My first try

[Aycee]

I decided it's time to join the lowly beaders club ( If you'll have me )
and try and make something myself. I got a copy of Henrietta's book and some supplies. Here is my first try.

I looked in a few stores but all I was able to find was moss green powerpro so that's what I used for now.

Alain

 

[knotty panda]

LOL, I thought after I wrote all that about how to find someone to string for you, that I was being very sexist. Men do FINE FINE work! And you are well on your way! Many beaders go for years without mastering what you've done. And you've got the wire guardians. Hey, you are on your way!

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No, wait. That's GIMP! GOOD JOB!!!!!!!!! In the bead store, look for Champion Silk. It's not my favorite, but it beats a blank. Gimp on the first shot. You have a new career! You BECAME officially one of us when you started thinking about going to the gem show.

 

[jshepherd]

Was that seriously your first try?! I see none of the 2-inch spaces and double size knots... What is this "Henrietta's Book"?

 

[knotty panda]

Pearl and Bead Stringing with Henrietta by Henrietta Virchick.

 

[Raisondetre]

That's beautiful! The green powerpro actually looks deliberate, like it's part of the design.

I should take up beading. It's wonderful to be able to create something unique.

 

[jerin]

I decided it's time to join the lowly beaders club ( If you'll have me )
and try and make something myself. I got a copy of Henrietta's book and some supplies. Here is my first try.

I looked in a few stores but all I was able to find was moss green powerpro so that's what I used for now.

Alain

Hi Alain,

I think it was a good thing to buy yourself Henrietta?s book, as everything is explained in great detail....
Very nice bracelet, try to get the Power Pro in white... very nice toggle!

 

[imanit]

Wow !! First job and it's knotting !! I'm impressed. I learned how to do it too, but I still find it easier to work with silver wire.... at least mistakes can be corrected. Making mistake in "knotted" job is more painfull.... One has to restart !!!

 

[knotty panda]

Dear Aycee: Now it's time to tell you about the "dark side" of beading. The dark side sets in about a day or two after you make your first piece. Then you begin to think, "gee, I could have done better than that!" At this point, you begin your "scheduled for demolition" pile. You design and redesign and try new things until you get it right. I joke about it being the dark side. It's truly a creative learning experience and a wonderful journey. Right, Caitlin? And it's absolutely wonderful to have a forum like this to bounce ideas around.

Oh! And Raisondtre is correct! Coordinating thread, not matching thread, is very designer! I had a white faux pearl bracelet knotted on fire engine red. Loved it. Gave it away. Hmmm, I need to revisit that design...

 

[Casey.R]

I think it looks really good. Interesting green thread
I still haven't even tried to make anything so your way ahead of me.
Nice pearls too. are those some of the ones you just bought the other day?

 

[Sueki]

Wowee,
Respect, Aycee.
It looks great.
Me, I'm practising my knotting.
Ordered the beads, silk etc.
Completely forgot to buy clasps.....

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Aycee

Great job!

For others: Henrietta's book is THE book on stringing. You can even buy her special paste, gum arabic, to make your own needles. I recommend Suzanne Hye of eBay store, "Hye on Beads" (She claims Henrietta as her mentor) as a good source for beaders. She has the power pro in white and black as well as thread zappers and tips and more.

She is fast and has low postage, making her an outstanding eBayer in my eyes! Moss green is what you get in fishing line, though I am happily using it anyway. It is inexpensive and for my huge black klonks, it doesn't stretch at all (though I may restring it in black some day.)

I put her book on one of the first sticky things in this forum.

If you want to see a video of fingers only technique for tying perfect knots from the get-go, check out the sticky notes for 2 of them.
Henrietta will teach you about gimp too and how to start and end strands, so if you only want one stringing book, this is the one. (I collect all of them I can find, but Henrietta is first among equals)

In short, by paying attention, it is possible to get it right the first time.

 

[Aycee]

I went to my local bead store and brought some pearls with me. I told them I wanted to make a necklace.
They said no problem we will string them for you at $2 an inch plus the material costs. Then I said well I actualy would like to try it myself can you please give me the supplies I need. Back home I started on a test project. It was very difficult to get a double strand of that silk to go trough these tiny holes, some hard pulling later I got the first 3 pearls on but then I read I had to go back trough to form the loop and that was impossible. The store had given me Gudebrod champion FFF thread wich I know now is the thickest. So I cut it apart and started over with a single thread just to try and make knots, that went not to bad but I could not get the knots close enough to the pearl. So I cut that apart also and read the stringing thread on here where I discovered Caitlin talking about powerpro and how pulling the 2 strings makes the knot slide close to the pearl. Tried that and I ended up with the result you see here. I did use some of the pearls that I bought last week.
The toggle is just some cheapo one I got from craft store to start with.
I think I'm gonna cut this apart, use white powerpro and a nice 14k clasp and I also need to remove a few pearls cause it was a little bit to long for my wife.
Hmm, that does sound like the "Dark side" taking over already doesn't it
To those wanting to try it I would say "Just do it" because if I can do it then you surely can.

Alain

 

[knotty panda]

LOL How funny! Yeah, I knew you were a prime candidate for redesigning. The bead store turned you loose without needles? Shame on them! All in all, I'd say your first experience was a rousing success!

 

[Casey.R]

Hmmm, now I want to join the club too!

 

[Satine De La Courcel]

VEry Nice! now I am inspired to do more pearl stuff again..

Cheers
all

 

[jerin]

Hi Alain,

surely by now You have to admit that it is very delightful to string once You get Your knots equally small and fine.... it became quite an obsession with me, even though I very seldom undo my designs since I simply make the classical type of pearl necklaces. Still check out Firmemountain.com for twisted needles (fine, medium and heavy), get silk in size E or Power Pro. With this kind of material Your knots are even smaller when using relatively large pearls. Bullion thread and a nice clasp will make your work look very professional indeed!

The only danger is that You become such an addict as I am so You have to buy pearls all the time to be able to string......
Otherwise practicing will make You a great stringer.......

Give us pictures from future projects and let us know what Your wife thinks....