Recent content by ifutzwithfire

Oh what a can of worms… I was a textile dyer for many years so I could info-dump on the chemistry involved in dyeing protein fibers like wool and silk… but I will spare you all a full nerd-out until I know whether it’s applicable to our particular focus. Makes me wonder if those same processes...

Bit of an older thread here, but I wanted to post these graduated necklaces. The drill on the larger beads was significantly larger than on the smaller sizes, so as Pattye mentioned I simply laid in another strand of thread for the portion where it was needed, and then ended it when the size...

Ha- Okay, I wasn’t the only one going frame by frame on that! OP, you’ve got some great advice here already but I also wanted to say that once you have the basic structure figured out, this is a great style to do some iterating and exploring with. For me that often means spreading out a ton of...

There are some glues that are meant to fill gaps in certain applications and formulated to flow into every available crevice- mainly where I’ve seen this is in crushed stone inlay and also woodworking- but in such situations it is decorative and not structural.

Try Loctite Super Glue Gel Control. It’s my current favorite for this application and also for gluing sheets of silver together to saw identical pieces (I'm a studio jeweler). Most cyanoacrylate (“super”) glues are quite brittle, but this one is designed to have a bit of flexibility to it so it...

I figure why not? And the more I’ve pondered, I think I’m just going to use the thick but rigid discs I have. A 0.5mm difference in material loss isn’t worth the risk of the disc shattering and destroying the pearl the rest of the way (and possibly me too). Now I just have to work up the guts to...

I’m screwed. I’m so, so screwed, folks. Because the pearls all arrived safely and I’m in love and the rabbit hole is just yawning before me calling to me to do a big belly flop. So here’s the whole order. The paler Tahitian is the one I originally bought which cracked under the drill. And the...

I’m fairly blotchy and lumpy myself so I figure giving them a chance is the least I can do. 😆

Eeeeee, the tracking finally updated, and the replacement made it through drilling unscathed! Parcel should be here by end of the week with all sorts of goodies in it. I’ll be sitting by the mailbox staring longingly into the distance if anyone needs me…

That makes perfect sense, a stressed animal doesn’t have the same resources to put into its nacre. Thanks!

Aww, poor sick critters. You’re right, though, it is kind of cool! Almost a distressed look, I can definitely work that design angle.

So here are the finished necklaces I made with the lower grade pearls I was asking about at the beginning- the third image where the larger pearls are more spaced out used the best ones from that strand, and I’ve got about that many with the uneven effect or more substantial blemishes, actual...

It does look gilded, or maybe more accurately bronzed! In all seriousness, pond slime green is my FAVORITE color. If it doesn’t look like it smells bad, it’s not the right color. 🤣 these, for example, are my favorite pearls ever so far. Literally got them for $2/strand, I assume they’re dyed...

This is from a batch of cheap FWP. I knew they were cheap, I knew what that meant, and I got what I paid for- which to be fair included quite a few pearls that are quite nice and lustrous, interesting colors which will make a nice piece. This is one of the lesser ones. What I’m wondering about...

That makes sense. And hmmmm, you’ve given me an idea with those gold beads at the end. I’ll have to put on the Mad Fabricator goggles and see if I can make it work.