My dumb question of the day: Ropes

[xeresana]

Hello. I'm back with another dumb question.

Ropes. I have a white freshwater rope of small pearls - probably 6mm. I've had the rope for about 10 years and I really love it. (My cats, by the way, think it is the most fascinating thing I own.) I just bought two more ropes from pearloutlet so now, my mind is on ropes.

Does something exist to sort of stabilize a rope? I love to wear my rope as a triple strand. When I do, I find that the overlapping/crossing part tends to work it's way to the front. I can't quite figure out if there is a way to keep my ropes looking like a neat, orderly multi-strand necklace.

Are there some ideas? Do other people notice this with their rope? Or do I just need to get over it? I'm a virgo. I'm supposed to be a little nutty about these things.

 

[boo]

I'm a virgo too, so I understand that need for orderliness, lol. I don't have as much of a problem with the cross points migrating as with the smaller loop getting smaller and the larger loop getting longer until my "double strand" has turned into a pearly garrote.

This sort of thing is supposed to help, but I haven't gotten around to ordering one yet:
http://www.pearlparadise.com/detail.aspx?ID=415

 

[Raisondetre]

Oh, so that's what it's supposed to do ...

 

[GemGeek]

until my "double strand" has turned into a pearly garrote.

I've been having dreams about pearls for the last week. I'm afraid of what I'll dream about tonight!

 

[Raisondetre]

BTW, how do you make a triple strand with a pearl shortener?

 

[GemGeek]

BTW, how do you make a triple strand with a pearl shortener?

Use two, set them an inch and a half apart, and you can keep the cross-over between them. The middle strand will be held by both clasps. Does that make sense?

 

[knotty panda]

... the larger loop getting longer until my "double strand" has turned into a pearly garrote.

Which is why I'm not a rope person! Blaire, on those pearl hook-up thingys (hook-up thingys: that's a technical term we pearly folks made up) do you have to get them in a smaller size than the pearl?

 

[Raisondetre]

Hmm, I'm gonna need pictures ... I hope they come with instructions when I finally get them. Make it dumb pink freak.

 

[jerin]

Hi Raisondetre,

I have bought 2 shorteners from PP. The problem as I see it lies in the size of the pearls. As far as I know there is only one size available and if the pearls are larger than 8 mm You can?t close the shortener, at least I was not able to. And I don?t want to scratch my pearls by pressing the shortener together!

On the other hand, if the pearls ar smaller than that, it should work out. Let us know!

 

[Raisondetre]

Oh, my pearl ropes are only 8mm. I don't think I'll get any bigger than that, so it shouldn't be a problem. But I can't really picture the triple strand thing. Not very creative, I'm afraid. I really hope they provide instructions.

 

[knotty panda]

Two shorteners, one for 2 strands and the other for one of the clasped strands and the loose strand? I'm just guessing here.

 

[GemGeek]

Those clasps are hard to find, so size could be a problem. I was thinking of two clasps for one long rope three times around the neck. I suppose it would work the same with three separate strands.

Attach the top strand to the middle strand with the first clasp. Then attach the middle strand to the bottom strand with the second clasp.

 

[xeresana]

Gem Geek -

Do your triple strands made with rope stay neat and orderly with two of those shorteners? That would make me so happy.

 

[xeresana]

And what does this one do?

http://www.pearlparadise.com/detail.aspx?ID=1617

 

[xeresana]

And speaking of ropes! My ropes from Terry just arrived! I got the chocolate and the white. The white one is absolutely gorgeous!!!! I was hesistant to buy another white rope since I already have a smaller one, but it is really really really really really lovely!!!!! OK...now I guess I need those pearl-thingies to keep my strands in line.

 

[jerin]

And what does this one do?

http://www.pearlparadise.com/detail.aspx?ID=1617

Xeresana,

as it does look like a "half" shortener I think it has just some decorative function, while the shortener actually can be fastened at different points on a necklace and so shortens one part. No instructions came with mine, so You have to try and see what happens.....

 

[Perle]

Hi xeresana,

I think you can use that one to twist a rope into a torsade-type necklace.

Perle