Hi! I'm rather new to beading - I've been amusing myself for a while with glow-in-the-dark mini pony beads and neon rexlace... but now I want to make pretty stuff for people who aren't ravers. I have a lot of really nice beads, but I've discovered that there is some problem with every type of string I try to use. If it's thin enough to make multiple passes, it's weak and flimsy - if it's nice and strong, it's too thick. I can't afford the fancy 'beading specific' strings offered for sale online, and besides I want to bead *now*, not wait two weeks for delivery!
I have some native american beadwork that my parents bought somewhere in the southwest about 30 years ago - the string used in these necklaces is awesome - thin and very, very strong. It seems to be some kind of plant product. Does anyone know what this might be, or where I could find some? Or am I stuck with frustratingly substandard materials until I'm willing/able to fork out $ for the Good Stuff?
I have some native american beadwork that my parents bought somewhere in the southwest about 30 years ago - the string used in these necklaces is awesome - thin and very, very strong. It seems to be some kind of plant product. Does anyone know what this might be, or where I could find some? Or am I stuck with frustratingly substandard materials until I'm willing/able to fork out $ for the Good Stuff?
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Re: Help with string please!
Fri, December 15, 2006 - 9:45 AMhey there fellow beader! do not despair....you don't need to shell out the big bucks for fireline thread. i've been doing peyote stitch for 15 years or so and i've been very content using nymo beading thread which runs for about $1.25 a spool and it comes in alot of great colors....definately worth the wait. usually i coat my thread with beeswax ...thread your needle double the thread and drag it through some beeswax...it helps strengthen your thread and waterproofs it as well....this works great and again a cake of beeswax runs ya about 75 cents. if you can't wait...use that indian thread and coat it with wax from a candel...try to use beeswax though cuz parafin can be crumbley and it is really flammable. i hope this helps you...best of luck with the beading...love and light to guide you! -
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Re: Help with string please!
Thu, January 18, 2007 - 2:45 PMYou don't need to shell out big bucks for fireline - just go to a sports store and look in the fishing area. It is so much less expensive there.
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Unsu...
Re: Help with string please!
Fri, December 15, 2006 - 7:52 PMCome to think of it what about dental floss...a strong waxed thread.....just a thought.
sincerely
saltheart
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Re: Help with string please!
Wed, December 20, 2006 - 9:12 PMNymo's my favourite for seedbeading. It's thin, strong and comes in tons of colours and is cheap! Most craft/sewing type stores carry at least the white so you can get started while you wait for the pretty colours to come in the mail. Using beeswax or thread heaven helps a lot and experiment with working with it in a single strand or doubled. You can vary the stiffness of your work that way. Good luck!
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Re: Help with string please!
Thu, December 28, 2006 - 1:53 PMThanks everyone! I was having a moment of yarrgh there, netting for an hour only to encounter some kind of horrible impassable problem. Great advice!
