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[Michela11]

Hi everyone, I'm new here but have been beading on and off for a number of years. I recently bought some cheap dyed Chinese freshwaters, and last night decided to do something with some of them

My aim was to knot, and all I'll say is - I have a LOT of practise ahead of me! So, this necklace isn't knotted, as I got so frustrated I decided to just string them up and be done with it However, it was the first time I'd ever used gimp, and so far I just love the stuff! Very happy with the way it finished.

The necklace is 34 inches, around 86cm, no knots, on 20lb white powerpro doubled, the dyed freshwaters and two types of Chinese crystal, plated toggle and gold coloured gimp. This was just for fun, and my aim is to rework this another time and knots (although I know it'll be longer, that's OK), and there's also a fatal flaw in the necklace.

It looks nice on. And apologies for the selfy. Very hard to take a photo of myself wearing it, and the colours strobed a bit. The photos were taken with an ipad.

 

[Caitlin]

You make that necklace look gorgeous! It is fun and lush. Thanks for the photo and I hope to see more from you!

 

[GemGeek]

I agree with Caitlin. That necklace looks terrific on you. Great job!

 

[Michela11]

I also dug this little fella out. I got into wire crochet a few years ago but gave it up as it was too hard on my hands.

This bracelet is made with dyed Chinese freshwaters that I bought in South Sulawesi in eastern Indonesia in 1999. I lived there for a couple of years, and bought a stack of pearls at a local pearl shop before I went home to Australia. I will post up pictures of the others too, as after reading a lot here, the pearls I bought were pretty nice, considering the time. I knew absolutely nothing about pearls, and just bought on look, and budget. They were all very inexpensive. However, I bought lots of tiny ones, which I probably wouldn't do now!

I remember wearing this to work, feeling pretty chuffed with myself, and one of my workmates (male) was aghast when I showed him. "How can you do that to pearls?" he said. "You don't wear pearls like that!"



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[Michela11]

Thank you Caitlin and GemGeek! I'm looking forward to being able to knot one day, and I'll rework it. However, I accidentally wore it to bed as it was pretty late, and nothing moved overnight phew.

 

[Caitlin]

That is really creative and what a lot of fun!!!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Very colorful!

What aspect of the knotting did you find hard?

 

[Michela11]

Very colorful!

What aspect of the knotting did you find hard?

Hi Pearl Dreams

My issue was sliding the knot up and getting it flush against the pearl, with no slackness between knot and pearl. I was doing it without tweezers to hold down at the pearl, though. I was using a bodkin inside the loop, but couldn't get the powerpro to slide far enough along to the pearl.

I don't have any pointy tweezers but am going to buy some today and see if that helps at all.

I've watched a few videos on knotting, and have read here, but I'll persist, there's got to be a way that works for me!

Do you have any recommendations? I've read about that knotting tool, but it looks even more complicated!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

The tweezers are the best for me.

The trick is guiding the front side of the knot loop under the tweezer-- that is, between the tweezers and the pearl. Then when you tighten the knot, it has to go next to the pearl-- it can't go anywhere else. And then when you pull the two strands of the Power Pro apart, it seats the knot even tighter against the pearl.

See the two threads that cross over the tweezers in the first photo? Those threads are the front of the knot loop (not yet tightened into a knot.) Those are the threads that need to be guided between the tweezers and the pearl, as in the second photo below. Tighten the knot against the tip of the tweezers as much as you can, then carefully remove the tweezers, pull the 2 strands of Power Pro apart, seating and tightening the knot.

I've used tweezers when knotting a single thread (not doubled) but find that the knot is not quite as tight as when using doubled thread. Perhaps the knotting tool is good for that.

:

 

[Caitlin]

I never use a tool. Once I pass the strand through the loop to make the knot, I pull the two threads apart to seat the knot Powerpro , esp slides right in- even if it was a couple of inches away. I hate picking a tool up doing the move, then putting it down. I just skip that part altogether. It requires a doubled thread though.

Should I put up instructions as an alternative to PD's classic knotting style or can you picture it?

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Caitlin, I do have some photos showing a way to pass the strand through the loop, but I would love to see your photos.

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...

www.pearl-guide.com

I've tried not using the tweezers but my knot doesn't slide well enough.

 

[Michela11]

Thank you so much for the tips, and taking the time.

I'm heading out shortly to the shops, tweezers on the list!

Thanks for the tutorial link too, Pearl Dreams. I'm going to mimic you as I try.

I used your tutorial for putting gimp on, and it was fantastic, I had absolutely zero issues. Five times zero issues with gimp actually, as I keot mucking up the knotting so badly I'd have to start over.

The knotting of the first three pearls after the gimp was fine, but after that ....

Caitlin, I can't even begin to think of no tool! And I really don't want to use that knotting tool. Must just practise.

Well I'm off to the shops and hopefully, some downtime tonight to give it another shot!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Interesting that you were okay with the first three knots after the gimp but had a harder time once you were only knotting over two threads instead of four. I would have thought it would get easier!

Here's a photo showing the placement of the tweezers after you are past those first 3 pearls. In this photo I have not yet guided the threads under the tweezers.

Perhaps you could try not to tighten the knot quite so much until after you withdraw the tweezers. Then tighten by pulling the threads apart.

Experiment on a junky strand-- don't bother with clasp and gimp-- just make a knot and string on pearl after pearl, making knots for practice. Cut them apart later.

 

[GemGeek]

Where else in the world would you get personalized knotting lessons? Ya gotta love Pearl-Guide!

 

[pattye]

Michela11,

Welcome, you are off to a great start! Love the mix of pearls and gems in your long necklace. and the crochet bracelet is a fun color combo.

Agree with PD, string a few dozen pearls on thread and just practice the knotting part. I learned from Caitlin, so I don't use tweezers or tools. See which method works best for you.

 

[Caitlin]

I do it exactly as you do until step number 8. Then I hold my thumb on the thread where I want the knot, right up against the pearl, slip my fingers out and pull doubled thread until the knot is tight, then separate and pull apart seating the pearl. I haven't done a photo yet, but I asked hubby to photograph me doing that step tomorrow. Maybe a little video sequence- if anyone is interested.

I am not sure I am describing it exactly without actually doing it. So Tomorrow......

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Is it like this video from PP, Caitlin?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O12P1OaMCe8

I tried this ages ago but was all thumbs-- I found it hard to hold the thread against a small pearl and I couldn't seem to make the pearls go through the loop on my left hand.
Maybe I'll try it again now with a junk strand just to see if I can do it.

 

[pearlescence]

There are as many ways to string as there are hot dinners - If you look in the video section on my homepage we made a 10 min or so video taking you right through how we do it - totally different method.

 

[CharmedOne]

The PP video helped my a ton! That was the easiest way for me too and stringing all the pearls on the strand made it all go much faster. I am left handed and a bit uncoordinated. Once I figured out the best way to hold the knot down on the pearl, it was smooth sailing and as Caitlin said the knots are easy to tighten.

 

[pattye]

OMG, I have watched that video at least 50 times, love it! So helpful. Great to have so many ways to knot and there isn't just one "right" way.