| Caitlin,
The needle shown in the pictures was just to put the gimp onto the looped part of the string. I used a twisted wire beading needle as you described for the actual stringing of the pearls. Those pictures were intended to illustrate my method for putting the gimp onto the silk thread for the attachment of the first part of the clasp. I was unable to slip the folded thread through the gimp so I had to thread it over the beading needle and slide it down to the other end of the thread so that I could attach the clasp. I had a terrible time getting the gimp over the eye of the needle. Even after it had been put through a pearl to collapse the eye. I ruined a lot of gimp before I managed it. Afterwards, I came up with a method of putting the gimp on from the end opposite the beading needle. That method involved the use of a regular sewing needle and thread to pull the looped end of the silk through the gimp. Then attach the clasp as normal by looping the now gimped end through the ring of the clasp and passing the beading needle through the loop that sticks out of the end of the gimp and begin stringing the pearls on using the twisted wire beading needle. I don't know how to describe it any better than that so I am including a drawing of the layout showing how it was done. It is not the best drawing so I hope it does not confuse the issue further. As I hope you can see from the attached drawing, the doubled silk thread is put through the eye of the beading needle and folded back on itself for about 3 inches. With the thread waxed it stays in the needle quite well.
Sueki,
That drawing shows how my thread was used to attach the clasp. I used that method because that was the one that I found instructions for. I do not know how the attach the first part of the clasp any other way than to loop the folded end through the ring on the clasp and feed the free ends back through the loop made by the folded end and the gimp. If there is a better way to attach the clasp then I would love to hear it because that is why I am here (I came to learn). Hope this helps. Thanks!
--Stephen |