How to Make a Pearl Necklace.

PS you don't have to wax Power pro thread, but you do need special scissors. Fiskars kid's scissors are OK, but I like thread clippers. They cost less than $3.50 a pair and go up from there. If you take knotted power pro strands apart, buy several of the cheap ones. I found one pair will clip a couple hundred knots before it dulls. The Fiskars are about $4.50.

PPA THREAD CLIPPERS RETAIL PRICE 1 PER ITEM PRICE
$1.85
 
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I've just tried my hand at making a pearl bracelet and I'm about to pull my hair out because I can't for the life of me figure out how to finish it. I'm missing something but I'm not sure what. So far I've been stringing and knotting with a single thread and making overhand knots on the first three pearls (I've been knotting the way it's shown in the video on the first page). When I try to finish the strand, I leave the last three pearls unknotted, string the gimp and other half of the clasp and go back through the first pearl and pull it tight. But how do I know how to leave enough room for the last three knots? Are those knots supposed to be overhand knots? I'm so confused. If I don't pull the last three pearls against the rest of the strand, I have plenty of space to make more knots but then there's an ugly gap between the last section of the bracelet and the rest of it. But I'm not sure how I'd knot if I pull it tight :confused: Help, please!
 
Hi Borah and welcome to the forum.
You are quite right you have to see that there is no space left between the last three pearls, you are doing quite right, making simple overhand knots. You keep it tight together by putting your finger behind the 4 pearl from the end (this one has a knot and sits "tight", then you just see to it that you are pushing the 3 final pearls tight against it, adjusting the thread by pulling. Once you have gone back through the first pearl (all the time adjusting the thread so it is close/tight to the pearl), you can put the bracelet down on the table, form the upper part of an "8", go through with your needle, pull the thread/s through so they go tight into the pearl and continue. BTW I always work with double threads. I hope you understand what I am trying to explain...
 
Hi Borah
You don't leave any slack or gaps. Pull the last three pearls tight and then you have to fiddle the needle through the tiny gap which will open up if you carefully and gently but determinedly bend the piece to about 90 degrees.
hope this helps
wendy
 
Hi Borah,
Welcome to the forum.
Yes, as Jerin and Pearlescence state - don't leave any room at all for the last three knots; you will find that the knot tucks neatly between the pearls, as it always finds enough room no matter how tightly you push the the last three against the rest of the pearls.
Hope you post some pics. of the finished bracelet.....
 
Hi everyone - does anyone else use their bent chain nose pliers to help get the needle out of the pearls as you go back through them? I bend my work to 90 degrees, like Wendy, but sometimes find that I still don't have enough room to pull the needle through with my fingers - using the bent pliers helps enormously - maybe I'm just a little in need of "remedial" help...
 
No, sometimes I use the pliers too - I don't use specific jewellery pliers though, I have my late father's WW2 CK fine electrical work pliers (much more delicate and precise) I have a pair with a pointed end and a pair which is squared off,. plus I bought some CK snips which I use for cutting everything.
Another tip, sometimes the needle tip gets stuck on a bump inside the drill hole. You can usually get it through if you turn the whole item around to the 'other side'
 
Hi Borah
Are you using one thread with a built-in needle? IMHO a single thread is much harder to get the knots snuggled in tight.

I really recommend you get thread without a needle on it and put it through the needle so it is doubled, then knot or clamp the end so the beads/pearls will not fall off.

I think I have a link with a place for getting silk on a card with no needle earlier in this thread. Then, if you find you like knotting, perhaps you should move up to spools of silk thread.

Hi Nerida
does anyone else use their bent chain nose pliers to help get the needle out of the pearls as you go back through them?
Click to expand...

That is a fine idea, though many first timers should wait to buy a pair until they know beading is for them.
 
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If I pulled the last three tight, I wouldn't have enough room. I slip my thumb nail between each pearl and maintain that spacing to do my end knots. Another way is to line up both ends side by side to gauge how much room to leave. Knowing how much room to leave is probably the hardest part of knotting but once you've got it, you're home free.

Pliers pulling needles? YEAH BABY!
 
Thank you guys so much. I was so confused. I'd been using thread without a built in needle but since I'm starting over, I'm going to do it double-threaded this time around. I'm pretty new to pearls but this forum's been such a great resource. I'm pretty excited about this bracelet, I bought some really gorgeous lavender strands from Majestic (about 6mm, near round) and I'll post some pictures once I've finished. :)
 
I'm planning on making a keshi rope with vermeil spacers. If I hide the knots with the spacers, I still have to finish it off, cutting the thread and zapping it. Is it possible for the thread zapper to ruin the spacer? I know it's of short duration, but vermeil is pretty much just a thicker gold plated silver. The melting points are pretty close, as it says it goes up to 1200 deg, I'm hoping Farenheit. I don't know if the silver will hold up.
 
OK, I've been here a while, knotted a bunch of necklaces and read and read on the different methods. I usually use the Griffon with a needle, disliked by many, and bead tips and it has worked pretty well. I need to make a 2 strand bracelet with some Vietnamese silver akoyas, and decided that I don't trust the bead tips on a bracelet, and also it would be hard to put 2 on a clasp. I've been trying to follow the directions for using gimp and 2 strands for well over 3 hours now, and just could not figure out how to start and end the *&% things. I am so visual, I can't just follow written directions, and the video and pics on the site given way back on the first post doesn't really show that (or I'm really missing something). So if anyone else comes to this thread looking for answers, I'd like to post this site http://handiworkjewelry.blogspot.com/2008/10/re-stringing-pearls.html
and this picture which finally made me understand how to do it. OMG I am so obtuse some times. And for all of you that don't know how I couldn't know how - I just didn't get the little tail part. I knotted at least 4 versions and still couldn't get an end and a beginning. But now I think I can do it. Oh I hope, the bracelet gets picked up tomorrow a.m.
Here's the pic - Thanks to the blogger a million times!
 

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So sorry to see this so late, Raison! I gues you know by now, no the thread zapper won't hurt the spacers.

Sheryl: Now I'm confused. Why is your thread doubled if you are using Griffin cord? Thanks!
 
If I can find my beading needles that work. The table is a disaster, and I guess this is in honor of St. P's Day - the bullheaded Irish in me will not just give up and do it the other way. I'd take a pic, but I've been "pended" again.
 
I can't see your needle. But I see the thread isn't waxed. That really does make all the difference in the world.
 
These pictures help but now I am questioning my own technique.

1. If you are using two strands do you really need a knotting tool?
2. I have never started with more than one pearl on the strand. How do you tie the knot between the first 2 pearls so the knot does not get too big doing it this way?
 
I think the knotting tool is up to the individual. I defer to anyone else on this, though - I just had a nightmare day and night with the bracelet. I'm going to bed now, and hope it still looks OK tomorrow. Oh my, I need a lesson - I just can't learn unless I see it.
 
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