TIPS ON HAND-KNOTTED PEARL NECKLACES, PART 4

It has been ten years since I posted my 3-part series on Hand-Knotted Pearl Necklaces.  Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.  I have new information, but in addition to adding updates to the first three parts, I decided to create Part 4.

Over the past two years, because of Covid, I haven’t gone anywhere that required me to dress up.  The pearls my mother gave me needed to be restrung, but there didn’t seem to be any hurry, since I wasn’t going to be wearing them.  It is a 24-inch strand of 7mm pearls. 

A few months ago, a friend asked me to restring her 23-inch, 6mm cultured pearl necklace, which was given to her by her mother many years ago.  It has a lovely 14K gold clasp with tiny blue stones and a matching accent bead, which is strung partway down one side.  I restrung it once before and it’s a little fussy because there is a second start and end due to the accent bead.  I was worried about the condition of some pearls because a few of them have lost some of their nacre.  She told me not to rush so I kept putting off the restringing.  Last week I decided that I couldn’t put it off any longer.  It was time to restring both her pearls and mine.

I haven’t knotted any pearls for several years.  It's funny how you have lightbulb moments after being away from something for a while.  I discovered a few new preferences as I worked on the necklaces this time.  I’m going to write about them here.

1.  Size E Silk Thread, Doubled 

I keep all my spools of threads together in one place.  I have notes there regarding which size thread I had used on each pearl necklace that I’ve already restrung.  My notes said that I had used Size E silk thread for my necklace, but they didn’t say what I had used for my friend’s necklace.  I should have tested more than one size of thread for my friend’s necklace, but the Size E worked, so I went with it.

My experience this week is that the Size E is perfect for my necklace. It’s a little tight getting the thread to go through the first and last three beads a second time, but it does fit.  It makes perfect knots between the pearls.

However, the Size E might be just a smidge finer than is ideal for my friend’s necklace.  The knots look nice, but not quite as nice as they do on my necklace.  I’m sure that nobody will notice this but me.  If I ever string her necklace again, I’ll test out Size F thread.  If it’s too thick, I’ll go back to Size E—but the Size F might be better.

My first point is that there is no standard for the size of hole that is drilled into pearls.  My friend’s pearls are 6mm in diameter, slightly smaller than my 7mm pearls, but the holes in her pearls are larger than the holes in my pearls.  Go figure

My second point is that you really should test out different sizes of thread to be sure which size is ideal.  Then, record that size so that the next time you restring that necklace you won't have to repeat the thread-size tests.

 

2.  Medium-Size French Wire

In the past I’ve used the Fine-Size French Wire with Size E thread and sometimes it just doesn’t slide along the thread easily.  When it gets caught on the thread, the wire stretches and is ruined.  It has to be cut off and a new piece strung on.  Sometimes it catches on the thread and frays it slightly, leaving it with a weak spot.  

This time I used Medium-Size French Wire and it was so much easier to work with.  It looks just as nice.  I don’t know why I didn’t try this before.

3.  The Clasp Has Two Parts

When you open most clasps, you see that one side of the clasp has bits that can catch on your thread as you do your knotting, while the other side of the clasp is smoother.  Use the smoother side of the clasp when you begin with the first three pearls to make your knotting easier.  That clasp will be involved in the knotting of every pearl in the necklace.  Save the "catchy" part of the clasp for the finish.

4.  Preventing Twisted Thread

I’ve always thought that there was no way to avoid the thread twisting as it hung to stretch.  I WAS WRONG!!!  I hang mine from a plant hook which has a chair below it.  As I was hanging the weight on the thread for my friend’s pearls, I noticed that the thread was resting against the chair in such a way that it kept the thread “circle” spread open.  I left it that way to stretch for about 48 hours.  When I was ready to begin working, I removed the weight and was surprised that the thread didn’t twist, as it usually does.  To my delight, the thread never twisted while I was working, and I never had to use the Thread Heaven again.  It was so much easier to string the pearls and make the knots this time.

I prepped the thread for my pearls next.  I couldn’t get it to stay spread open this time, so I hooked one side over the top spindle of the chair.  That worked.  Again, no twisting and much easier stringing and knotting.

In the past, when I’ve put the weight in place, the thread began spinning around.  As it stretched it must have “set” the twist so that it stayed that way—sort of like a permanent does to hair. 

The key is to prevent the weight from spinning the thread around.  It must stay still the entire time it hangs.  This is a game changer.

