Semi-Precious stones tend to be heavier than other beads, they also typically come with very small holes.
This presents jewellery makers with a conundrum – ‘how do I choose a cord that will be both strong and thin?’
Choosing the correct thickness of cord is essential, but first you will need to identify the size of hole in your chosen beads. This will usually be written in the product description, but if you are unsure – a quick email to your bead supplier can always shine a light on anything you are struggling with.
It is reasonable to presume, that with most semi-precious beads 8mm or under, the hole size will be approximately 1mm wide, this means your stringing material should be UNDER 1mm thickness.
Below, we have compiled 5 stringing options, to make your life a little easier.
- Stretch Magic – Elastic Beading Cord
This clear stretch elastic is deceivingly strong. Unlike other stretch elastics, which tend to be made up of multiple fibres that erode and snap easily; stretch magic is made from one solid piece of polyurethane, meaning it is less likely to snap and will take much longer to wear away.
Choose stretch magic when creating simple stretch bracelets.
For very tiny holes, stretch magic starts at 0.5mm thickness, but 0.7mm & 0.8mm should also be suitable.
To secure the ends, stretch magic is generally knotted using a surgeon’s knot technique. It is best practice to then apply, a small dot of clear drying craft glue or clear nail varnish.
Disguising the knot:
Once your bracelet is secure, it’s time to decide what to do with the visible knot. You can choose to leave it exposed sitting between the beads or hide it with a variety of methods:
1) Make the last bead you string have a wider hole than your semi-precious beads. Use the wider hole to your advantage by pushing the knot deep within and hiding it.
2) Alternatively, a crimp cover can be a suitable option when hiding a knot. Measure the thickness of your knot and select a slightly larger crimp cover. Use flat nose pliers to gently wrap the ‘C’ shaped crimp cover around the knot and disguise it as a plain metal spacer bead.
3) Attach a Jump Ring over the knot, making sure that the ring is SMALLER than the beads you are using. This will hold the ring in place and prevent it sliding around over the beads.
Attach a charm or tassel to the Jump Ring. Your eye will now be drawn to the embellishment rather than the knot itself.
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