Silk is traditionally the best material to use for stringing valuable beads such as pearls, coral, amber and jade. It is soft, strong and drapes well. It does not damage softer beads. The Griffin Jewelry Silk Bead Cord is made in Germany from 100% high-grade filament silk tightly twisted into a 3 ply cord. It is available in 13 colors created to coordinate with gemstones as suggested by their color names. It is a good silk to string beads, for bead crochet or any other projects requiring a strong high quality silk. It comes on spools with enough yardage for many projects.
Griffin 100% Natural Silk is usually available on cards as a 2-ply cordon with a needle attached to its end. The cards are only 79 inches (2 meters) long. It is often too short for longer necklaces and for application needing longer cords such as bead crochet. One of the way to get around this, is to make your own cordon.
Use the Griffin Jewelry Silk to make your own 2-ply cordon, add a collapsible needle and get what is available on a Griffin Silk Card but with the exact length you need for your project. A cordon is a two-ply made with a cord, twisting in the same direction of the cord. So since the Griffin Jewelry Silk 3-ply cord is twisted counterclockwise, make sure to twist in the same direction as shown in the illustration below. For references as to size comparison check this post > Griffin Silk - Spools vs Cards
I find the easier way to make a 2-ply cord is with at least two stationary hooks. Tie one end of the cord to the first hook. Wrap the cord around the second hook. The tie the end to the hook on your mini-twister or your cordless drill. Twist the cord counterclockwise until it starts kinking. Fold it onto itself. Tie it together and let is twist clockwise by itself. If you need a needle, attach the needle before laying the odd together and place it at the center hook, where the cord will fold onto itself.
Two-ply cord can be made out of many different types of cords, not just the Griffin Silk. The mini-twister or corder shown above is a good hand tool to use. Reversible drills with a hook attached are best for long cords.
If you are interested to make 3 and 4-ply cords, check the Learn Cord Making Tutorial and Tool Kit. The tutorial is available by itself for $10.00 and it has direction on how to make the tools needed for the project, or you can get the tool kit for an additional $15.00.
Let me know if you found this info useful, or if it needs clarifications. Best, - Marion
> Griffin Jewelry Silk by the Spool
> Tools for Cordmaking
elihypI'm starting to make leather wrap bracelets but don't know what thread is best to use. I would have to order since I live in a town that doesn't carry any of the specialty threads but would like to order from you. Which threads or cord should I use?
ReplyDeleteIf you have never made leather wrap bracelets, I would start with nylons.
ReplyDeleteC-Lon Bead Thread Size D. It wraps flat against the leather and it is very strong for its size.
C-Lon Micro Cord is also a nice cord to work with. It os a bit thicker thus stronger than the thread, and it stays round.
For more noticeable look you can used thicker cords or silks, but it all depends on how many times you will go through the beads and the size of your bead hole.
I hope this will help!
I am looking for more vibrant color choices than I can find with griffin No.8 natural silk bead cord with fixed needle... I am weaving 2 strands of this along with thin chain to make bracelets that have swarvoski crystals... Can you point me in the right direction?
ReplyDeleteTry Kanagawa or Fujix Tire Silk. Or Madeira Silk. They come in a fabulous range of colors, but if they are too thin, you might have to make a 2-ply cordon out of them.
ReplyDelete