5.  Thread Heaven Is No More! 

No need to worry, though.  There is a new product called Thread Magic.  It gets great reviews from everyone who uses it.  It works the same way, but is supposed to work better.

https://www.taylorseville.com/about-thread-magic.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aL1KIcziNbk

6.  Don’t Cut All The Beads At Once 

After I clean the necklace in warm water and gentle dish soap, I dry it carefully with a soft cloth.  In the past I would always cut off the clasps and all the pearls at the same time and lay them out in the proper order on a bead board.  After stringing and knotting the first three pearls, the French wire, and the first part of the clasp, I would string and knot the rest of the necklace:  I would string one pearl, knot it, then string another pearl, knot it, and continue until I reached the last three pearls.  Doing it this way is fine.

This time I changed things up a bit.  I cut off the first part of the clasp and the first three pearls, leaving the rest of the necklace intact.  After stringing and knotting the first three pearls and the first half of the clasp as I always have, I cut off the next 10 pearls.  I strung all 10 pearls onto the thread before knotting them.  Then I cut off the next 10 pearls, strung them onto the thread and knotted them.  I continued stringing and knotting this way until the last three pearls and the second half of the clasp were left.  Finally, I strung and knotted the last three pearls, the second piece of French wire and the second half of the clasp.

This is just a matter of preference.  The reason that I like doing it this way is that it’s a little faster when you string a group of pearls at the same time.  I like using 10 pearls at a time, but that’s not set in stone.  I don't like stringing all the pearls at once because the knotting gets unwieldy.  Use whatever amount is comfortable for you.  Also, by cutting off only the pearls you are using immediately and leaving the rest of the necklace intact, you don’t risk getting the order mixed up or losing any of them if you should accidentally bump the bead board.

 

7.  The Third Pearl

When adding the third pearl, after painting the four strands of thread with Gum Arabic, pull the pearl tight up against the prior knot.  Be sure that you cut off the doubled strand that contains the overhand knot BEFORE you make the next knot.  That way, if you were unable to cut the thread close enough to the pearl, the knot will enclose any tiny bit of thread that might be showing.

I had forgotten how much I enjoy knotting pearls!

© Copyright 2022 Linda's Art Barn. All rights reserved.

TIPS ON HAND-KNOTTED PEARL NECKLACES, PART 3

This is the third in a series of four posts on hand-knotting pearls.  If you missed either of the first two posts, please read them first.  Here are the links:
  
Tips on Hand-Knotted Pearl Necklaces, Part 1
  
Tips on Hand-Knotted Pearl Necklaces, Part 2
     


This is the strand of pink Swarovski pearls that I finished restringing yesterday.  Notice the French wire protecting the silk thread that is holding the clasps. 

     
Well, I missed my self-imposed deadline of finishing this third part by the end of June, the month for which pearl is the birthstone.  I apologize for my tardiness.  I had some problems with formatting, portions of my post were rearranged just as I was finishing up, and it took quite some time to get it back together in the correct order.  Some of the formatting is still a little funky, but I'm not going to take a chance on scrambling it up again. 

There are also a few spots where I would like to place photos, but I need both of my hands to work with the pearls.  When I can find someone else to take quality photos, I'll add them to this post.  
   

FAUX PEARLS VS. REAL PEARLS

One might think that there is no doubt that people prefer real pearls over fake—and that would be true most of the time. Remember that both natural and cultured pearls are real. The biggest problem with natural pearls is the price. Putting together enough natural pearls, matching in size, color, and roundness, to create an entire necklace makes for a purchase that is prohibitively expensive for most of us.  Cultured pearls are much more affordable, but still can be out of our budgets if we want them round and matching in color and size.  



This is the beautiful strand of cultured pearls that my mother gave to me.  I've restrung them a few times.

      

Potato pearls and rice pearls, named for their shapes, are fairly easy to come by and relatively inexpensive, but a necklace made from them will never be mistaken for a classic pearl necklace. Neither are round, they are both a bit bumpy, usually with indented rings around them—and rice pearls are very small. Baroque pearls, as beautiful as they can be in other styles of jewelry, are odd-shaped, with bumps and lines in them, so they aren't going to make a classic pearl necklace either.

           

Another downside to real pearls is that they can be fragile.  They can be damaged by perfume and cosmetics.  Without the proper care, the nacre can be damaged and in rare cases, pearls that are mistreated can actually dry out and crack.
       
A professionally-knotted strand of high-quality faux pearls with good knots, a filigree clasp, and French wire can be very beautiful.  Swarovski makes excellent-quality crystal pearls that have all the positive characteristics of real pearls without the problems.  They are similar in weight to real pearls, will warm up when in contact with human skin just like real pearls, have a gorgeous luster, are not damaged by perfume and cosmetics, and are quite inexpensive in comparison to real pearls.  They also come in a large variety of colors. 

