Knots between pearls

And there is a full tutorial here too -

www.pearl-guide.com

Stringing Tutorial with photos: Stringing on Serafil, Beaders Secret & Power Pro

How to string (or restring) your pearls on doubled Pattye's Serafil, Beaders Secret, and Power Pro This is not hard-- really! It is harder to describe it than to do it. Anyone can learn to string their own pearls! If after reading through this, it sounds too daunting, I suggest making a...
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pattye said:
Pearl Dream's detailed tutorial is the one I recommend all the time!!
Click to expand...
thank you! I've been doing a modified one of this tutorial
"FOOLPROOF PEARL KNOTTING - Perfect knots with no tools! - Beginners DIY Jewelry Tutorial" type that into youtube since I can't seem to link to it.
but with beader's secret and 4 medium threads. And also only one knot rather than the 2 knots here. Do you think using 4 medium threads is causing it to fluff up too much?
 
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I watched it at 1.5x speed. It's a bit different from what I do but there is certainly more than one way to knot pearls!

I'm curious as to why you are using 4 threads? Why not 2? I could see 4 threads causing friction maybe, especially if it's very tight going through the drill holes. There is a spot in the middle of each drill hole that is narrower, as the pearls are drilled simultaneously from both ends, with the 2 drill bits meeting in the middle. The bits taper a little so where the 2 bits meet in the middle, the hole will be less wide there. I could see friction resulting if the threads are passed through many pearls with that tight area in the middle of the hole.

But whether you use 2 threads or 4, the key is not using threads that are so thick that you struggle to get them through the drill holes. This just abrades them and I could see fraying happening by the time you get to the end of the necklace.
 
It just clicked-- I finally understand how it is that you are using 4 threads.
If you are following the technique in that video but using a doubled thread on a needle (instead of a single thread on an attached needle as the video shows) then you will be using 4 threads.

I suspect the 4 threads are just too thick to pass through the pearls without getting more and more abraded the farther along you get in the necklace, due to the narrow place in the middle of the drill hole. At the least you would need to use Fine (not Medium) Serafil/Beader's Secret or other similar thread, but that may still not be thin enough for the drill holes of your specific pearls. Some pearls just have smaller drill holes.
 
pattye said:
Pearl Dream's detailed tutorial is the one I recommend all the time!!
Click to expand...

Pearl Dreams said:
It just clicked-- I finally understand how it is that you are using 4 threads.
If you are following the technique in that video but using a doubled thread on a needle (instead of a single thread on an attached needle as the video shows) then you will be using 4 threads.

I suspect the 4 threads are just too thick to pass through the pearls without getting more and more abraded the farther along you get in the necklace, due to the narrow place in the middle of the drill hole. At the least you would need to use Fine (not Medium) Serafil/Beader's Secret or other similar thread, but that may still not be thin enough for the drill holes of your specific pearls. Some pearls just have smaller drill holes.
Click to expand...
Yeah the reason why I started using 4 threads is when I was using 2 the pearls used to always move between the knots. Back then I used the same system that you use. When I use 4 strands, the pearls just don't move. I believe my pearl holes are usually around 0.8mm as I typically buy from the same person. Do your pearls move between knots? Honestly I was getting huge blisters from pulling the 2 strands apart to make sure the pearls were seated correctly next to the knot, and they were still moving.
 
No, my pearls do not move between the knots (they're not immobile--they roll-- but they don't slide back and forth.) Nor do I have to pull the threads apart very hard.
I tend to do repeated tugs when seating the pearl-- maybe 5 tugs in rapid succession. Not one hard tug. Try that, maybe and see if it works better for you.
Some people wear sport tape around their fingers when knotting. We talked about this in the tutorial. Post 111 and a few posts following.
www.pearl-guide.com

Stringing Tutorial with photos: Stringing on Serafil, Beaders Secret & Power Pro

Oh, wow! Look at you in those pearls~gorgeous! And your knots are tidy, too! Good for you, tackling a graduated strand, not the easiest thing either!! What an accomplishment, JerseyPearl!
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To further reduce friction on the thread:
• Use a Thin/Fine needle, not Medium. Or even Extra Fine.
* Use an awl or darning needle or nail to "walk" the loose knot closer to the pearl before pulling the threads apart to tighten and seat the knot.
This will also be easier on your fingers.
 
Pearl Dreams said:
To further reduce friction on the thread:
• Use a Thin/Fine needle, not Medium. Or even Extra Fine.
* Use an awl or darning needle or nail to "walk" the loose knot closer to the pearl before pulling the threads apart to tighten and seat the knot.
This will also be easier on your fingers.
Click to expand...
I always use a fine needle, these work well for me. I haven't tried the awl yet, but I will. Do you recommend this for the 2 strand method?
 
Yes, I use an awl to move the knot closer to the pearl before tightening it. It's not strictly necessary but I do it. Helps prevent tangles and easier on my hands and on the thread.

It's particularly important for me to use an awl if I make a jeweler's knot-- if I want a slightly larger knot (as opposed to making 2 knots in a row, which I never do-- don't like the look). I make this knot by passing the needle through the knot loop twice, instead of once, when making an overhand knot. I'll do this if I'm knotting next to an eroded drill hole, for example, or if I suspect the hole in a particular pearl is a bit too large and that a regular knot will disappear into the hole.
 
Pearl Dreams said:
Yes, I use an awl to move the knot closer to the pearl before tightening it. It's not strictly necessary but I do it. Helps prevent tangles and easier on my hands and on the thread.

It's particularly important for me to use an awl if I make a jeweler's knot-- if I want a slightly larger knot (as opposed to making 2 knots in a row, which I never do-- don't like the look). I make this knot by passing the needle through the knot loop twice, instead of once, when making an overhand knot. I'll do this if I'm knotting next to an eroded drill hole, for example, or if I suspect the hole in a particular pearl is a bit too large and that a regular knot will disappear into the hole.
Click to expand...
I've done a jewellers knot a couple of times and they look fairly big. However if I was using only 2 strands what that work better to make sure the pearls don't move.

Partly why switched from the 2 strands was no matter which method I used, or used them all together, I would get pearls that move between the knots. I've tried an awl and tweezers combined with the Japanese method to doing the Japanese method on it's own.
 
If you do use jeweler's knots for all your knots, start with a longer thread. Jeweler's knots require more thread than regular overhand knots.
It doesn't matter for just a few knots, but if you are doing the whole necklace that way, it adds up.
 
Pearl Dreams said:
If you do use jeweler's knots for all your knots, start with a longer thread. Jeweler's knots require more thread than regular overhand knots.
It doesn't matter for just a few knots, but if you are doing the whole necklace that way, it adds up.
Click to expand...
OK that makes sense. I think I'll try a bracelet with the 2 strands, doing a regular overhand knot and see if I can get it right without any movement of the pearls.
 
Pearl Dreams said:
In which case use Medium thread, not Fine.
Click to expand...
20240209_111925.jpg
 
Pearl Dreams said:
In which case use Medium thread, not Fine.
Click to expand...
OK here is the finished product. Ignore the ending because I always finish off messy. What I want to achieve is no movement of the pearls between knots and a bracelet if I wear everyday will last at least 6 months without restringing.

I did my knots like the video I shared with toy yesterday, but one knot between pearls and not 2 knots. I did the blanket stitches at the end and snipped my needle off so I could do the last knot like she did as well.
 
That was quick! It looks nice; how does it feel? Do the pearls move?
I gather this is 4 threads? Fine thread or medium?
Is there any difference between how you did this one and the way you've been doing the strands that resulted in knots fraying?
 
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