Elusive Loop technique

[Pearl Dreams]

flycatcher--

The needle has a thread coming off it, right? Make a little omega-shaped loop with that thread, a few inches behind the needle. Pass the loop behind the thread the pearls are on. Pass the needle in front of the same thread. Put the needle through the loop, thus enclosing the thread that has the pearls strung on it. Tighten the knot around that thread. Presto!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

It won't slide because the next pearl will be snugged up against it.

(Trying to delete this)

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I tried to delete post 22-- I see what you mean now. I hadn't thought about sliding the knot-- perhaps it would slide a bit if it hasn't been fully tightened yet. That could be an advantage.

 

[flycatcher]

When I get home and can get a longer piece of thread I will try it again.
Right now all I have is a short piece maybe 6" long and no beads of any sort. Your description sounds clear enough even for me to get it.
I will reply again after I have tried this. Thanks!

 

[flycatcher]

Danachit,

I am sorry that I seem to have commandeered your thread and I hope you got your question answered first. However, just in case, let me try to explain how I understand attaching a clasp with a doubled thread and a larks head knot... I fold the thread in half, push the folded end through a short piece of gimp so that a small loop forms at the far end of the gimp. That loop then goes through the clasp and BOTH of the ends of the thread are put through the loop at the end of the gimp together and pulled tight. Now you have one part of the clasp attached to the middle of your thread and the two ends hanging loose in the same direction. It will look just like if you tied a rubber band to a stick and then cut the longer loop of the rubber band. The needle goes on the two ends together so that it can pull both halves through each pearl. I am probably one of the least experienced beaders on here but sometimes a different point of view can help to see things clearly. I hope this helps.

Pearl_dreams,

I have tried with a longer piece of thread to make a this knot in the middle of the string but I am just not getting it. I think I am going to have to see it to get it. Might it be covered in the beading book that is always mentioned? I cannot think of its name right now but several people always mention it when someone wants to know how to string beads. Perhaps a picture or two would help. Thanks!

--Stephen

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Danachit,

...let me try to explain how I understand attaching a clasp with a doubled thread and a larks head knot... I fold the thread in half, push the folded end through a short piece of gimp so that a small loop forms at the far end of the gimp. That loop then goes through the clasp and BOTH of the ends of the thread are put through the loop at the end of the gimp together and pulled tight. Now you have one part of the clasp attached to the middle of your thread and the two ends hanging loose in the same direction. It will look just like if you tied a rubber band to a stick and then cut the longer loop of the rubber band. The needle goes on the two ends together so that it can pull both halves through each pearl. I am probably one of the least experienced beaders on here but sometimes a different point of view can help to see things clearly. I hope this helps....


--Stephen

That really confused me!

 

[flycatcher]

Let me try to step out of the way and let somebody else show what I am talking about... This has been posted before but I will post it here again. This is a dutch site that has some pictures and a short video clip. Pictures 6-8 show what I am trying unsecessfully to describe.

http://www.lots-of-pearls.com/winkel/index.cgi?page=04-Zelf_parels_knopen.htm

The only difference is that I put on a short piece of gimp instead of attaching the thread directly to the jump ring as shown.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I've seen this before but I wish there were an English translation!

 

[pearlescence]

You are all using english words but ..... Can I recommend that instead of this complexity you tell the customers to have the french wire (aka gimp) (because the re-string will last longer and thus save them money) - you can do the other way but you won't because it is not the best work you can do, it will not last long and does not look as good - evidence for this being that they are here for re-stringing aren't they .....and it is therefore a technique which you can happily not learn.
Life is too short to put all this effort into what I suspect may well be an inferior method

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I would still love to see an English translation of the writing under the pictures on the Dutch website mentioned in post 27-- not for the clasp part of it but for the knotting. (I can see the photos but I can't get the video-- I have a Mac and apparently don't have the right plug-in to see the video.)

I string one pearl at a time and knot after each pearl because I can't quite work out how to do it the other way, with all the pearls strung before the knotting even begins.

 

[Caitlin]

Did any of you notice the link at the bottom? parelsknopen.wmv (813 Kb)
That gives a clear model of knotting between pearls. It is already on our forum, probably under the Pearl books and Resources as a sticky. Jeremy has one up too, but I find it harder to follow along with that video.

I invested in a little bead board-cost is less than $5 if you have a resale license, double that for a hobbyist. This board has horse shoe shaped groves-usually 3 of them. Put the necklace in the outside curve with the center pearl in the center of the board and note how far up each side the necklace goes. When you remove the pearls from the original string (after cleaning if you need to do that) cut the knots one by one. Place the pearls one by one starting with one side. Put the end pearl approximately where you noted the ends are on the board, continue until the pearls are all on the board in the same exact order until you reach the other end.

Then do your first half clasp Run the needle and thread back through the first pearl (at least) and knot it. String all the pearls on the thread in the correct order. It makes for a much better rhythm when you are knotting to just slide each pearl up to the last knot. Using the video clip, practice copying her moves until you understand them. leave at least the end pearl and the second pearl unknotted, put on the second clasp and go back though the first pearl and knot.

I check thread size first, by putting the needle and thread though an end pearl then putting it back through the pearl in the other direction and pull. The right sized thread will pull easily through. If the needle gets stuck, go down a size in the thread and check that.