           

There are many other glass faux pearls, some are very good quality, others are not.  If they have a nice luster, the lesser-quality faux pearls will look fine, until they start to peel.  Better quality faux pearls can look good for a very long time.  The holes of lesser-quality glass pearls can catch on your silk thread and shred it while you're stringing them—the holes also may be so large that it's difficult to knot them.  Even the Swarovski crystal pearls can sometimes be a little rough around the holes.  It's a good idea to have a pearl reamer on hand to smooth out those holes.
         

1.  CHOOSE YOUR PEARLS

STRING NEW GLASS PEARLS

I'm not going to get into a big conversation about how to choose your pearls.  I will recommend that for your first necklace you get some good-quality glass pearls, round, about 6mm or 7mm in size.  Save the graduated-size pearl necklace for after you've learned the basics.
       

RESTRING OLD PEARLS

Although it's a bit more work, you could restring a broken strand of pearls that you already have, or a strand that is clearly in need of restringing.  How can you tell if your pearls need to be restrung?  The silk could be dirty, worn, or frayed.  There could be gaps between the knots and the pearls from the silk stretching.



Although the silk thread is not worn or frayed, you can see that these knots have gotten very dirty from the bronzer I wore.  This necklace needs to be restrung. 

   
Before you cut the necklace apart, clean the pearls in a large bowl with a little warm water and a drop of very gentle liquid dish soap, using a very soft cloth.  You don't want to lose any of the pearls down the drain of your sink, so be sure to use that bowl.  Rinse the soap off with warm water, again inside the bowl.  Let the strand of pearls dry thoroughly, overnight.  If the thread is still wet it could get caught in the holes as you cut the necklace apart.
  
When you cut the necklace apart, take care to keep real pearls in order because the best pearls (roundest, best color, etc.) will be in the center (front) of the necklace.  Putting the pearls in one channel of a bead board is a good way to keep the correct order.
    

Use caution while cutting off the old knots, so that the old thread doesn't get stuck in the holes of the pearls.  Use scissors with a very fine tip to cut behind each knot—between the knot and the pearl. 

You can see that at least one pearl has alread been cut off, leaving a short tail.  Hold onto that tail with your non-dominant hand and place the scissors between the knot and the next pearl.  Be sure to cut behind the knot so that there's no clump of thread to get caught in the hole of the pearl.

This is what was left of the silk thread after I cut off all the pearls.  See how dirty the knots are, yet the rest of the thread stayed clean because it was covered by the pearls.  It's a good thing that these were not real pearls because the bronzer that discolored the knots could have discolored the pearls as well.  Note the 2 pieces of old French wire are in the upper-left corner.

     

2. PICK OUT YOUR THREAD

CHOOSING AND MEASURING SPOOLED SILK THREAD

If you're going to hand-knot a strand of pearls, you need to start by figuring out what size thread to use.  Since your thread will be doubled, you need to confirm that two strands of thread will fit through the holes in your pearls.  You also need to run those two strands TWICE through each of the first three pearls and the last three pearls.  That means that four strands of thread need to go through six of your pearls. 

If you have multiple sizes of threads, you can do a test to see which thread fits.  Cut about 12 inches of each thread and put each strand on a separate collapsible eye needle.  Don't knot the thread.  Be careful to keep each cut thread next to its spool, so that you don't mix the sizes up.  Run the first thread through six pearls.  Then, starting with the first pearl, run it through the six pearls a second time.  You do need to be careful on your second trip through each pearl that you don't catch the needle on the strands of thread that went through the first time.  Remove the first thread from the pearls and test the next size.  Pick the size thread that fits best.   Remember to do these tests with thread that is already stretched.



Any time you're passing the needle and thread through a pearl a second time, you want to pull the prior thread down tightly, so that the needle has room to pass above it without catching that thread.   

    
NOTE: Once you've used a collapsible eye needle, you shouldn't open the eye up to use it again because it could break in the middle of a real project—and there's no way to add a new needle at that point. You'd have to cut your necklace apart and start all over again. Instead, save your test needles, still threaded, in small zipper bags for future tests. Label each bag with the size of the thread inside—one thread per bag.                
         

[ ( length of necklace X 4 ) + 15 ] = length of thread

         
That means that if you want a 20-inch necklace you will measure (20X4) = 80. Then add 15. The length of your thread will be 95 inches. When you double the thread it will measure 47.5 inches in length. That will give you enough thread to make the 20-inch necklace, including all the knots, and enough to attach the clasp.
    

MEASURING CARDED SILK CORD

This part is really easy! Basically, you don't measure silk cord on a card. Why? Because carded silk cord generally comes in lengths of 6.5 feet with a needle already attached. You never want to cut this thread until you are finished stringing your pearl necklace.
        
