Not Just a LB

[waimeamomi]

So I've been working with my NYC strands and knew I had to revisit my knotting strands. After 2 practice runs using Jeremy's video as a guideline (I wish I could do it with that ease, and I wish I had those pearls to knot!) I was ready to start for real. I didn't have access to all the things others have suggested, so this is done on Griffon, but I love the lilac color and so I went with it. Got everything going OK, no tweezers, but I did have my bent nose pliers which came in very handy more than a couple of times. So I'm sitting outside on the deck watching the daughter jump on the tramp while I knot. Peaceful pastoral scene. UNTIL - I drop the unknotted side of the strand, the end with all the pearls yet to be strung and it goes through the crack in the deck
The 2 dogs hear something drop and coming running to see if they can eat whatever it is - pearls, silk whatever. I am terrified the pearls will come off the thread, that we will have to send the 5 year old under the house because the deck is only about 3 feet or less off the ground, that they will be lost forever, all while trying to keep the dogs away, and keeping the knotted pearls from falling through the crack as well. My hubby answers my frantic cries, and rightly assumes that I want him to crawl under the house and deck. One attempt sends him running for his knee pads, somehow he gets his rather barrel shaped body through the very small area under the deck, the pearls are still on the thread, and the bent nose pliers are perfect for reaching through the crack to get the thread. Crisis averted. The knot created by the falling strand easily came out, knotting resumed in the house. Photo taken with cell phone since I immediately knew I must document this for PG. Finished product in next post.

 

[waimeamomi]

OK, now for the finished product. I think the knots came out pretty good. Not perfect, but I actually like a little character in my knots. Gives the human element. The pearls are so yummy. I really had a chance to examine them closely during the process and they are about 97% blemish free and so amazingly shiny. I did not use gimp/french wire, but used a 14k gf bead tip with glue on the knot. 14k toggle clasp.
OK here they are. The pics are pretty true to the color of the strand, and there's a comparison pic as well. Natural light. Be kind, but let me know if these knots don't pass.

 

[waimeamomi]

Last one - do pearls glow in the dark. Is it possible? But I will tell you that as the sun went down outside the one small window where I was shooting, the pearls picked up every last ray of light. I kept shooting, and then I turned off the lights, and finally I went into the closet with them. They just kept showing up. The first pic is with no lights on and the sun having just set. You can see a tiny bit of light on my neck, and the camera struggling to focus. The second pic is in the closet, they just barely show up. I was shooting them on my neck and didn't have a mirror in the closed to see where I was aiming. Happy Sunday everyone.

 

[barbie biggs]

Honestly Sheryl:
What do we have to do to get you to come out of the closet?
Seriously nice stringing job! Luscious lavendar pearls, and others.
barbie

 

[Satine De La Courcel]

I Personally feel you are being to hard on youself.

Do not worry about being perfect your first few times that comes with practice. It will take some time to get into your "Groove" or "Zone" for knotting.

These are great! the pearls scrumptious!

cheers
Ashby

 

[Pearl Dreams]

That was quite the adventure with the deck!

I do my beading in our basement and more than once I have bumped the tray (generally just when I finally got the pearls in the exact order I wanted them on the tray) making the pearls roll everywhere...under the cedar chest...behind the paper shredder...among the piles of things being reorganized and sorted for donation/disposal....

I think the knots look just fine! I like the color of the lavender pearls very much.

 

[Cathybear]

Oh well done! They look marvellous! With practice it won't feel awkward. I've dropped half knotted strands too, usually most of the pearls fall off. Once I was knotting outside while Lucas was broadcasting at radio and I knocked the tray of sorted pearls. They went everywhere, in amongst dead leaves on the ground and probably some went down the drainage grate. These days they let me inside in the AIR CONDITIONING with a desk, chair and great light and everything.
I too, think pearls glow best late in the day, when the sun is low. All the colours come out to play. I haven't tried them in a cupboard though lol
Great job!
Hugs Cathy

 

[pattye]

Cheryl,

Great work! The knotting looks terrific to me, including the bead tip. Nice variation from gimp. and the pearls themselves? Just amazing! What a fun experiment to photo them in the closet!

 

[john675]

Great story - it started out so poetic and ended with me giggling a bit... Great job!

 

[waimeamomi]

Thanks, everyone. With your support I put them on the website. I'm glad I'm not the only knotting near disaster story out there. They need to make some kind of velcro-like surface so that loose pearls and other little-bitty things like 2mm gold beads, will stay in place when we don't pay proper attention. I'm always on my knees on the carpet patting for lost beads and findings. Glad no one has a camera around then!

 

[jerin]

Sheryl,

what a nice story even if I do understand your fear with the pearls disappearing. I have had almost the same experience while knotting outside on our porch and a windgust turned the tray upside down - I use the "one" pearl system (just one pearl at the time) and luckily no one of the pearls fell under the deck, because the height is only 20 cm, too low to get under....

The knots look quite well done and the bead at the end is nice too, even if the gimp gives that special feeling of being mor classy....
Don?t you think that stringing is fun? The pearls look lovely and they do glow in the dark (not in your cupboard though...)

 

[Sueki]

"Bump the tray"
Oh, lord, I wish I had a pound for each time I've done that........
Glad to know it's not just me that does it

 

[Heidi]

Oh my goodness - I have experienced similar pain with knitting. Imagine a sneeze and a slippery needle in some soft lace yarn. Much swearing ensues...

The necklace looks beautiful to my eye! Good job on the knotting. What is the size of these pretties?

 

[waimeamomi]

What is the size of these pretties?

They're about 8mm. I need to keep a dime with my camera.

 

[Pearly Shell]

Beautiful strand!! I think you knotting looks great.

Do you prefer using the bead tips to the gimp/french wire? Is one better than the other?

 

[Caitlin]

Unstrung pearls coming off the strand can be avoided by bead stoppers. A little coil that grabs the thread tight at the end and is squeezed to release the thread. I have at least a dozen of those and it just doesn't happen any more. LINK

 

[Nerida]

Hi Sheryl and everyone,
Your knotting is pretty good - but the story is just so much better! Well done though - I haven't used bead tips but should try one day. I also just can't get my head around bead stoppers - the only time I've tried I ended up with more mess than I started with - I must be completely incompetent.

Oh, and it's my cats that are great at upending my bead tray. Either that, or sitting in the tray on my half finished work...

I love lavender pearls - bought lots in HK - wish I'd bought more.

 

[Nerida]

Caitlin - I picked up a shell of your beautiful purple mussel at the HK show - it's sitting on my desk right now - I will use it in my displays - isn't the colour just magnificent?

 

[Miriam Reed]

I too, think pearls glow best late in the day, when the sun is low. All the colours come out to play. I haven't tried them in a cupboard though lol

Well I've never tried to post a photo here before, but this one of my niece I took late in the day and I like the way the pearls show up. We'll see if I can get it to upload.

 

[Miriam Reed]

Okay, lets try that a little closer so we can see the pearls.