Advice on stringing some gemstone beads, please?

[battah]

Hello, friends! I've been MIA, definitely looking forward to catching up on all your lovely projects.

A friend has asked me to string up some 6mm faceted onyx beads, and to make some tassels with bead caps that he made and 4mm faceted onyx beads. I'm having a bit of a hard time with the necklaces, to start - I started out knotting them (between each bead) on 2 doubled up (so, 4 strands through each bead) of #30 Beader's Secret. However, the knots are just a little bit too small and the beads can still be pushed over them. So I may need to add another thread or two, but then the knots are too big to look visually appealing with the beads (and that much thread won't go through my gimp to finish them off nicely). I haven't worked too much with strands of gemstones without pearls, so I'm not sure how to put these together well. I'll ask again but I got the impression he wanted them strung/knotted, not put on wire, so I think that's out. Is it typical to only knot gemstone strands in a few places, near the clasp, and just let the beads touch? Should I use silicone bead bumpers?

Now for the tassels. I've looked at the tutorials posted in the tassel thread here, and the methods shared were generally single-strand methods where you use one length of thread and go up and down the tassel lengths. I've always been a bit nervous about that, because of the risk of losing all the beads with one break. I've seen a lot of fine jewelry tassels with the knot at the end of each strand of gemstones. Does that seem to be the standard way to do them? My hesitation is that because these are gemstone beads and not pearls, their drill holes are a bit larger so I'm afraid the knots won't be as discreet as I'd like. The way the bead caps are structured, I'm not sure I'll be able to tie off or crimp them inside the cap, there isn't enough room to get up in there. I just want to do these right so they don't fall apart!

Thanks so much for bearing with my novel
I'd appreciate any advice. Thank you!

 

[JerseyPearl]

battah, on the tassel, you thread all beads onto a supple wire or thread, slip the last bead on, then skip it and come up through the beads from the underside on a second pass. There will be no need to knot off the bottom bead on the tassel, you will just knot off or crimp onto the tie bar under the cap/cone. It will look something like this:

For the tie off, if there isn't enough room on the top tie bar, you can always tie off the end of the last tassel, making sure to position it toward the back, then use a gold bead cover to cover your last knot. I would use a few drops of glue under the tassel cap just to add extra security.

 

[JerseyPearl]

On the larger beads, you might try the heavier version of pattye's Beader's Secret. That might give enough bulk. https://www.etsy.com/listing/235723383/heavy-045mm-beaders-secret-silk-like?ref=shop_home_active_6

That's the weight I used to string my nephrite jade bead necklace.

 

[BWeaves]

Omg that jade! Squirrel!

 

[battah]

That's completely delicious! As always, thanks for the great info, JP! I just ordered some of the heavier Beader's Secret (and some gimp for good measure), hopefully that'll do the trick. I can always make stuff work for myself but I worry so much when I make things for others!

Re: the tassel, I need to get you a photo of the cap. It's made for tassels so it has kind of a pattern of little circles for tying each strand onto, but they're small and there's to access above the circles to get crimping pliers in there. Hence my difficulty...

 

[JerseyPearl]

That's completely delicious! As always, thanks for the great info, JP! I just ordered some of the heavier Beader's Secret (and some gimp for good measure), hopefully that'll do the trick. I can always make stuff work for myself but I worry so much when I make things for others!

Re: the tassel, I need to get you a photo of the cap. It's made for tassels so it has kind of a pattern of little circles for tying each strand onto, but they're small and there's to access above the circles to get crimping pliers in there. Hence my difficulty...

Happy to take a look!

 

[JerseyPearl]

And I should have mentioned that the white ripples were from a while back, PP baby ripple sale. I bought two strands specially selected to be worn together, so one is slightly longer w/larger pearls. I can also connect the clasps and wear as one long rope. I don't recall their sizes, but those jade beads are around 9.5-10mm

 

[BWeaves]

Is there any chance you can tie on, and then do a continuous loop of tassels but don't tie off every time? Start with a knot in the tassel cap, then down through the beads, skip a bead and back up through the beads, then up through a loop in the tassel cap and then a couple of half hitches, then through the next loop, lather rinse repeat. Then you have knots between each tassel strand, but you don't have to cut off and start a new one each time. The only tricky bit will be tying off the last one.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

I usually do a continuous loop, like BWeaves says, knotting at the top but not cutting the thread. Then, I tie off the last one top. I don't use crimp beads, as things are already pretty crowded in there.