I've done considerable research on the longest necklace you can knot with those 6.5 feet (78 inches) of cord with no luck, so this is what I think. The cord already has a needle, so you can't double it. Rather than multiplying the length of the necklace by 4 and adding 15, I'm multiplying by 2 and adding 15. That means that a card of silk thread will allow for a knotted pearl necklace with a maximum length of about 30 inches. That's a pretty long strand of pearls, so for now, I don't think that you need to worry about not having enough cord on your card.  If you ever do want a pearl necklace longer than 30 inches, you'll have to use silk thread on a spool.
       
The only thing you need to do is choose the size of cord you want, which is fairly simple when using carded silk cord. Unwrap a couple of different sizes of cord from their cards, but keep each cord with its card. You want to know which size is which. DON'T CUT OR TIE KNOTS. Test the first one by running it through the six pearls and then, starting with the first pearl, run it through the six pearls a second time. Remove that thread and try other sizes, if necessary. Pick the size cord that fits best.  Note that there is no eye in the needle to collapse, so you can remove the pearls from this cord and put the cord back on its card.  You CAN use this cord another time.

3. STRETCH YOUR THREAD

STRETCHING SPOOLED SILK THREAD

Both spooled silk thread and carded silk cord need to be stretched. If you don't stretch them before you knot you necklace, you'll quickly end up with gaps between the knots and pearls in your finished necklace. Please refer to Part 1 for my favorite method for stretching spooled silk thread. That method doesn't work for carded silk.  Part 4 has some good tips for stretching silk thread.
      

STRETCHING CARDED SILK CORD

I know of three of ways to stretch carded silk cord:

• The first method is to lightly dampen the entire length of cord with water.  Pull the cord taut as you iron, until it's dry.  Be careful not to scorch the cord.
• The second method is to yank on small sections of cord until you've stretched the whole length.
• The third method is to tie each end of the cord to a weight and hang the cord from its center over a tall item that allows both weights to hang freely.  Leave overnight.

The first is my preference because it's consistent, easy to do, and allows you to prepare your cord immediately before use.

4. GATHER YOUR SUPPLIES

You will need:

• Fine-tipped scissors
• Clasp, preferably a filigree clasp, which is traditional for pearl necklaces
• 2 pieces of French wire, each about 3/8 inch long
• Pearls, enough to make the length necklace you want
• Measured, stretched silk thread or cord
• Knotting tool of your choice
• Gum Arabic (glue)
• Toothpick
• Clear nail polish
• Pearl reamer (optional)  

NOTES ABOUT SUPPLIES:

    

FRENCH WIRE

French wire is also called "French bullion" or "French gimp."
    
Your French wire should be silver or gold to match your clasp
    
It's hard to find French wire in sterling and gold-filled. I've never had a problem with the plated French wire.

PEARLS

Pearls come on a temporary string, usually 16 inches long. The number of pearls on a string depends on the size of the beads.  The smaller the pearls, the more of them can fit on 16 inches, and the larger the pearls, the fewer will fit on 16 inches.
        
To determine how many pearls you'll need for your necklace, you need to know the size of your pearls and the length of necklace you want to make.  
     

This chart tells you how many beads or pearls you will get on a 16-inch temporary strand by size.  

http://www.brightlingsbeads.com/beads-on-a-16-inch-strand.html

    
Unfortunately, the chart is referencing a strand without knots, so it doesn't tell you how many pearls you'll need to get a specific length in a knotted necklace.  

You can make a guess by doing a little math.  At least that puts you in the ballpark.  For example, if you're making a 20-inch necklace of 6mm pearls, you see in the chart that you get 67 pearls on that temporary strand.  

20 inches is 4 inches longer than 16 inches, and 4 inches is 1/4 of 16 inches.

1/4 of 67 beads is 16.75 beads.  67 beads plus 16.75 beads equals 83.75 beads.  

That tells you that if you wanted to make an UNKNOTTED 20-inch necklace with 6mm pearls, you would need 84 pearls.

However--the clasp, the knots, and even the French wire are going to take up some of that 20 inches, so you'll need less than 84 pearls.  I can't tell you how many less.

I can tell you that you'll have to purchase two 16-inch strands of temporarily strung pearls because one strand won't be enough.

    
I have an 18-inch necklace of 8mm pearls with a square 8mm filigree clasp. This necklace has 48 pearls.

My 25-inch necklace of 7mm pearls with a 10mm oval clasp has 76 pearls.

KNOTTING TOOLS

I know of four different knotting tools, which I've listed in the Section 5.
    
My preference for knotting doubled silk thread from a spool is the Needle Tool, which is the same as an awl.
    
If you're going to use a Needle Tool when knotting single silk cord, you need to anchor the pearl down so it's stable while you use both of your hands to make the knot.
     
When knotting single silk cord, it's easiest for a beginner to use the special Knotting Tool because it helps to move the thread up to the pearl at the same time it tightens the knot.  
        

