Pearl knotting with no tools

[Hanaleimom]

I have never been able to follow that video. Did you learn how from it?

Not really. I followed Virchik's book almost to the T. It was confusing watching this video at first mostly because it was recorded when she was further along and the pearls kept getting caught when she pulled it through. I wasn't sure what she was doing. Now that I've been knotting for awhile watching it again makes sense. Watching Hisano showing the steps over and over again slowly and practicing along helped a lot. I knotted almost the whole strand during that session. Two weeks after the ruckus I was reknotting a strand and almost forgot how to do it. Luckily once I started playing again I recalled most of it.

 

[Caitlin]

Did I mention that we will get a professional knotting video? Someday.

This was so easy making the video, I wish others would do the same. Virchik and Poris have two different methods in their books, and there is another method I can use when the strand is short....

Most of the ones up on you tube aren't very good, but it is a terrific idea and there no reason some of you can't make videos of various techniques. The day has come.........

 

[pattye]

The video was so steady~did you have the camera on a tripod?

I have watched that PP video many times. Even so, I think I do it slightly differently. I'll string something soon and try to analyze it.

 

[lisa c]

I love your voices, girls, they're very youthful!

 

[Mitsucats]

I was trying to make a necklace last night, the silk I have is the worst stuff! Keeps getting tangled, it's so fine I can go blind trying to see it (doesn't help I'm getting older, now need glasses to read) and at night...also I couldn't figure out how to get started. So, do I put all pearls onto the silk to start off with? Double strand? Anyhow. Will watch you video again! And buy some better silk.....

 

[Red]

I was trying to make a necklace last night, the silk I have is the worst stuff! Keeps getting tangled, it's so fine I can go blind trying to see it (doesn't help I'm getting older, now need glasses to read) and at night...also I couldn't figure out how to get started. So, do I put all pearls onto the silk to start off with? Double strand? Anyhow. Will watch you video again! And buy some better silk.....

Mitsucats - I suggest that you order some Beaders Secret for your project. It works great. PatriciaSaabDesigns on etsy sells it.

www.etsy.com/shop/PatriciaSaabDesigns

 

[GemGeek]

I was trying to make a necklace last night, the silk I have is the worst stuff! Keeps getting tangled, it's so fine I can go blind trying to see it (doesn't help I'm getting older, now need glasses to read) and at night...also I couldn't figure out how to get started. So, do I put all pearls onto the silk to start off with? Double strand? Anyhow. Will watch you video again! And buy some better silk.....

The perfect compliment to this terrific video is Pearl Dreams' awesome knotting thread:
https://www.pearl-guide.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6942

In the abbreviated instructions, you can get a quick idea and then she follows with photos showing how to start and put on the gimp. The trick is to start with the three end pearls on the strand, working your way from the 3rd pearl from the end, out the end pearl and back. After you knot the first three pearls, gimp and clasp, you can put the other pearls on one-at-a-time in order to the other end of the strand - or - put them all on the strand at once and just slide each one into position as you work. Have fun.

 

[Mitsucats]

Thank you so much for your help! Much appreciated. I'll take some pictures, my Fw pearls are not great quality, but a fun project. I did buy 2round & 2 baroque Tahitians at the gem & mineral show I went to lately. I'll take pics & post!

 

[Katbran]

I've always used power pro as most of my pieces combine stones and pearls. Very occasionally I've had to knot a necklace...varying degrees of success..but with PPro it's been pretty good. I've just recently tried some Beader's Secret and have to say it's great...bit tricky when you are used to PPro as BS is very slippery but once you get used to the tension etc it's a dream to work with..knots slide into place so easily. Colours are wonderful, great selection of greys. The one thing I need to work on is keeping the tension on that pearl as you slide the knot and keep it pushed back against the others. I think Wendy's video (from my failing memory) makes a point of keeping the pearl pushed up snug. Wendy's video is very good if you haven't seen it you would benefit from visiting her website and watching it. But we all do it differently..I still can't do it well without a tool.I use an awl .. metal pointy thing...to slide the knot down as it's heavy enough to push the pearl firmly into the others as you release the knot.

 

[Mitsucats]

Thank you gals! I will finish the mess I've made and wear it till better stringing material arrives!

 

[mausketeer]

Can you believe these are the first videos I've watched for how to knot pearls (thanks so much gals!) and I had the idea of how to do it COMPLETELY wrong in my head this entire time? I thought that you had two seperate pieces of thread, slide a pearl on to both pieces, tie a square knot with the two pieces (like tying a knot in your shoe laces), then string on the next pearl etc. I bet when "amateurs" do it, they do it that way (the knots would be a lot bigger between each pearl probably.....)

Okay, gonna try it tomorrow with my Cortez babies!

 

[Pearl Dreams]

You go, girl!

 

[LLoydsJewelry]

Caitlin,

I wonder why no one seams to talk about the Japanese two strand method. I have had good luck with this method. Knots allways fall in correct. What do your think of the Japanese two strand method.

Lloyd

 

[Pearl Dreams]

LloydsJewelry,

If you check out my tutorial (also stickied on this forum) you will see I use two threads-- I agree that the knots end up in the right place easily this way.

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

 

[Caitlin]

Thanks for cross referencing your thread. Sarah of Kojima Pearl uses the Japanese method. It has some good tricks to it. I hope she formally shows us at a ruckus. Can you make a video?

My video was supposed to be overlaid with other videos by now! What gives, guys? Mine is not so great as to stand alone forever! Oh yes, the method is fine, great even, but the quality of the video could easily be surpassed! And who knows, that Japanese method could easily catch on!

 

[pattye]

Sarah did give a demo at Ruckus in 2011, but the method isn't like Fire Mountain's Japanese knotting instructions.

 

[Tumutoa Berg]

Thanks for the video..!

 

[PearlLVR]

I made this pearl rope this weekend. 5 strands of baoque buttonish whites. I didn't receive what I ordered, they should have been a high quality keshi, but they still made a nice necklace. I like the layers of the long ropes. These will look great with a white t-shirt. Casual but classy at the same time.

Anyway, I followed the video with the exception of transferring the loop from one hand to the other. I had to keep everything in hand and then pull the strand up through the loop so I was pulling through from my palm to the back of my hand. It took three tries. The first time, the beaders secret broke(5ft into the strand)... and the second time I was afraid to pull tight (since the first strand broke) and then the knots tightened on their own which left a fairly large gap so I had to cut that one apart as well. 3rd time was a charm, practice makes perfect,,, yada yada yada. I drilled out 6 pearls so several strands of beaders secret could fit through without too much tugging and I finished off the strand by threading both ends through three pearls opposite each other and I made knots between those six pearls. Before I started, I found an old 12" round silver plated serving tray that fits perfectly in my lap. It' heavy, has a lip so pearls won't roll off, and due to the 12" diameter, I can use it to measure thread without needing a ruler or tape measure.

 

[Pearl Dreams]

Now that is dedication! Restarting after 5 ft of knotting...ugh!

Sorry you didn't get what you ordered, though. That is distressing.

 

[PearlLVR]

Yes it is.... I ordered the high quality white keshi previously and was in LOVE with those. gorgeous pearls. So I ordered again and got the buttonish things.. I didn't like the pearls well enough to use them in a short necklace or for anything else for that matter, they definitely needed to be used in the same place and then layered... The total length ended up being 84 inches.