knotty panda
Pearl Knotting & Wire Expert
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2007
- Messages
- 1,766
Several months ago I heard Paspaley had a method of stringing pearls that 1) made the knots invisible and 2) had no stretch. Well, I contacted Paspaley to ask how this was accomplished figuring the worst they could say was no, and that's precisely what they said.
However! My sluthing side-kick (not saying who GEMGEEK!) snuck into Paspaley, at their invitation on the tour and got the secret! She didn't know I was hot on the knotting secret trail, shucky darn. Because had I known she was going to be privvy to this information, I would have had her video tape it and get thread samples!
Here's what she wrote me:
"can't even catch up on the posts, there were soooo many while I was away. I thought about you when I was in the Paspaley Pearl grading room. Wowee! Vats of South Sea Pearls as far as the eye can see. And they knot with two double strands so closely that you can't tell that there are knots between the pearls. All the pearls are on one double strand and the second double strand is drawn through and knotted with each pearl. I'm not sure if it was square knotting or two ties in the same direction. "
Can anyone say "carrier line"? Duh! I don't know if it's really a square knot or the larkshead knot I use, but I'll bet it's the larkshead because it's so small.
Now, for the no stretch thing. I'll bet is a synthetic thread of their own composition that might couple silk and spandex (for all I know) something with a stretch memory on the carrier line and silk for the knot line.
The carrier line has to have a stretch memory for the following reason. When pearls are knotted, they are knotted in a straight line. When they are worn around the neck, the distance between the center of pearls (where the knot meets) is elongated which creates the stretch. You don't notice this on small pearls as quickly as you do on the Pattye-sized ones. On the big ones, it's not uncommon to have a huge thread gap between the pearls that entirely disappears when the pearls are worn. So, to accomodate that stretch, they must be using some sort of memory thread. I use kite line or softtouch or beadsmith no-stretch, whatever is handy, but I use threads with no stretch. I'll bet they have some sort of stretchy thread. I'm going to have to experiment.
Thanks Good Buddy!
What about a serger thread? Think that would do it? Anyone else have any suggestions?
However! My sluthing side-kick (not saying who GEMGEEK!) snuck into Paspaley, at their invitation on the tour and got the secret! She didn't know I was hot on the knotting secret trail, shucky darn. Because had I known she was going to be privvy to this information, I would have had her video tape it and get thread samples!
Here's what she wrote me:
"can't even catch up on the posts, there were soooo many while I was away. I thought about you when I was in the Paspaley Pearl grading room. Wowee! Vats of South Sea Pearls as far as the eye can see. And they knot with two double strands so closely that you can't tell that there are knots between the pearls. All the pearls are on one double strand and the second double strand is drawn through and knotted with each pearl. I'm not sure if it was square knotting or two ties in the same direction. "
Can anyone say "carrier line"? Duh! I don't know if it's really a square knot or the larkshead knot I use, but I'll bet it's the larkshead because it's so small.
Now, for the no stretch thing. I'll bet is a synthetic thread of their own composition that might couple silk and spandex (for all I know) something with a stretch memory on the carrier line and silk for the knot line.
The carrier line has to have a stretch memory for the following reason. When pearls are knotted, they are knotted in a straight line. When they are worn around the neck, the distance between the center of pearls (where the knot meets) is elongated which creates the stretch. You don't notice this on small pearls as quickly as you do on the Pattye-sized ones. On the big ones, it's not uncommon to have a huge thread gap between the pearls that entirely disappears when the pearls are worn. So, to accomodate that stretch, they must be using some sort of memory thread. I use kite line or softtouch or beadsmith no-stretch, whatever is handy, but I use threads with no stretch. I'll bet they have some sort of stretchy thread. I'm going to have to experiment.
Thanks Good Buddy!
What about a serger thread? Think that would do it? Anyone else have any suggestions?
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