GUM ARABIC AND NAIL POLISH

Gum Arabic is the glue recommended in Henrietta's book for silk thread. It washes off your hands and tools and won't damage your pearls. You apply it with a toothpick.
       
A tiny dab of clear nail polish--also applied with the tip of a toothpick--is used on the knot after the third pearl at the beginning and end of your necklace. It makes the knot waterproof. Use a toothpick to apply the clear nail polish so that you can keep it from getting on the pearl.

PEARL REAMER

If the holes in your six end pearls are not large enough to allow the threads to pass through each pearl twice, you can use a pearl reamer to make those holes a little larger.
       
You should always use a pearl reamer in a small bowl of water.  Be sure that both the reamer and pearl are wet.  That will protect you from inhaling the dust.
     
Keeping the pearl wet will also protect it from heating up due to the friction of the reamer. Heat can crack your pearl.
     
Simply insert the tip of the reamer into the hole and twist gently back and forth. Then go to the other side of the hole and repeat.

Be very careful.  You don't want to damage the nacre around the holes.

Also, be aware that the reamer is cone-shaped.  It will not widen the center of the pearl as much as the part near the holes.  
        

5.  KNOTTING YOUR NECKLACE 

At the beginning of your necklace, whether you use silk thread or cord, you will string the first three pearls, 3/8 inch of French wire, and one side of your clasp—in that order.  I'm not going to go into all the details here or this post would go on forever.  Instead, I'm going to remind you of Henrietta Virchick's wonderful (and very inexpensive) book, Pearl and Bead Stringing with Henrietta.   (No, I am not affiliated in any way with Henrietta or her publisher.)


You can see the filigree clasp on the left, the 3/8 inch piece of French wire next, and then the three pearls.  I haven't added any knots yet.  I'm about to run my needle back through the pearl on the left.



In this photo, you can see that the needle has gone through that first pearl again and the French wire has been pulled up tight to the pearl.  The French wire forms an attractive loop around the silk thread, protecting it from the clasp.  You can also see that there are now 2 double strands of thread.  The threads with the needle are in the lower part of the photo.  Make an overhand knot with the two pairs of thread, go through the second pearl and make another overhand knot.  Put a little Gum Arabic on the threads that are about to go inside the third pearl.  Go through the third pearl and cut the threads with the knot as closely as possible to where it exits the pearl.  You only have 2 strands of thread left now, and you're ready to begin knotting all but the last three pearls.

Once you've strung the first three pearls, there are differences between knotting with single cord or doubled thread.  I definitely prefer the doubled thread.  There are several tools that you can use to aid you in creating knots:  

• Needle tool
• Knotting tweezers
• Knotting pliers
• Knotting tool (for single strand)

        

KNOTTING WITH DOUBLED SILK THREAD FROM SPOOL

You can pick up the pearls one at a time on your thread and knot them as you go, which I found to be easier when I was learning.  Alternatively, you can load all the pearls onto the thread at once.  Then you slide a pearl into place and knot it, slide the next pearl into place and knot it; continue until finished.
    
Any of the tools above can be used to make your knots.  I prefer the simple Needle Tool (awl) when working with doubled thread.  These are the basic steps for making a knot:

1. Add a pearl to your thread.
2. Make an overhand knot.  Always make your knots the same exact way and in the same direction.  This will ensure that that knots are uniform.
3. Holding the Needle tool in your dominant hand, place the tip into the loop of the unclosed knot.



Although you can't see it, my non-dominant hand is holding the thread off to the left.  My dominant hand has placed the Needle Tool inside the knot.

4. Holding the thread snugly in your non-dominant hand, use your dominant hand to guide the tool and the knot up against the pearl. 



Here you can see that the knot has been moved up next to the pearl and tightened.  Gently and slowly slide the Needle Tool out of the knot as you tighten it.  It's important to get the knot as close as possible to the pearl, but it shouldn't be fully tightened yet.

5. Move the knot as close to the pearl as you can before you remove the tool.
6. Take one strand of thread in each hand and tug them in opposite directions until the knot slides tightly against the pearl.



Take the left strand in your left hand and the right strand in your right hand.  Gently tug the two strands away from each other.  That will tighten the knot and move it up against the pearl.

7. Add another pearl and repeat steps 1 through 6 until there are only 3 pearls left.   

KNOTTING WITH SINGLE CORDED SILK FROM CARD

This is where the Knotting Tool is great.  With a bit of practice, it should allow you to get your knots tight and snug against the pearls.  Start by stringing the clasp and first three pearls as described above.  Now add another pearl to your thread.

