[Jewelry making - Article 00597] - Re: [Orchid] Pearls: To Knot or Not

[Debra]

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>     Why don't peaople string pearls on a double, lighter strand and
>     square knot the two between each one? This seems much easier, and
>     will always be tight against the pearls. I've done this a time or
>     two, and thought it worked fine... is the knoe too big? Do they lie
>     funny? 

    Pearls should be strung on doubled silk thread (one long piece folded
    in half). And the thread should be thin enough, even when it's
    doubled, to go through pearls without having to ream any of them
    except the last 3 for the finishing knots. Those "shoulds" are from
    some very experienced teachers and, of course, not everyone would
    agree with them. 

    Specifically for your questions, Noel -- using gum arabic I make a
    self-needle from the two thread ends in order to string the pearls.
    After doing that I no longer have two separate threads to make a
    square knot with. 

    Out of curiosity I just made a short test strand using both square
    knots and the usual overhand knots. The square knot looks more like a
    flat bridge between the pearls. The usual knot is rounder, thick in
    the middle and pointy at the sides so the edges of each knot can tuck
    into the holes. It also has a much smoother look to it and a slight
    sheen. 

    My guess is that if square knots are used, the necklace would not
    drape smoothly. In order for the necklace to curve, the pearls would
    have to squish the square knots at their corners, or somewhere,
    whereas the usual knots are more of a ball shape and would flow easily
    into a curved shape without any haphazard squishing. 

    Another thing I see in this test is that a square knot loosens up if
    it's not between two pearls. It's as though the knot is held in place
    by the pearls instead of vice versa. The usual knot stays tight and
    in place even if it's next to only one pearl. If the necklace breaks,
    that would be important. 

Debra K

 
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