i'm so excited

[trulyviolet]

i just ordered beaders secret and needles to start learning to knot!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Woo- hoo! There's no stopping you now, girl.

 

[BWeaves]

It's rather addicting. I keep changing the lengths and clasps on my pearls all the time.

And then there's the colors! It's amazing how just changing the colors of the knots changes the look of the final necklace or bracelet.

 

[Pareltje]

Beware!! Knotting pearls is addictive!!!

 

[trulyviolet]

i'm very excited..
(although it looks like my husband has given me some sort of plague.. he brought home from work, so i better be better when that thread gets here)
i've got to get clasps and now i want to 'buy all the pearls'
i think it's going to be a good 'take a break from the easel' project

 

[LVLanghanke]

I just started learning to knot, too, and it's totally addictive! I refuse to show my first rope, because it's really bad. I'm going to practice some more on glass pearls before I redo it.

 

[trulyviolet]

I just started learning to knot, too, and it's totally addictive! I refuse to show my first rope, because it's really bad. I'm going to practice some more on glass pearls before I redo it.

well i'll tell you what, when i get started, i'll show you mine if you show me yours
everyone has to start somewhere no?

 

[dkan 168]

Good luck, and have fun!

DK

 

[Katbran]

Well don't be discouraged with your knotting...I'm knotting a necklace that is needed tomorrow..and almost finished...and I don't like my knots. They are very large pearls and I seem to have loose knots. Granted it's been about 5 months since I knotted pearls but still...how annoying ! I'm going to have to start all over ... two pearls from the end.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

How frustrating, Katbran!

I think sometimes people get loose knots because they are not sure how hard they can tug on the thread. No one wants to break a thread mid-strand and have to start over. Pattye's Serafil or Beader's Secret is 12# test, but what does that mean, really? How hard can you tug?

The only way to find out is to actually try to break a piece of thread on purpose.

Knot a couple of pearls (or other beads) for practice on a short piece of doubled thread, pulling the knot tight until it breaks. You'll be surprised just how much it takes to break it.

 

[trulyviolet]

Good luck, and have fun!

DK

thank you so much
i'm shocked at how fast i got shipping notice

 

[trulyviolet]

Well don't be discouraged with your knotting...I'm knotting a necklace that is needed tomorrow..and almost finished...and I don't like my knots. They are very large pearls and I seem to have loose knots. Granted it's been about 5 months since I knotted pearls but still...how annoying ! I'm going to have to start all over ... two pearls from the end.

i'm determined to learn this
i got a ton of faux pearl beads so i'll keep going
i figure sooner or later my fingers will learn to do it

 

[lilliefuzzysocks]

Have fun. I love beaders secret. Collecting the many colors to match your pearls is addicting too.

 

[trulyviolet]

Have fun. I love beaders secret. Collecting the many colors to match your pearls is addicting too.

i just got two (i think) colors to start, and bullion and needles
i think i better consider this as part of a hobby, sort of like i do my knitting

 

[Katbran]

Thanks PD - I think I had a combination of issues . One was the drill holes were slightly larger than usual and that combined with me most likely not pulling tight enough given the weight ...12.5 - 15mm . I sorted it by running a third strand to take up the space and reknotted much firmer. Thank goodness - it's a last minute MOB purchase and wedding is tomorrow!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Wow, that is a tight schedule! Glad you were able to figure out what to do.

When there are larger than normal drill holes (but not large enough for the heavier gauge Serafil or Beader's Secret) or if only a few of the pearl have a larger hole, I make a surgeon's knot / jeweler's knot, where you pass the needle through the loop one extra time before tightening it. However I have to use tweezers when I do this, as the knot does not always slide into position perfectly.

 

[Sanippy]

How do you all set up your workspace for knotting? I somehow always manage to get my thread all messy and tangled up.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

I knot on a towel, which helps keep pearls from rolling around.

Another way to reduce thread tangling (especially if you are knotting a long strand) is to string on all the pearls at once (after back-knotting the first three), then slide them all toward the needle end. Use a spring clip to keep them from falling off the needle. Then slide over one pearl at a time and make a knot. Slide another over and knot it. Etc.

PP has a video that shows this knotting technique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O12P1OaMCe8

I do it a bit differently; in the video the pearls are pulled up through the loop. I find it hard to do that (working against gravity) so I drop the pearls down through the loop instead. I have some photos of this in my tutorial starting at post #34.

 

[Myizzkie]

TrulyViolet -- would love to see the picture of your masterpiece please!

My first attempt failed badly. I did not expect stringing pearls would be easy but it was like mission impossible to me. Since then, i had not tried again but would like to get back to it sometimes soon.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Myizzkie, can you identify what specifically was the problem? Maybe we can help.

At what point did you run into trouble?