1. Make an overhand knot. Always make your knots the same exact way. This will ensure that the knots are uniform.
2. Holding the Knotting Tool in your dominant hand, place the tip of the knotting tool into the loop of the un-tightened knot.

3. Put the remaining thread into the crook of the tool and pull taut with your non-dominant hand.
4. While holding the thread in your non-dominant hand, use the tool to slide the loop of the knot toward the pearl.  The knot will begin to tighten.
5. While maintaining tension with the thread, gently and slowly push the lever up with your thumb while pressing the tip of the tool up against the pearl, until the knot slides off of the tip.
6. Still holding the thread taut, tighten the knot by pressing the crook against the knot, which should be up against the pearl.
               

You can also knot carded silk cord with the other tools, but you must have a way to hold the pearl stable while you hold the thread in one hand and the Needle Tool (or Knotting Tweezers or Knotting Pliers) in your other hand. This is harder for a beginner than using the Knotting Tool.  One way to do this is with a clipboard.

1. Once you've strung the clasp and the first three pearls, fasten them to a clipboard, just above the third pearl.
2. Add a new pearl to your thread.
3. Make an overhand knot.  Always make your knots the same exact way.  This will ensure that the knots are uniform.
4. Holding the tool in your dominant hand, place the tip into the loop of the unclosed knot.
5. With the cord in your non-dominant hand, slide the knot toward the pearl.
6. Tighten the knot as you slip the tool out of the knot.

The biggest problem with using single strands of corded silk from a card is that if you don't get the knot close enough to the pearl before the knot tightens, it's almost impossible to fix. That's why I like using the doubled thread.
     

FINISHING YOUR NECKLACE

Add the last three pearls but leave them unknotted. Add your French wire and the second part of the clasp.  Finishing the last three pearls and adding the other part of the clasp is a bit more complicated than the beginning of your necklace.  Henrietta's book has some excellent diagrams to show you how to to finish your necklace.
    
After that you're done!

FINAL NOTES:

1. When you've finished your necklace, you'll probably have a good ten inches or more of thread or cord left over, with the needle still attached.  Save it in a small zipper bag and label the bag with the size of thread or cord.  You can use this as a test thread/cord when determining the size of thread/cord to use for stringing a different pearl necklace.
2. Sooner or later you're going to want to restring this pearl necklace.  Keep a record in a safe place that describes which size thread or cord you used.  Also, if it was spooled thread, make a note of the length you cut.

UPDATE on May 22, 2022:  I have added Part 4 to this pearl-knotting series.  It includes some new tips.  

    
     

© Copyright 2012 Linda's Art Barn. All rights reserved.

TIPS ON HAND-KNOTTED PEARL NECKLACES, PART 1

I got into a discussion online tonight with a beader friend about how to hand-knot pearls.  She was just learning how and I was offering some tips.  I decided to share them here.

As far as I'm concerned, the pearl-stringer's bible is Pearl and Bead Stringing with Henrietta, by Henrietta Virchick.  It's a small paperback book with most everything you need to know if you want to string pearls like a professional.  I Googled the book and found that it's available for $10.95 on several sites.  I do NOT have any connection to either Henrietta Virchick or her publisher.



This is my well-worn copy of Henrietta Virchick's book. 

    

I've seen other books as well as online tutorials for stringing pearls.  In my opinion, none of them will give you the same professional results as Henrietta's instructions will give you.  Henrietta says silk thread is best and that French wire should always be used to protect the thread next to the clasps.  I do as she says!


You can see the French wire attaching the pearl to the clasp.  This French wire is enveloping and protecting the silk thread from wear and tear.  By the way, filligree clasps are traditional on pearl necklaces.

Some of you may wonder why we use silk thread when stringing pearls and why we knot that thread.

First, let's talk about pearl basics, starting with the nacre.  The nacre is what gives a pearl it's sheen and color.  It is the material that the mollusk, usually an oyster, uses to cover an irritant that has gotten into it's shell.  Over time the irritant is covered with many layers of nacre.  Basically, there are natural and cultured pearls.  They are both REAL pearls and it is often difficult, even for an expert, to tell them apart without an X-ray.

A natural pearl is begun when an irritant invades the mollusk's shell naturally—without human intervention.  It is likely that the pearl is almost entirely made up of nacre, meaning that the nacre will be very thick.  Natural pearls are rare and getting enough round pearls of the same size is extremely rare, which makes it prohibitively expensive for most of us to own a natural pearl necklace. 

A cultured pearl begins when some sort of a sphere-shaped bead is deliberately inserted into the mollusk's shell by a human.  After that, the process is the same as for a natural pearl.  Ideally, the nacre will be thick around the bead, but sometimes cultured pearls are started with large beads and are harvested when only a thin layer of nacre has been formed.

