Stringing Pearls

[Caitlin]

Spectra is the trademark name it has a little circle with an R in it. - Power Pro is the brand name for the beading and fishing lines.

I'd like to see the bowling ball "necklace"

I have been meaning to do some posts on starting and ending necklaces, bracelets, etc. Maybe you can beat me to the punch. We've had a few requests.

 

[pattye]

Geez,

As soon as the Friday nite traffic thins a little, I'm heading for the nearest hardware store! Thanks for all the suggestions, I know you have saved me from a ton of grief, I love those pretty little pearls, but my true heart is with the big boys!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[knotty panda]

My turn to ask a question

My turn to ask a question

When I re-string a strand for someone, it never fails that I run into my arch nemesis -- GLUE! I can never successfully clean the pearl and rather than lose a precious pearl, I just work around the situation. If perfumes harm pearls, why even use glue, I wonder? Anyway, off my soap box and on to my question, is there any sure-fire way to safely clean a pearl of all that crud and return it to it's rightful place with it's other little pearl friends? Thanks!

 

[pattye]

Hi Caitlin and All,

Struck out looking for the power pro, even on ebay it is more than double that price and only seems to come in yellow, green and red!!!!
Not quite what we are talking about, huh!!! Time for yellow pages----
Try again tomorrow--

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[knotty panda]

Pattye: I am in shock! Spectra Fiber line is $3.99/100 ft. at Catch The Wind (Portland, I believe). With all the kites in Oregon, there must be a kite shop close to you which carries it.

Jerin: With all this talk of fishing line, if even the smallest gauge of SoftTouch and a single strand of silk doesn't fit through your drill holes, try the fishing line. It will make the strand more supple than the wire, it will drape better and will do precisely what the wire does, prevent the silk from stretching. (Thanks for the idea, Caitlin! I probably would have never thought of that on my own.)

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Pattye
Artbeads has the 25m roll for 6.50 including postage. I am surprised and disappointed at your difficulty finding the stuff.

I'm going on the hunt.

It does come in white at Artbeads. The moss green looks black. I'll do a photo.


The local place I bought mine is out of stock and apparently I bought it on sale. sorry I will keep looking as I want it in at least 2 sizes.

 

[pattye]

Hi Caitlin, Knotty P and All,

Thanks for all the info, I don't know why I am getting so compulsive about this line, because I have tons of beadalon 19 & 49 to use up!

I did find at HarleeRod.com some 300yds-20# for 21.99 that included shipping so that seemed to be the best I could find! They seemed to have a good choice. Thanks for the tip that the green looks black. I ordered one in red also. Maybe it will blend with all the mauve and pink beads. Otherwise I may have to take up fishing!

Artbeads.com is an excellent site, and I will keep them in mind for the white. Their prices include shipping,too, as I recall.

The cool kite shop is down at the Beach!! If it had been better weather I probably would have just headed down there this AM--any excuse will do!! ( It's only about 1 1/2 hr away.) Sounds like the kite line is in the heavier weights.

Thank you all soooooo much,

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[Caitlin]

I just found 20# 300 meters for 19.99 and 3.00 postage on eBay


The seller has 10.

I recommend you all try the 25 meter size first and see if you like it before you buy the big ones.

I too have a collection of Beadalon and even their new "scrimpers". I also like soft flex and have a bit of that. I also have spools of white and black silk thread (from Bella Findings. Call them for these items as they aren't listed on line)And sinew. and nylon thread I use for some seed bead projects. I like having a wide selection of threading materials.

I am going to post a photo of a necklace I just made with white 20lb power pro in Show us your pearls.

 

[Caitlin]

Here is after using the thread zapper. Whoops That's not it. I'll try again when I can take another picture tomorrow.

 

[pattye]

Yikes, I don't have a thread zapper????!!!!

Pattye
so many pearls, so little time

 

[knotty panda]

The thread zapper is a MARVELOUS INVENTION! I had to buy new tips for mine, I wore them out! If you take up fishing, you will be the bestest and most beautiful woman out there dressed up in your pearls!

My computer is having a bad hair day. I can't upload my pictures.

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Pattye
Try Moondance beads for a zapper.

 

[boo]

I found the power pro in moss green at my local WalMart for $12.86 for the 150 yd size. (moss green and 150 yd were the only options, although they did have a number of sizes). I have a 45" rope that I had made of low quality (but cheap!) mixed white and black FWP of which I am rather fond, but the silk has stretched. I had enough pearls left to make a second rope, so I did, using the powerpro ( I had been planning to do so for a while, but this gave me an excuse to get off my duff and knot).

