 30 lb test white Power Pro. I did choose to knot every pearl as this was "practice"

2. How does it feel to wear it? When I was stringing it, I worried about it looking too costumish but when I'm wearing it, I don't feel that. Even though these are all inexpensive materials, I am surprised how "rich" it feels when wearing it. I love wearing it.

3. Any special concerns or challenges when making it? Surprisingly, not really. I know the karma bus will circle around to pick me up for saying this but I did not get one tangle or snarl while working on this. I followed everyone's advice in stringing a number of pearls and then coiling the remaining thread into a clip and plastic bag. I do worry if it will stay together as I still need to perfect my beginning and ending but it is getting better.

4. What kind of comments do others make when they see it? I wore it to work yesterday and a workshop in the evening and several women commented on how they love the look of pearls and should get some of their own. Other than that, it has not been out in public much as I just finished it on Tuesday.

5. What are your favorite ways to wear it? I like it doubled and twisted as a torsade or as a triple strand.

6. Give it a Worthy Name I keep going between "Practice" or "Lessons Learned". (Now to figure out how to take good photos!)

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Hi Julie,
That necklace is a class act. I love it that you took the bull by the horns and knotted it all!!! Those sapphires and gold roundels elevate it to a designer piece!

Keep up the good work. cheeze, another redhead! Do all redheads have the creativity gene? (kidding, the redheads on this board sure all do!)
 
Julie,

Wow! That looks elegant and fab--hey, sapphire is MY birthstone---I love the oval pearls too-they have a great lustre! You qualify for a prize, too, I am getting closer to figuring out just what that will be---------??????? 120 inches, for starters?? Wow again!!!
 
What a great necklace! WOW, what a starter piece!!!
 
You are all very kind! And helpful as I have learned so much from this forum and all of your contributions...

Mary, I am trying to decide what will come next. I have some beautiful keishi from Pattye so I think I need to work with those next now that I feel more comfortable with my knotting.

Admin, I had to laugh as I don't think I have a creative bone in my body... My mom and grandmother could look at a piece of trash in someone's alley and when they were done with it, it looked as if it belonged on display somewhere. Maybe this will be my area of artistic flair?

Pattye, the 2 sapphires represent the 2 stepsons I was fortunate enough to marry into. I too love sapphs! There is something so beautiful about all of the variations you can find in your birthstone. I hate to say it aloud right now but I don't think that will be my last long strand. I really liked doing it and the knotting makes me stop thinking about work stresses. Plus, I can't eat when I'm knotting so that is the best reward of all! hahaha
 
Thanks MsT! I really enjoyed the challenge!
 
Hi Julie,

impressive job! Very nice looking too! How did your fingers fare with the Power Pro?
 
Julie, you are very brave to start beading with that length. Very nice :).
 
Inge, thank you for the kind words. Actually my fingers were not too bad... I have spent years fishing with my family and am rather used to tying knots with fishing line.

Thanks Cathy! I did not look at it as brave but maybe foolish? Actually, I wanted the practice to try to get as good at knotting as all of you are and figured in a worst case, I could cut it apart but I do enjoy wearing it.
 
While Pearly Shell and I were walking through the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, we saw the Las Vegas Edition 100" strand in the window of Mikimoto. I wonder what they would think if they knew that they had inspired the world's most beautiful 100" strand and it was right across the way in the same complex. It makes one ponder... ;)
 
Hands down I would choose Sarah's in a heartbeat over Mikimoto's!
 
One year ago today I joined this forum and PG. I thought I was just trying to get more information on buying Tahitian pearls, and a little more about pearls in general. Little did I know that I would become a full blown addict with a new passion, new goals for the future, an international bevy of friends, and enough pearls to make a 100" rope! In honor of my one year anniversary, I spent most of the day on this, even though I have a million more pressing projects and problems I need to deal with. I also have no idea what I am going to do with it, since it took a lot of stock and I'm supposed to be selling not keeping. It was an obsessive's dream project, just coming in at 100" by my measurement, as I ran out of both thread and pearls in the end and had to get creative.

I used a mixture of every loose pearl I had including - FWs from the beader's specials, FW second harvest, a few FW bead nukes, Tahitians, SS goldens & silvers, and akoyas. A hodge-podge of gemstones including aquamarine, carnelian, prenite, moonstone, amethyst, rose quartz, adventurine, sapphire and opal. It is totally random, other than keeping an eye on when the dark Tahitians needed to go on. As far as I know, they are all natural colored pearls. It is knotted in a random pattern as well, going from between each pearl to two, three, or every now and then four between knots. I knotted it using thread from Sarah at Kojima Pearl that she gets from Japan. I really liked the thread, and this is really my first foray into double thread knotting. I had a couple of misteps miles into the rope, and so there are also a couple of gold beads on the strand (crimp covers to occupy space). I finished it with a basket clasp and a Tahitian & SS drop, so it can be worn a variety of ways. My husband (the golfer) calls it Pearl Pebble Beach, but my name for it is "Random Acts of Pearl." These are pictures taken at night with a flash & with flourescent light influence. I'll get better pics tomorrow. So, thank you all for a great year!!! I need to go to bed.
 

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Hi Sheryl
That is a great potpourri rope. Are you going to bring it? Please tell us about the fastening.

Your first year here- yeay! Thanks for helping organize the convention too!
 
Sheryl, your rope is stunning! What a wonderful keepsake you will have to remind you of your first year on the forum if you decide to keep it for yourself.

From a newbie perspective, I would like to thank you for your year of contributions. Not only does it enrich the forum as a whole but I have learned so much from you and I am thankful.

Julie
 
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