This website has information about cultured and natural pearls:
http://www.pearlsintime.com/pearl-jewelry-education/cultured-vs-natural-pearls.html

Wire or threads that are more abrasive than silk can damage the nacre of the pearls, especially at the drilled openings.  Pearls with a thinner nacre are especially susceptible.  Silk thread is very strong and has a beautiful "drape."  There are two reasons for knotting the silk thread between the pearls.  First, the knots keep the pearls from rubbing together, which would be damaging to the nacre.  Second, if you break your strand of knotted pearls, only one pearl gets loose from the strand, so you only risk losing that one pearl.  On the other hand, if you have a strand of unknotted pearls, a broken strand means pearls are rolling all over the floor.

 

This Swarovski Crystal Pearl necklace has nice, tight knots, which are up close to the pearls.  However, I just noticed that the necklace needs to be restrung because some of the knots have been discolored by makeup.

            
It's very important to pre-stretch the silk thread or it will stretch as you wear the necklace, which will cause it to grow gaps between the knots and the pearls. Also, never hang your pearl necklace when you're not wearing it or the silk will stretch some, even if you already pre-stretched it.  Always lay your necklace flat when it's not being worn.
    

This silk thread here is so badly stretched that the knots actually became elongated and some of them slid into the holes of the pearls!  When I made this necklace I didn't know enough to stretch the silk.  To make matters worse, I didn't make the knots close enough to the pearls and then I hung the necklace for several weeks on the hanger of the dress that I planned to wear it with.    

    
Never store pearls in plastic bags or containers. Pearls need to breathe; they will dry out in plastic. I've heard of people who store their pearls in fabric bags in the bathroom so that the pearls get moisture from the steam of the shower. NEVER wear your pearls in the shower or when swimming. If you should accidentally get the thread wet, let the necklace dry completely on a flat surface. Avoid handling it while it dries. . .and while we're in the bathroom, be sure to apply your makeup, perfume, and hairspray BEFORE you put on your pearls.  As you can see in the second photo above, if you have makeup or sunless tanner on your neck, it's going to discolor your silk thread and could damage your pearls.
    
Stretching the silk is the one thing that is not addressed in Henrietta's book. I don't know why. I learned all about knotting pearls from that book, so I had no idea that silk needed to be stretched—until my necklaces started getting gaps between the pearls and the knots after I wore them a couple of times.

I restrung the necklaces and it happened again, so I went online to see if I could figure out what the problem was.  I was quickly able to learn that I needed to stretch the thread, but after hours of research I couldn't find any good instructions on how to do that.  I found that some people stretch their silk thread by hand, sort of yanking on one small section at a time until the entire length is stretched.  I was not pleased with my results when I tried this.  I think it's hard to get consistent results throughout the entire length of thread.  I just don't think you can be sure that the thread is fully stretched using this method.

After a lot of thinking I decided to try hanging the thread from a plant hook in the ceiling, with a weight attached to the thread at the bottom, and leave it overnight.  This allows for knotting the thread with the two-strand method—this is actually a single strand that is doubled.  This works great and it's how I stretch all my silk thread now:

1. Measure and cut the silk thread.
2. Run the silk thread through Thread Heaven Thread Magic*.
3. Thread the silk onto a beading needle made for pearls.  It will have a collapsible eye.
 



I cut a very short strand of silk for demo purposes and ran it through the Thread Heaven.  You can see that Thread Heaven is a silicone substance that comes in a little, square container.  Then I added a collapsible eye needle and tied the ends with an overhand knot.
*UPDATE May 22, 2022:  I have just learned from a friend that Thread Heaven is no longer being made.  After some online research I learned that Thread Magic is the perfect replacement, and is actually better!


4. Tie off the ends of both threads with a single overhand knot.
5. Separate the doubled thread with your hands so that it is sort of a circle and hang the thread from the top of the circle, with the knot near the hanger.  Don't pierce the knot.    




Here I've looped the thread on a nail to hang it.  At the bottom I hung the pearls that I'll be restringing onto the thread and let it hang overnight to stretch the thread.  Notice that the thread has started to twist. 
UPDATE May 22, 2022:   I used to think that it wasn't possible to avoid getting twisted thread, until I accidentally did it!
See TIPS ON HAND-KNOTTED PEARL NECKLACES, PART 4 to prevent the twisting.



6. Now drape the pearls you'll be stringing later—don't remove them from their original strand yet—over the bottom of the oval and let them hang on the silk thread as a weight.  Be sure to separate the two strands of thread (created by doubling the thread) when you hang the weight, and find a way to keep that separation while the thread stretches.
7. Leave the thread to stretch overnight.

  

By the way, if you're stretching a single strand of thread, or you're using silk cord on a card, which comes with a needle embedded into it, see Part 2 and Part 3.
   
