Multi-Strand (3 or more) Necklace Challenge!

[pattye]

The little "thanks for participating" gifts will be mailed this Wednesday~if you want to receive something please pm me your address. It's fine if you live out of the US, first class postage is fairly inexpensive.

Many thanks to everyone for posting your fabulous and unique creations! Let's continue to add multistrand necklaces and torsades in this thread as we finish them, OK?

p.s. a fun factoid, this thread has received 3,524 views to date!

 

[lisa c]

I'm catching up on what I've missed and WOW! You guys are craaaaaaaaazy-​creative! Beautiful results!

 

[pattye]

Glad you checked it out, Lisa! Now this thread is up to 4,019 views! Cool! Time to move on and think up a new challenge for this winter!

 

[A Breaker]

I know this is an old thread....but I am needing to restring a multi-layered necklace and add 2 more inches to each strand. Is there a good way to design multi-layer on a bead board? I tried knots and did not like it. I tried bigger pearls. I think a combination is best...but any good way to figure this out other than trial and error? pattye tips to make it quicker to rearrange pearls and get it to work successfully?

 

[BWeaves]

3 strand necklaces are tough. My last restring with extra pearls needed, I sent to Pearl Paradise.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

For multistrand necklaces I would decide the length of the shortest strand first, then add 1 inch of length to each succeeding strand. e.g. 17", 18", 19" -- or 18", 19", 20". Or whatever you prefer.

To hold pearls in their desired position on the beading board, string them temporarily onto craft wire. This is very helpful if the pearls are not completely round. If you are going to knot, calculate 0.3mm of length per knot. And don't forget the length of your clasp + gimp.

I'm not sure what you mean by not liking knots, but there are other options. Check out silicone beading bumpers or huggers. Beadalon makes the beading bumpers -- Amazon sells them-- and the bead huggers are sold by firemountaingems.com. These are tiny lens shaped silicone beads that cushion between beads or pearls. You string them on where you would have placed a knot. Read the specifics of their size and multiply by how many you will use in a strand, when calculating strand length.

 

[A Breaker]

Thank you both! These are old button/flat pearls stacked next to each other. They look great next to each other, but knots seemed to show that they were not perfectly flat nor button, but lumpy. (They were originally on a fabulous gold clasp, but it really needed 3 and only had 2....also way to short for most necks, including mine!)

The figuring out the shortest strand is perfect! I was trying to do them at the same time....too much to figure out all at once. I also think I might use pins on a bust with the first temporary strand. (The math part is super helpful too!).

 

[Pearl Dreams]

You might still want to put a knot after a grouping of pearls. Maybe every 5 pearls, or whatever, as a design element and to increase the security of the strand.

 

[pattye]

Sorry to be late to the discussion! Lots of good ideas here! You might even prefer the finished necklace on designer wire over thread. The button/flat pearls don't offer much flexibility stacked together. Perhaps a small seed bead every so often (every 10?) would give flexibility and add a design element. Agree, best to get the shortest strand sorted first. Your necklace will be lovely!

 

[A Breaker]

I figured out what is going wrong... I have trouble keeping the 2 stands & the pearls that go on them in the right order. I tried marking the needle with marker, but it wore off quickly. (3 time restringing....). Any tips on marking which is which so I keep the right pearls on the right strand?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Maybe use different colored clips?

 

[BWeaves]

I string everything and then do the knots.

 

[A Breaker]

How? Do you put it all on 1 thread, then go back thru with another single thread? How to you do the ends? (Was that from the tutorial here on the forum?)

I have not tried it that way, but now I have super tiny needles from Pattye...I think I can.

 

[BWeaves]

I've done it two ways.

Go through all pearls with 1 thread, then around the clasp, and then back through the pearls. Clip a hemostat to the end, so nothing slips off, then do overhand knots, and pull the 2 threads apart to snug up the knot next to the pearl. Then slide the next pearl up, knot, etc.

Or, I'll put the thread on doubled, and clip a hemostat to the doubled ends. Thread all the pearls. Use the needle end to go through the clasp and then back through a couple of pearls, then cut the needle thread off (a little glue to hold those first knots. Then knot like above.

Another way I've done strands is to thread through all the pearls, then through the clasp, and then go back through each pearl one at a time, and use the needle thread to make an overhand knot OVER the other thread. That might be easier for a multistrand necklace, because you don't have to loop the entire necklace around for each knot. The necklace can lay out flat on your beading mat.

 

[A Breaker]

I was thinking of the 3rd way now that I have tiny needles. I am still pulling 3 thread thru...But I think I can make it. I am not exactly sure about the other end, because I don't know exactly how long it is going to be... But I I have some ideas how to get it to work. If I get stuck I'll post here. (I had a million Hemostats from my RN Mom...but in all our moves I can only find a 1...clamshell clips for paper work okay.)

 

[BWeaves]

When I get to the other end, I leave one strand sticking out the end, and only go back through with 1 end and knot over the other thread.