First Beading Project Ever

[Nerida]

Hi Raison! Wow, I am so so impressed. And I feel like your pearl-mum even though you've been here longer than me (guess that just comes with age...) so I'm feeling all proud right now....

Raisondetre knotted her very first pearl at my place not very long ago.. and now look at your work! Amazing! Well done, and haha, we will keep an eye on the beadboard.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Oh, yes, my beadboard is a mess. Yours is pristine, Raison!

One way to get dark fuzz and gritty stuff off the beadboards: Press some cellophane tape against the surface and lift away. Tape lifts the dirt and fuzz off. You can do it in the grooves, too- just use your finger to press the tape into the groove.

 

[Hanaleimom]

great

great

Raison,
Your work looks fabulous. It doesn't look like first project at all. I have to get going with my first knotting too. I love the multi-colour outer strand.

 

[Mervione]

Wow! Those pearls are beautiful!!!

Your knots looks small and neat as well, makes the pearls justice.

 

[pattye]

Congrats! Love the pearls! Love your perfect knotting! Love that you and Nerida got together!

I have resorted to multiple beading trays----------can't have just one----ha ha.

 

[Sueki]

I have resorted to multiple beading trays----------can't have just one----ha ha.

Sigh,
How true; I, too, have several.
Of course, if I didn't keep jumping on to the next idea before finishing the last, I'd only need one small and one large tray.

 

[dkan 168]

Having seen the amount of fun to be had by the Lowly Beader Club, it makes me want to start beading again!

However, due to current work/life committments, it is just not feasible!

I'll just continue to re-string my own pearls for now

DK

 

[Raisondetre]

I confess, I do have two ... at a dollar a pop I really can't justify not having many! I feel bad ... blown close to 3K on my beading supplies already, and I only want more ...

 

[dkan 168]

I confess, I do have two ... at a dollar a pop I really can't justify not having many! I feel bad ... blown close to 3K on my beading supplies already, and I only want more ...

It all adds up!

I spent a fortune too, and on display stands and probs, with the aim to sell at craft fairs etc... In the end, I gave most of them away

After I stopped beading, I gave my mum my stock, and she has hardly touched them

Never had a bead board though.

DK

 

[Nerida]

One beading tray? No, that is never a consideration!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I have 2 as well. But I made a mistake buying the smaller of the 2. It's not as useful for bracelets, for one thing. So soon I'll probably get another large one. Then I'll have 3--aargh!

 

[Drucilla]

Raison, and others,

I think the colors and luster of those pearls are beautiful, and the knots look great. Your project is a source of encouragement and angst to me, since I've just signed up for a knotting class on Nov. 1.

Been watching the knotting video on the "Beader" thread, and I think I've got it, but I'm so paranoid I decided to enroll in a class, and get someone to watch me. You are lucky to have had Nerida close by; laurenb, want to mentor me???

I would gladly exchange torn up hands for knots like those. I've seen other examples of "first tries", and I'm living in fear that I will produce a straggly little bracelet after 2 hours of class.

 

[Drucilla]

Someone give me some input....the class is only two hours long with 3 students/1 teacher. And I was told when I enrolled which tools I would need for the knotting class, which included an awl. Remembering what I learned here, I said, "But won't that sometimes split the silk, and cause an unnecessary dependence on an instrument, when it's possible to just learn to knot with hands only?" The teacher replied, "The owner and I have been knotting for MANY years, and we have ALWAYS used an awl!" (o.k., shut up, and learn --don't offend the teacher!)

If, after learning their way, will I be able to convert to "hands only", if I go back and re-read all the old posts, and keep watching the video?

 

[Drucilla]

I am only wanting to learn to repair any of my pieces which break, etc. I have no interest (at this time!) in trying to produce beautifully designed jewelry to sell, like so many of you.

But I felt like the class would give me some of the basics that I need in order to physically see how to do stuff, rather than just reading the posts, and trying to imagine how to do it.

Need encouragement!!! Is this the first baby step toward trays, gimps, jump rings, clasps, etc????

 

[Pearl Dreams]

If you think a class will help you get started, go for it. You can --and will-- learn new techniques later, whether or not you take a class.

 

[Raisondetre]

OK, I'm done with this one. I'm working Friday so I can't cut up my hands anymore than I already have.

 

[Raisondetre]

 

[Raisondetre]

The needle was too bent and too short (I kept snipping when I started/ended strands) so I gave up and ended the strand at the 2nd pearl.

 

[Raisondetre]

Drucilla, you don't really need a class to learn knotting, especially if the techniques aren't what you're looking for. However, if you need that extra boost in confidence, it doesn't help. I am very lucky to have pearl-mom Nerida close to me (well, almost an hour, but still), very patient teacher. I did almost mess up her chocolate freshwaters that she was selling ... LOL

The knotting for this one didn't take as long as I thought, but I did spend an entire 2 hours or so moving stuff around and rearranging what I had already strung (prior to knotting) because I thought there was some steric hindrance from the bigger leaves. In particular the leaves had to have extra stardust beads and the small filler to create the right distance, so it doesn't knock on to its neighbors. I think this has got to be the most challenging.

The last three pearls on either end were to add length. I think larger necklaces need to be longer, so as not to "choke" the wearer.

 

[jerin]

Someone give me some input....the class is only two hours long with 3 students/1 teacher. And I was told when I enrolled which tools I would need for the knotting class, which included an awl. Remembering what I learned here, I said, "But won't that sometimes split the silk, and cause an unnecessary dependence on an instrument, when it's possible to just learn to knot with hands only?" The teacher replied, "The owner and I have been knotting for MANY years, and we have ALWAYS used an awl!" (o.k., shut up, and learn --don't offend the teacher!)

If, after learning their way, will I be able to convert to "hands only", if I go back and re-read all the old posts, and keep watching the video?

Hi,
her a piece of advice on that you can?t go wrong: buy yourself the little book "Pearl and Bead Stringing with Henrietta" by Henrietta Virchick through Amazon.com and just get going... You will learn the "hands only" knotting in no time and after that it is just a matter of practicing and soon you will make knots as neat as Raisondetres, I am sure.
Go to the class too but if you make it before that with the hand knotting I think it will make it easier. Why use a lot of tools unnecessaty? An awl can be OK if you have to open a dangle of threads but otherwise Henriettas book explains very nice hands only as well as other types of knotting, incl. the use of an awl....

Good Luck and let us know how it goes...

P.S.: It will be handy for you to know how to string as you can always restring your necklaces yourself and you don?t have to be afraid to have to design necklaces but I can tell you, it is very gratifying to do it yourself, sometimes you may change something in the matching or add a pendant or something else....D.S.