As well as doing the skipped bead method, there are plenty of antiques where the thread is knotted off at the lower end as well. In this case, you can get a pretty neat end by tying off the the knot and then burning off the end quite close with one of those heated thread cutters. The heat will help seal the knot (a drop of glue never did any harm either). The weight of the beads will keep them close to the knot. Depending on the material and size, you can also counter sink the drill hole, to give a little nestling space for the knot.

 

[Katbran]

JP - That JADE !! What a gorgeous colour !!

Nothing much to add here as I think it's been covered. The actual cap and where the little rings are placed might make a difference. I'm used to the bar across but I've certainly seen the little ring ones. Just never used one. Can you post a photo of the interior of the cap ? Might give us a few other ideas.

 

[battah]

Thanks again, all. I think continuous loop with knots will be the way to go. It'll be fiddly but I think I can do it - photo of the cap is attached here. Those loops are pretty small!

 

[Katbran]

That is a lot of rings ! Other than being a bit fiddley you do have a lot of options for stringing. Regardless of the size of the beads you can get a nice even distribution . I agree with you that the continuous thread would be the way to go . Can't wait to see the finished tassel !

 

[pattye]

Quite the challenge, Battah, but I know you are up to it!! Honestly, I've never seen a bead cap like that before, at least that I recall. It's very interesting. So many great suggestions, I have nothing to add. BTW, I do love your ring and the henna!

I have been observing tassels and how they are finished, but there doesn't seem to be any "one" or "best" way.

Gem beads with either tiny rough holes or large holes like these onyx definitely put one to the test! I know you'll give us progress reports.

JP, is that Canadian Jade? Whatever it is, absolutely gorgeous!!

 

[CathyKeshi]

Hi Battah ... all day long I've been wishing my fingers looked like yours I have one suggestion that may or may not help. In needlework and embroidery, it is possible to find small, fine, curved needles. It might be possible to string your tassel length worth of gems/pearls etc. using your regular needle, then rethread onto the curved needle to make it much easier to get in and out of the little loop, knotting etc., then rethread onto your regular needle and continue to the next tassel length, then repeat? I hope this makes sense...... the only advantage would be to get in and out of those loops easier.

 

[Lady_Disdain]

Maybe this is pretty obvious, but work from the inside out. Otherwise, you will go crazy. Also, do you plan on using all the outside rings? It may be better to use every other ring.

 

[JerseyPearl]

Quite the challenge, Battah, but I know you are up to it!! Honestly, I've never seen a bead cap like that before, at least that I recall. It's very interesting. So many great suggestions, I have nothing to add. BTW, I do love your ring and the henna!

I have been observing tassels and how they are finished, but there doesn't seem to be any "one" or "best" way.

Gem beads with either tiny rough holes or large holes like these onyx definitely put one to the test! I know you'll give us progress reports.

JP, is that Canadian Jade? Whatever it is, absolutely gorgeous!!

Actually the beads are Siberian jade.

 

[JerseyPearl]

Maybe this is pretty obvious, but work from the inside out. Otherwise, you will go crazy. Also, do you plan on using all the outside rings? It may be better to use every other ring.

Great point!

 

[SunSeeker]

I've been out of pocket for a while, but had to comment on that lovely jade and very interesting tassel cap! Can't wiat to see it when finished!

 

[Marianne]

Those tight little spaces in your bead cap had me thinking too. I would try using copper filament "needles" because you could maybe bend the end into a hook shape, then straighten or just clip for your next pass. OK, it makes sense in my mind

 

[Katbran]

Pattye has some really fine twisted wire ones that are much like the ones attached to the silk thread on cards. I bend the tip with round nose pliers and pull it through .. it can turn the needle into a bit of a circle but thats fine on something like this. Also if the holes look like they might be sharp I used to use Power Pro which I assumed was a bit tougher...or very fine wire...which means you need to crimp. Leading to attaching the ends...
I think the trick to these gemstones is how you finish it off. JP uses a round gold bead that I assume is one of the open ones you can squeeze closed ? Is that right? Others just use a tornado crimp that makes an attractive square.