Help! Pearl Stringing

[Lindyloo]

Okay, I've been asked to do my first ever repair.

It's restringing a set of pearls. Thank God it's not too heavy. But I need advice. What is the best string to use and where do I get it? I have gimp and I have beading needles, but what else will I need? Do I need to use any crimps? And will I need crimp covers? Can someone post a picture of a crimp cover please, because although you talk about them all the time, I don't know what they look like. And do I really need crimping pliers? Do you superglue the knots? And is there a video somewhere showing the knotting?

Can you feel the fear?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[mizgeorge]

Congrats Linda - it's actually a great vote of confidence when somebody asks you to repair something for them

I generally string pearls the old fashioned way with silk and gimp. I like the griffin silk as it comes with its needle already attached, and I knot using the tweezer technique. The first and last three pearls should have slightly enlarged holes to allow a double strand of silk to pass through them - you'll probably find that's already been done if it's a restring.

There's a great youtube of this technique here in two parts
YouTube - Pearl Knotting 101 - Part 1 and
YouTube - Pearl Knotting 101 - Part 2

but I don't like the use of calottes to start and finish - I much prefer gimp onto a closed jumpring to add the clasp.

Good luck, and enjoy it

(so for the other questions, you don't need crimps, crimp covers or crimping pliers! And never, ever use superglue - if you really want to add something to the last couple of knots, use something flexible like GS Hypo or clear nail polish, but even that isn't advisable with pearls)

[Gemma]

Traditionally pearls are strung on silk. I don't think you need crimps though. Good luck

Ahh...George beat me to it!

[Lindyloo]

Thank you guys. Where would I go for the griffin silk?

[Lindyloo]

p.s. I just watched part one of the youtube video George. I was surprised to see her stringing on only one length of string. I had this thought that pearls were strung on two strands, with knots between each pearl. Is that just another method? When do you use a knot between each pearl?

[mizgeorge]

Watch the rest Linda - you make the knots in the single thread - that's where the tweezers (or a pointy proddy tool) come in.

I like these guys for griffin - but lots of other places have it too Griffin Silk Bead Cord

[Lindyloo]

Oh, silly me.

Just one more question - sorry for being so thick. At the end of the neclace, I pass the gymp onto the silk, thread it back again through the last pearl, but then what? Do I create a second knot over top of the one already there between the last two pearls? Will it show as a bigger knot? I want it to be perfect of course.

[mizgeorge]

Not quite. You don't make the knots between the last three pearls until you've threaded the gimp and jump ring on. Pass back through the bead and knot onto the existing silk, rinse and repeat

[Lindyloo]

Of course. Why didn't I think of that. Thank you George. A mine of information, as always.

[MuranoSilver]

I don't do restringing with knotting any more...now I remember why.
Bashing metal is much more fun great video tutorial explains it so clearly
nic xx