[Amrita]

What a beautiful sight that necklace is, Susan! Wonderful!

[Sueki]

Hi Raisondetre,
This is just my personal opinion, and hopefully some of the knotting gurus will be along later, but I reckon silk size E is (or knots up at) slightly thicker than Powerpro 10lb. weight.
The disadvantage with silk in this particular instance is that it is fibrous and therefore can end up thicker when knotted (and when doubling back through the end beads).
Powerpro stays smooth and compact.
This is just my personal opinion based on my experience using both types of thread.

Hi Raisondetre, I totally agree with Susan that Power Pro in most cases IS THE BEST you can use

1) because the knots are so dainty and the line will go through almost any drillholes and

2) no more need to use glue of any kind, because now you use the "Thread Zap" by The Bead Smith as it will melt the knot "together" nicely. The important thing though is to have a fresh battery so the zapper gets hot enough to melt the threads fast.

I have lots of silk spools in every imaginable colour but I am now reverting to Power Pro even with the smaller pearls so I don´t risk to get glue into my pearls.

[Caitlin]

Powerpro comes in sizes from 6lb-8lb and 10lb which are all good for tiny pearls to 20lb and 30lb for most average pearls and large pearls 11mm and up. the 30lb is 0.011 in diameter and the others are smaller though I don't have that info handy.

[Sueki]

I've just finished stringing the Josh keishis and semi-baroques necklace using Dandyline.
I used the 20lb. weight, and found it very easy to use - it looks and feels like silk, and the drape is good.
Because they are keishis (I presume) the necklace needs to "settle" a little, as the drape isn't as smooth-flowing as I'm used to.

The Dandyline is a tad bulkier than Powerpro, so I had to ream the end few pearls in order to double back.
But overall I'm very impressed with it.
It is very strong, and supposed not to stretch - even when wet.......
So thank you Caitlin, for the heads-up.

[MWP]

I saw a Mikimoto bracelet this past fall that was designed for breast cancer awareness month. It was white akoya pearls strung on pink silk. It was the "Everything is possible with hope bracelet." The pink was subtle and I thought the simplicity to the design was gorgeous. I have been stringing pearls for a little while now and it got me thinking about using colorful silk that contrasts with the pearls as part of the design, but I just haven't really gotten it right. Does anyone have thoughts on this?

BTW- Sueki- I am in love with that last necklace you posted. It is beautiful.

-Jacqui

[pattye]

Hi MWP,

Our own Cathybear, on her website, has done some combinations with colored silk, not sure what might be up there now, but worth checking out, www.catherinecardellinipearls.com.

[MWP]

Thanks Pattye! Wow! What a site. She has beautiful pieces on there. She does have some examples of use of different colored silk. That is helpful. I am going to poke around a little more on there.

Thanks again-

Jacqui

[pearl-man]

Originally Posted by Caitlin

While I used silk for years, and still do, I am taking the position that silk is not necessarily the best thread for pearls. My point being is that it is OK to explore threads other than silk. All threads , including silk have pluses and minuses.

I have found silk thread to knot pearls to often be an inferior choice because of many of its natural properties. The colors of silk threads are silk's strongest suit, in my book.

I find the stretchy tendency of silk - especially when the pearls are large or in ropes with weight- to be exasperating. In any case, the stretchy quality is a built in obsolescence- for the sake of the silk - not the pearls.

Silk frays with any kind of abrasion, it degrades with body secretions, and it soaks up sweat and oils as readily as it soaks up water.

As a beader who made her first necklace with seed beads and monfilimant fishing line- I have explored every thread available to beaders. I have used most of them, including artificial sinew to do projects. I even like wire for necklaces; I have used it a lot-- and I see it used on pearls all the time.

when I order finished pieces from China, I am surprised that they almost always use nylon thread of some kind, even though many claim it is silk. Yeah. like "Tahitian Black" is some kind of Tomfoolery.

Any way, I was one of the first to buy detulon; I had trouble with it kinking just before you pull it tight. It must be spun in the wrong direction for me.....or something.

So I just want to make the case that silk is not the only alternative for knotting; there are other alternatives that lack the stretchy and absorbent qualities of silk.

We buy our silk from the "TYRE" supplier in Japan in about 5 different weights. What I like is the smoothness of the Japanese silk compared to the German/Italian.
We have never had returns caused by premature fraying. It dyes well but the selection of colors makes in house dying unnecessary. We used to use A-B-C from Holland thread. I don't even know if they are still in business.

[Cathybear]

I love using coloured silk with pearls. I do use some powerpro, but really, I prefer silk for the pure luxury.
My favourite colour combinations are white pearls with aquamarine silk, peach pearls with lavender-blue silk, and chocolate pearls with gold silk. Dusty toned pearls wirg coffee coloured silk etc etc. I wish I could get jade or sapphire silk to string with peacock fireball pearls. However, toning colours seem to sell best, sigh. )

[pearl-man]

Originally Posted by Cathybear

I love using coloured silk with pearls. I do use some powerpro, but really, I prefer silk for the pure luxury.
My favourite colour combinations are white pearls with aquamarine silk, peach pearls with lavender-blue silk, and chocolate pearls with gold silk. Dusty toned pearls wirg coffee coloured silk etc etc. I wish I could get jade or sapphire silk to string with peacock fireball pearls. However, toning colours seem to sell best, sigh. )

Jan1
Outr family has been stringing for 50 years. The founder of our firm,my mother, was very able to use "Rite dye" to color white silk cord to the color she desired. Practicing with amounts enabeled her to dye just a few feet of the silk she needed.

pearl-man

[Cathybear]

Originally Posted by pearl-man

Jan1
Outr family has been stringing for 50 years. The founder of our firm,my mother, was very able to use "Rite dye" to color white silk cord to the color she desired. Practicing with amounts enabeled her to dye just a few feet of the silk she needed.

pearl-man

Sounds like that would be the answer, thank you for that bit of info. I've dyed a lot of fabrics over the years, but mostly woven. I can see my white kitchen getting splattered again lol

[New Zealand Natural Pearl]

Hi,
We need advice. We have champaign Diamond Faceted Beads.
Your suggestions on what fine thread to use.
We intend to thread these with natural abalone pearls
and spaces between the diamond and pearl. The holes
are very very small.
Thanks
Denise

[pattye]

Might want to try some of the very fine steel cable wire like beadalon 49 (49 strands), size .013. I think some similar brands go as small as .010. That might be more resistant to cutting by the diamond beads than silk or actual thread would be. I have a few rough diamond beads I haven't used because the hole is so small, so I will be curious as to the solution.

[claudenancy]

I included diamond beads with some extremely small holes on the recent pearl and sapphire necklace that I made. I had to use the .010 because of the diamond beads.

I am going to be stringing another necklace with SS pearls and diamond beads between spacers. I had considered the smallest diameter of powerpro but am not sure about its use with the diamond beads. I think there is a powerpro that is possibly even smaller in diameter than the .010 steel cable coated wire. I am wondering if I dare try to use this smaller diameter and also try to knot it. However, the knots would sit under spacer beads that would be adjacent to the diamond beads. I tested these diamond beads and the holes are a bit larger that those that I used in the sapphire necklace so they would tolerate a total diameter of .012. I would appreciate any opinions as to my best options here.

Thanks for all of the wonderful information that all of you share, Beth