All about silk thread

[knotty panda]

Today I received the special silver-blue silk I ordered in anticipation of needing it in the near future. (I'm crossing all of my fingers and all of my toes.) It took forever to get here! I normally get it within a week, but apparently silver-blue silk worms are on strike and it has been on back order. Perhaps someone can tell me what the packaging says. I've always been curious about that.

 

[salem]

Hi Knotty,

I can translate for you. On the first picture, the dark writing ?????is the name of the company, which would be pronounce o-ri-zu-ru. The kanji in the right corner says whole silk thread. On the pack is mainly recycling info, saying the packing is plastic and paper. Oh, and in the left corner(on the back still) it says "made in Japan".

 

[knotty panda]

Thank you so much! I was hoping you would pull up this thread thread. So! That's the company! Well, they make some wonderful thread! I purchase it from YLI. The white thread comes on a card with the YLI logo in the center and everything else is Japanese. For some reason, the dyed thread comes on the same card with the KNK logo. This is 1000 denier thread which is used for dressmaking. It's a bit thicker than spooled thread and thinner than embroidery floss. This is used to encase buttonholes and called buttonhole twist. I don't know if anyone else uses it for pearl knotting. It's much better than Champion or Gudebrod or any of the other threads I've tried.

 

[salem]

Hmmm, maybe I will try to look it up and test it out. Thanks!

 

[drea]

Pearltime,
I think the best way to string, and the best way to learn is without the use of tools. It will of course take you time to learn, and you will certainly be having to cut a whole lot of pearls off and re-string them to keep practicing, but it's worth it.

I'm self taught myself, and now I can do a strand in 10 minutes or less (and I'm a perfectionist too). It takes time, and a bit of a learning curve, but you'll appreciate it once you've learned. All I can say is practice practice practice.. it took me a while to perfect it, but after a whole lot of stringing, I am very quick, and my strands look really nice.

Caitlin re-posted a link that looks like it's a Dutch site, but the pictures are great for showing you how to knot a necklace. The link is:

http://www.lots-of-pearls.com/winkel/index.cgi?page=04-Zelf_parels_knopen.htm

I only use 100% silk thread for stringing, and I find it much better than any other thread as it's really strong, and doesn't fray like a synthetic fiber will do. I also buy all of my silk thread direct from Asia, as I find the quality is much better. Hope this helps!!

 

[jerin]

Pearltime,

I only use 100% silk thread for stringing, and I find it much better than any other thread as it's really strong, and doesn't fray like a synthetic fiber will do. I also buy all of my silk thread direct from Asia, as I find the quality is much better. Hope this helps!!

Drea,
do You have a www.address for us in Asia where we could order this silk?
Thanks

 

[knotty panda]

Jerin: Thanks for asking that. Also, silk that doesn't fray? 100% silk is 100% silk. The only difference I know of is how that silk is processed meaning if it's filament or pulled from the cocoon. Dyes affect how the silk behaves, but untreated silk should behave the same across the board. I'm curious to find out what this silk is. What size thread do you use Drea?

 

[drea]

Drea,
do You have a www.address for us in Asia where we could order this silk?
Thanks

Hi Jerin,
Sorry I don't have a website address as I buy direct when I go to Asia. A lot of companies in Asia still don't have websites, as they mostly sell to local consumers, and those who travel.

 

[jerin]

Hi Drea,

that?s a pity. Do you have any advice how we still can get into contact with an asian company with good silk?

E-mail or fax? Do You think they would consider selling to international buyers?

 

[knotty panda]

Hello Jerin: The thread I use is Japanese and it is available from ylicorp.com. I have a picture of the thread I purchased recently in post #81 of this thread in anticipation of a silver-blue purchase. Salem was kind enough to translate the packaging for me (I never knew what it meant, for all I knew, it said, "not for use with pearls!". It is also available in smaller sizes on spools.

But keep after drea! I really would like to know at least a name (if we have a name, Valeria can find it!) and I'd like to know the size, too. Thanks!

