To
make a knotted strand, you’ll need: a bead reamer, a knotting
tool or beading awl and knotting pliers, silk or poly nylon cord
with attached needle, scissors, French wire, a clasp, and jeweler’s
cement.
Silk cord has been used for centuries to create knotted jewelry.
It's available in a variety of colors and diameters. Since it is
a natural material, it’s important to stretch silk before
knotting with it. Remove it from the card and pull the ends to remove
any creases. Poly nylon cord is a less expensive, synthetic alternative
to silk. It has less stretch and is also available in a variety
of colors and sizes. Both styles come with a needle attached. Choose
the cord diameter based on the size of your bead holes.
Since the cord will pass twice through first three beads on the
knotted strand, it may be necessary to enlarge those bead holes.
A bead reamer is basically a round file that you can use to make
holes slightly larger or to smooth any abrasive edges. Bead reamers
come in hand-operated and battery-operated styles. A battery-operated
reamer works about five times faster than reaming by hand. Hold
a bead inside a small dish of water because it will get hot, then
use the reamer to enlarge the hole. Tie a knot on the end of the
cord, then string the reamed beads onto it. |