[Caitlin]

Thanks to those of you who shared your stringing techniques. I hope the rest of you will share yours too!

There is a mystique about not sharing knotting techniques, as though it were a closely guarded secret. It is no secret. You do an overhand knot or a double overhand knot- the one knot you already know how to do, for sure. http://www.realknots.com/knots/stoppers.htm

I notice in my first post above, I just mentioned a warning about moving a knot with tweezers or an awl, as many book sources teach to do. I did not share how I string and knot, and no one else has mentioned my method, so here goes.

I use several ways to begin and end the strand, so I decided not to deal with that in this post. Let’s assume I have half the clasp and, 3 pearls strung (with a different technique of knots to end the thread) in place when I begin.

• My best trick: I like to use a double thread. I buy spools of silk thread, typically size E, and packs of slim twisted needles because they have a large eye to thread. I double the thread and stroke once or twice, lightly with beeswax to reduce tangling. Then I do the first side of the clasp and conceal the left over thread.

• I string on all the beads, leaving a foot or two at the end before the fastener. I begin by sliding the first bead away from the rest down to my clasp and lead pearls. When it is in place, I do an overhand knot, and pull it loosely against the pearl. I separate the two threads and pull them apart, snuggling the knot into place. This method virtually always leaves the knot right where it should be. (I pass all the strung pearls through the knot when it is large, but if you choose to pass the clasp end through instead, it is ok. Just don’t switch directions part way through!)

This method is better than using the silk on the card for two good reasons: it gives better results and costs less. The thread on the cards can’t be separated into 2 threads, which is the best trick I have found yet to get the knot perfectly snuggled. Also the cards cost a couple bucks each and you can’t even get two necklaces out of one card. (Don’t even try! It is awful to think you can do it, start, only to find it isn’t enough thread when you are almost done.) The spooled silk thread cost about 6-12 bucks for thousands of feet and packs of 25, 50, even 100, needles are cheap too. I still have the original chunk of beeswax I began with maybe 30 years ago. You can buy a lot of clasps with the money you save using spool thread over thread on a card!