[imanit]

I'm knotting 90-95" long rope of small Tahitians. I ordered black Dandyline to do this project, but after receiving the pearls I decided that black knots might look too dark.
In fishing dept. of a local store, I bought a spool of PowerPro moss green fishing line.
While reading the little pamphlet attached to the spool I found this advice: "Color will fade with time, use permanent marker to add color to your line..."
Will it really fade ?? how much and how quickly ??? Does anyone of you have any experience with that ??? Should I scrap PowerPro and use my black Dandyline?
I don't like working with silk on long ropes - it stretch too much too quickly and tangles more when I'm knotting - I'm not an expert knotter yet, but getting there.....

Any advice will be appreciated...

[Caitlin]

PowerPro degrades in sunlight (as does silk) As fishing line, it is usually in the sun. None of my strands done in moss green has lost any color yet (I have been using PowerPro for a year). I kind of like the moss green for your Tahitian strand. BTW, I hang my pearls out where I can see them. I rotate them in and out of pegs on the bathroom wall too, so they don't get their conchilion (it's a protein) dried out in this dry Arizona heat, and there has been no stretch- even in the big, long strands.

Nevertheless I like that magic marker idea and will try it. That could be the solution to the limited colors.

I do sometimes use Dandyline in that smoky gray color. It is made of similar material (some kind of spectra). It is softer on the hands. You should wax it, so it won't tangle.

Good l;uck and give us a report.

[boo]

Ivona, I went back and looked at the strand I knotted with the MossGreen PowerPro last April (this post: Stringing Pearls) They have been stored in a pile on top of my dresser* - not in direct sunlight, but exposed to daylight on a daily basis. The color appears completely unchanged from before. I would have no qualms about using it for your rope.

*my beading grade pearl necklaces I store in a bowl on top of my dresser because it is a luscious piratical look and it makes it that much easier for my niece to play with them whenever she comes over to visit...

[imanit]

Thank you Caitlin,
I was hoping that you will share your experience with me. So moss green Powerpro stays !! I started knotting yesterday - it looks great. I was hoping to have your blessing to use it.... And now, that I find knotting easier and easier - if it does fade too much - I'll re-knot!
Funny thing this PowerPro - directly from the spool it's stiff and unpleasant (not like silk at all), but once used with pearls,strands, knotted using it, drape very nicely !!
Without reading about some of you here using and recommending it, I would never consider it for pearls !!
Amount of knowledge that I gathered here about pears, designs, knotting is enormous!!

[Caitlin]

That is one reason why I love this forum! We really do trade a lot of useful info. Your wire designs are a real inspiration---I read somewhere a couple of days ago when I was reasearching silk thread for pearls, that metal was the thread of choice for many centuries, so that makes your designs timeless!

That rope will knock 'em dead!!!!

[imanit]

Thanks Boo !
I feel more confident now using what I liked the best for my rope !!
I also keep always some pearls out in the open! I like touching them when I pass by...and I must confess that lately I wear pearl bracelets daily to work - bracelets, because this is how pearls can be "in front of my face" most of the time......
I did not comment on any exotics that most of you got from Jeremy.
I become little "green" on my face when I see those pictures.....
Georgous !!! I'm happy they went to people who appreciate their beauty !!
I check daily forums to see what all of you will do with some of those strands, what kind of creations....
I missed this sale completely being out of the country and out of the reach of any computer for two weeks..... makes me almost regret that I took vacation......

[Kevin Canning]

just be careful PowerPro can bleed if you get it very wet, the green isn't so bad but the Yellow is horrible.

[boo]

Originally Posted by Kevin Canning

just be careful PowerPro can bleed if you get it very wet, the green isn't so bad but the Yellow is horrible.

Thanks for the warning, Kevin, but...it's a fishing line! You're supposed to get it wet! (Or do the anglers just not care about a bit of yellow staining on the fish?) Ugh - I'm picturing a fluorescent yellow highlighter explosion <shudder>

[jerin]

Quote: While reading the little pamphlet attached to the spool I found this advice: "Color will fade with time, use permanent marker to add color to your line..." Quote

Caitlin,

will the adding of colour with a permanent marker bleed onto the neighbor perls?

I find it very strange as this is a fishing line and is to be used in water all the time... see Kevin´s post, please.

[Caitlin]

I haven't soaked it in water and I don't have yellow. It puzzles me too. As for the marker I'd try a Sharpie or other permanent color marker--and I would experiment before using it with good pearls!

I will soak and maybe microwave some green today. I'm using white for the Silk Challenge, so maybe I should make a bracelet with moss green powerpro too.

To be fair, what happens to silk when it is wet and or in the sun? We know its stretches when wet and we know it fades in the sun--what else do we need to know- like does it run when soaked? Some one else will have to try it.