I wasn't sure if I would be okay with the green rather than black, but it does blend in unless you look very, very closely. Also, I had dutifully picked up a pair of Fiskars child's scissors when I got the fishing line, but I forgot that I couldn't just snip the threads after I tied my final knot. I finally ended up using the Fiskars and tamping the extra thread down into the glue I used on the knot. It isn't the daintiest knot in the world, but this is a "warts and all" necklace anyway. I have definitely got to find a thread zapper! (Another product that I didn't even know existed a week ago, and now is a "must-own").

The pictures are of the 2 ropes - black silk on top and moss green power pro on the bottom.

 

[knotty panda]

Boo, if you didn't tell me, I wouldn't know there was green there.

I watched the pearl knotting video today. She goes pretty fast, but it looks fairly straightforward. Is this what's called the "dead knot"? I'm always looking for new tricks. I'm pretty sure I can find something to knot in the next week or so and give it a try. It looks to be precisely the way Caitlin was describing. I'm SO looking forward to developing callouses in whole new places on my fingers! I'll let you know if I have any success.

 

[Bernadette]

Hubby used to be a skydiver and parachute packer - Spectra is often used apparently for the parachute lines.

He has demonstrated to me a nasty little trap with this material - in that whilst it is extremely strong in tension - there is a potential weakness when you knot it.

Never jerk the knot closed - the line can cut through itself at the point where the loop closes across the line (if not immediately then later in its service life).

Kiters would recognise this situation if you've ever had a kite cut across your lines (Strength in tension but not in profile).

Its an incredibly durable thread - just dont jerk your knots closed.

 

[Caitlin]

Hi Bernadette et al,
I saw some generic spectra line for sale for parachute cords here. The price was good, but I did not buy it because the specs were different than the power pro brand fishing line. The 30 lb test was a mere .006 in diameter! That is too small for good knots on most pearls, even doubled, as I do it. The power Pro 30lb test is .01, quite a difference. It does not fit through most pearls twice, whereas the powerpro 20lb at .009 in diameter, does. It does not unravel at the cut and I can use it as a self needle, even with 2 threads, and that is handy at times.

I will watch for self cutting in the knots. When I was researching, I found threads made from kevlar that were even stronger. But it was not recommended for knots because it cut itself when knotted. The same sources did not mention the problem in the powerpro though both were reviewed on the same page.

I have been giving knots 2 good yanks, one when I tighten the knot, another to the necklace. So far, it's ok. I will keep this in mind for the final test, however. How long until it cuts itself....... see pic below

I am wearing my 72" long 5mm AA+ white cfwp everyday, since I reknotted it. I'll give it a good yank every day too and let you know.

In any case I have stated that I think anyone should buy the small size (25m) until they find out how much they like it.

One thing I have noticed, the only downside so far, is that it is ever so slightly rough on the skin when, but only when pulling the knots tight, It's not even to the point of discomfort, but just not smooth, like silk.

 

[knotty panda]

I think I remember -- way, way back in time, that Kevlar only came in yellow. That may or not still be the case. Has anyone tried any of the seed beading threads? I tried nimo, but I thought the knots didn't hold well and I'm just (k)not a glue gal. Let me see if I can dig around and find some things I haven't tried and see if anyone may have had some success with them.

 

[knotty panda]

Well, I found what I was looking for. But the list is so very long, I'm just posting the link. http://beadwrangler.com/insidethreads.htm

It's been forever since I was on this site and she's really expanded her information. I've always wanted to try the jean's stitch thread. Maybe some day I will.

Also, I tried the metallic thread for knotting. I have to tell you, pearls knotted with metallic thread really looked good -- in my mind! That's about the only place they looked good.

I'd love to hear about some unusual combinations others have tried!

 

[Caitlin]

Good work knotty, thank you for thinking of this.

I think thread deserves a thread (LOL!) of its own with just thread resources such as this.

Also maybe another one with starting and finishing pieces. The "Gimp" thread covers some things, but it really doesn't cover all the variations on starting and finishing necklaces with clasps and also infinity necklaces.

I just found this black powerpro knockoff here

 

[knotty panda]

Too funny! A thread thread! If I had a camera, I'd show you how I use french wire, but as we've all seen, we all use different methods and we all get great results. My sister-in-law has all the photog toys. If I can break her away from her soccer-mom schedule to video and/or photo me doing a necklace anytime in the near future, I sure will try. Then maybe I can post some of my pearl pics too. You all are such a great group. Glad I was directed here.