 

[drea]

Hi Drea,

that?s a pity. Do you have any advice how we still can get into contact with an asian company with good silk?

E-mail or fax? Do You think they would consider selling to international buyers?

Hi Jerin,
I double checked all of my spools for any information as to the company that makes the thread, and none of my spools have anything on them.

When I go to Asia, I normally buy a whole heap of spools (min to 144 dzn) to tie me over as I've found it really really difficult to find here in North America (especially Canada), and quite honestly you are never sure of the quality of what you are getting. Are you able to find your thread locally?

Many companies will normally work with international buyers, however language can sometimes be a problem, and wholesale quantities are expected. If you do find a company that is willing to sell you small quantities in Asia, most often they will say its silk when really its polyester.

The people that I work with don't speak any English or very little, but they know me very well, so they know what I want with regards to my orders and quality expectations. The company that I work with will not do small orders, however if I can find any information with regards to companies that do, I will most certainly post it for you.

With trying to find a company yourself, you can check on Alibaba or Global Sources for companies that sell 100% silk thread, however last I have checked all of those sites only sell wholesale not retail.

I don't typically like to offer information with regards to suppliers that I haven't worked with myself, as I can't vouch for the quality that they deliver. I'll see what I can find though! Sorry that I can't be of more help.

Best regards!

ps- is it Jerin or Inge?

 

[jerin]

Hello Jerin: The thread I use is Japanese and it is available from ylicorp.com. I have a picture of the thread I purchased recently in post #81 of this thread in anticipation of a silver-blue purchase. Salem was kind enough to translate the packaging for me (I never knew what it meant, for all I knew, it said, "not for use with pearls!". It is also available in smaller sizes on spools.

But keep after drea! I really would like to know at least a name (if we have a name, Valeria can find it!) and I'd like to know the size, too. Thanks!

Hello, Knotty

thanks for the info, I read # 81 earlier on and I have written down the name of the company.

 

[jerin]

Hi Jerin,
I double checked all of my spools for any information as to the company that makes the thread, and none of my spools have anything on them.

When I go to Asia, I normally buy a whole heap of spools (min to 144 dzn) to tie me over as I've found it really really difficult to find here in North America (especially Canada), and quite honestly you are never sure of the quality of what you are getting. Are you able to find your thread locally?

Many companies will normally work with international buyers, however language can sometimes be a problem, and wholesale quantities are expected. If you do find a company that is willing to sell you small quantities in Asia, most often they will say its silk when really its polyester.

The people that I work with don't speak any English or very little, but they know me very well, so they know what I want with regards to my orders and quality expectations. The company that I work with will not do small orders, however if I can find any information with regards to companies that do, I will most certainly post it for you.

With trying to find a company yourself, you can check on Alibaba or Global Sources for companies that sell 100% silk thread, however last I have checked all of those sites only sell wholesale not retail.

I don't typically like to offer information with regards to suppliers that I haven't worked with myself, as I can't vouch for the quality that they deliver. I'll see what I can find though! Sorry that I can't be of more help.

Best regards!

ps- is it Jerin or Inge?

Hi Drea,
thanks for all the information - perhaps we members of the forum should go together and order directly from You - seriously it would be very nice to have different silks for comparison. But if You can get anything else on the subject, we all I think would be most grateful!

My surname is Inge, Jerin is just my "log in" name. Here in Sweden we don?t have any stores selling silk other than on cards and I have ordered my Gudebrod spools from the U.S. - still if I can come over someone selling from Asia, I would welcome that very much! I do like to experiment a bit....

 

[jerin]

Jerin: Thanks for asking that. Also, silk that doesn't fray? 100% silk is 100% silk. The only difference I know of is how that silk is processed meaning if it's filament or pulled from the cocoon. Dyes affect how the silk behaves, but untreated silk should behave the same across the board. I'm curious to find out what this silk is. What size thread do you use Drea?