If I'm in a hurry and don't want to wait until the next day to start work on the necklace, I add another strand or two of pearls if I have them, or even a finished necklace or bracelet to make more weight on the thread.  Then I let it stretch for a couple of hours.  The extra weight should make up for the shorter time.

If you let the thread twist when you hang it, not only will you battle tangling while stringing and knotting your pearls, you will have to be careful not to get the "weight" tangled up in the twisted thread as you remove it.  You'll have to carefully untwist the lower part of the thread first.

See TIPS ON HAND-KNOTTED PEARL NECKLACES, PART 4 to learn how to prevent the silk thread from twisting.  If it isn't twisted it is so much easier to string and knot the pearls.

Because it makes a static charge that causes the threads to repel each other, the Thread Heaven Magic should help to keep out tangles and unwanted knots.

I don't use beeswax because I think that it stiffens the silk, makes it bulkier, and discolors it—that's strictly my opinion.  I believe that can be a problem for use with pearls because they have very small holes.  Anyway, I think it ruins the sheen and the feel of the silk.  Others may disagree with me, believing that the wax keeps the silk thread from getting dirty and that a buildup of wax outside the hole of the pearl can protect it.

  

When the stretching is finished and you've removed the "weight," gently untwist the rest of the thread, if necessary.  Rearrange the thread so that the needle is on one end and the knot is on the opposite end and run the thread through Thread Heaven Magic again before you start adding pearls.  If you didn't prevent the twisting while the thread was stretching, you will occasionally need to untwist the thread as you work.  Use the Thread Heaven Magic whenever then thread becomes difficult to manage.

  

I'm not going to get into the steps for actually knotting the silk or adding the clasps in this post.  Henrietta's book has all that information with very nice graphics to show you exactly how to make the knots.  Part 3 has some good tips on the actual knotting process.

When knotting with a single strand of silk thread I prefer to use a knotting tool rather than tweezers.  Even with the knotting tool, it can be very tricky to get those knots close enough to the pearls—and if the knot tightens up before you get it in place, you have two choices:  

1.  Try to undo the knot (frequently impossible).

2.  Cut off the pearls and start over again with new thread.  
 

I find it faster and easier to use two strands of silk thread. When knotting with two strands of silk, make an overhand knot in the same direction every time, as close to the pearl as possible.  I like to use a needle tool (like an awl) to pull the loose knots close to the pearl.  Then I gently tug the two strands away from each other, with one strand in each hand, to tighten the knot and pull it up tight against the pearl.

Because silk thread will still stretch a bit even if you pre-stretch it, I like to tie my knots up snugly next to the pearls. It may look a little too tight at first, but it will quickly loosen just enough to hang well.  If the necklace doesn't hang smoothly at first, just give it a gentle tug or two. That should make it drape nicely.  If it's still too tight, just wear the necklace around for a couple of hours and it should relax enough to drape beautifully.
   

I should mention that these tips will work if you knot silk thread with many other beads, not just pearls.  However, as a general rule, silk thread should not be used use with crystals or other beads with sharp edges around the holes that could cut the thread.  

These are fossil beads which have been dyed to look like turquoise.  The holes were very large, so I had to use thicker silk thread.  You can see how large the knots are.    

    
I'm going to mention one more thing.  If you knot a pearl bracelet with silk thread, be very careful to make it exactly the right length for your wrist.  If the bracelet is large enough to slide down around the lower part of your hand, the silk thread is probably going to stretch out quickly due to the motion of your hand.  Another problem is washing your hands while wearing the bracelet.  If you get the silk wet, you must remove it immediately and lay it flat to dry.  Otherwise, the thread will stretch and the bracelet will grow.  Also, when wet, the thread will attract dirt if you continue to wear it.  If you take the bracelet off to wash your hands, DON'T put it on the side of the sink.  It will get wet there as well.  If you take off the bracelet you also run the risk of forgetting to put it back on and losing it, so put it in your pocket, purse, or other safe place.  You may forget to put it back on right away, but you won't lose it.    
   
   
For almost everything you ever wanted to know about pearls, as well as a forum of really knowledgeable and helpful people, check out this website and join their forum:
http://pearl-guide.com/
        
     
"Tips on Hand-Knotted Pearl Necklaces, Part 2:"  Part 2 addresses silk thread in detail, including how it is sold, and choosing sizes. 
  
"Tips on Hand-Knotted Pearl Necklaces, Part 3:"  In Part 3 I show you how to make knots with both single and double strands of thread, along with tools that are used for knotting. 

"Tips on Hand-Knotted Pearl Necklaces, Part 4:"  In Part 4 I share some tips for keeping the thread from twisting, as well as a few other tips that make stringing and knotting easier.
  
  

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