Knotty,

which of these silk threads are for pearl knotting? I looked at their retail price list under "Pure Filament Silk Thread" and there it shows only 1000 Denier 20 m Cards, is this the kind You order?

When looking at their site for "Silk thread" I get a lot of different colours but also different numbers. Are they all 1000 Denier or whatever should I choose when having FWPs with the small drillholes?

This silver-blue thread looks exciting- I will order it as well once I know which one it is...

Thanks for help, Knotty.

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Inge
In the past when I wanted thread of a certain color, I used silk embroidery thread. It comes in multistrands which are easy to separate out according to the size of the knots you want to make or the size of the pearl holes. (One size fits all? )

I have the large spools of black and white silk in a size E from Bella's Findings, but other colors I go with embroidery thead. (Actually I am going to get some lavender/purple in a spool in my next Bella order. The only trouble with Bella's is they fed ex everything, so I don't like to do small orders from them.

Embroidery thread comes in long enough pieces that it is easy to double and put through a needle and bees-waxing keeps the threads together as you work.

I bet you could even find silk embroidery thread in dozens of colors in Sweden!

I like the twisted needles with the giant holes and buy them dozens at a time. I reuse, if I can, but it is no big deal if I can't.

 

[Caitlin]

I forgot to add- and I think we should start a special thread for stringing with silk- that silk is a very elastic medium. When a weight is put on it, it stretches.

Which is precisely why you stretch it before using it for pearls. But you can never stretch it enough.

Filament silk, which is the strongest way to buy silk thread, is even more elastic than spun silk. It stretches up to 28%.

Pearl stringers may consider this built in obsolescence as a positive factor; after all, the more you wear them, the sooner they will need a restring.

If you have and love large pearls, the thread can stetch out in hours, as I discovered several months ago when I strung up the lumps of coal necklace (14-16MM potato CFWP in a 30" length)

As I have tried everything from monofiliment to parachute thread including natural & artificial sinew to string beads at one time or another, I am not a traditionlist at all about silk and I consider the elasticity to be its major drawback, though I consider the many colors it comes in the major reason to use it.

 

[knotty panda]

Inge: Sorry, I didn't see your post until right now. I am totally with you on that color/number thing! I hate it too! Luckily, pearl color is generally forgiving enough that you can be a bit off and still be ok. That particular thread is #034. Pearl Paradise used a grey to knot the silver-blue akoyas. So, the #034 color is just a bit deeper than my strand but blends wonderfully with the overtones. Considering your strand is aqua, I would still go with #034. If you like, I can send you some so you can see for yourself before you order.

Also, I have found that embroidery floss, I think that's the proper term, even separated into double strands isn't as good as buttonhole twist. Properly, floss is separated for use in embroidery and used in smaller increments than would be used for knotting a necklace.

 

[knotty panda]

Good question, drea. I've been waiting for the pros on the forum to chime in, however, they've pretty much left us to our own devises. They all advertise they use silk, though. I'd be interested in getting a sample of your silk, too, if I may.

 

[drea]

Good question, drea. I've been waiting for the pros on the forum to chime in, however, they've pretty much left us to our own devises. They all advertise they use silk, though. I'd be interested in getting a sample of your silk, too, if I may.

Hi Knotty Panda,
It would be interesting to see what they would have to say about the thread! I'd be happy to send you a sample as well.. If you send me a pm with your address, I will ship one off to you. We have a long weekend this weekend as it is Canadian Thanksgiving, so Monday is a holiday.. I'll ship it as soon as I can. : )

 

[jerin]

Hi Inge,
I apologize for the very late reply to your message, our office has been swamped lately.. I would be more than happy to send you a sample of the thread that I use so you may try it out. All of the spools that I carry are 5000 meters so I can't imagine that you would require that much thread, but I'd be happy to send you a smaller sample!!



Best regards

Hi Drea,

I would be grateful to get a smaller sample of the thread, thank You. I nearly had forgotten about the post, but as I like to read the posts over again, I luckily came across it.