Better Beader Episode 28 - Working with Silk Cording 

Thank you so much Allie for making this video, it's wonderful to see all the different ways you can use Griffin Silk or Nylon Thread. I've got a great tip to share with everyone. It wasn't my idea but I will pass it on! To get the kinks out of the Griffin Silk or Nylon thread, there's no need to pre - stretch it or soak it in water and weight it down, or any of the other long winded things that I know I used to do!! All you need is a small, travel hair - straightener. I bought mine from a local pharmacy, it's perfect and they're really cheap to buy. I payed about $10.00au for mine. Just plug it in and let it heat up, then run your thread/cord through it. The kinks come out immediately and you're good to go! I really can't recommend this highly enough guys, so please get one. . Lots of love from Amanda in Melbourne, Australia ❤ xox

This was great, I was not aware I could get the knot covers! Your pacing and instructions were great. Thank you.

Once again Allie, I THANK YOU & your team for sharing your time, knowledge, skills, & resources with all of us! You all work SO HARD & spend so MUCH of your precious time trying to HELP us beaders/ jewelry makers, It's obvious you TRULY care about us! I want you to KNOW that I SINCERELY APPRECIATE your compassion, & dedication in ALL you do! Hugs 2U!

Thank you! I didn’t know to stretch it first. Totally makes sense.

Very useful information. I have a lot of beads that I want to knot but, not didn't know all these useful hints. You rock! 😊

Thank you Allie - great tutorial! I have some of those silk cords at home but have never used them. Now I know how I should use them. Also, I thought I could use them only for knotting pearls but you introduced it for using gemstones, chips, etc. So glad I watched it.😍

Very nice instructional videos . Some of the demonstration is covered by the next writing !

Allie~~ I appreciate soooooo much your better beader series. It helps more than you know. Great idea, time well spent and appreciated. Thank you.

Thank you Allie! I have watched 2 of your better beader videos tonight. Very interesting and to the point. keep them coming

Thank you for this video. I love Griffin silk cord and have used it to make lariat style necklaces and long necklaces. Easy to work with. I do put weights on the ends and hang it over the shower curtain rod to stretch it. It has a beautiful drape and I find it to have less stretch over time than regular beading wire.

Loved the tutorial. Learned what I needed to know. Thanks

Thank you SO much for this video, I appreciate it. I’m finally getting back into beading and needed a great refresher and tips, your video is absolutely perfect. Thanks again!

Great tutorial that gave me great information as a beginner!

Hi Allie-thanks for sharing some info about silk cording and a few knotting techniques with us. The only thing I have used Griffin Silk for was a very long Kumihimo necklace using 11/0 Delica beads--having the needle already attached to the cording made it soooo much easier to string the delica beads.

Hi Allie. Great information regarding how to use silk cording. I've used it once......I used the Beadalon Knoting tool. It took me some time to finish, but the necklace I made was beautiful....I was able to sell it at an event I had set up a booth to sell some of my jewelry. Your video has inspired me to make another necklace....Thanks so much for the video series you are doing.....I appreciate you and your team for helping us that are still learning!! :)

For a perfect knot very closet to the clamp or what ever you are using I work with a pin. I put it inside the not before tightening it and slide the knot to the correctamente place, then withdraw the pin. Very easy.

Thank you for the video.

Thank you

Great ingo💕💕

FYI for everyone in the comments, knot covers are also known as "calottes"

Have a question. How do I know what size knot cover to buy. Can I use the same knot cover for 4 & 8, or 6 & 10? I'm assuming size 10 is the thickest size thread.

I love working with silk cord - great episode! Could you post the link for the Chakra Necklace you mentioned? Ty!

💜💜

Thank you for your tutorials. I need to make a choker-length single strand silk cord necklace that is soft as possible, with a non-scratchy clasp. I'll be adding a charm, and maybe a couple of decorative knots. The clasp should not be tiny, and should be easy to use. I'm a complete novice, so any suggestions would be welcome!

Great video, I’m thinking of using silk cord in some of my pieces to replace beadalong steel wire. I find with constant wear and just a light piece, iLife span is about 1.5 years. Less for heavier details. How would you compare the silk thread for durability? This is with constant everyday wear and in the water?I like to road test things before I sell but this is a long time to wait haha

I would like to know how do you determine the proper size of the silk thread to the size of the beads? Is there a chart that can tell you what size thread to buy for the size beads? I want to thread a blue jasper beads size 8mm but don't know what size of the thread should be. Thank you! Love this tutorial! I just learned a lot more than I realize. Except the size of the threads to the beads.

Hi Allie! I just watched the better beaver episode today about pearl knotting. I have to fix, for the 4th time, a necklace of 2-3mm faceted gemstone beads. As you know, they have such tiny holes! I used size 19 Beadalon wire in the.25mm thickness. I remembered that silk is extremely strong, but I don’t think I have the right thickness for the “surgery “ of this poor piece of jewelry. What size of stringing cords would you recommend for such delicate work? I am getting pretty frustrated with trying so many different ways to do this

Hi again. At your 5:41 mark, the simple " tight a knot and glue " is how I am looking to finish my gifts to my loved ones, it has a real DIY appeal. I hope this doesn't sound silly but I went though your knotting video and I did not find the simple knot tutorial ...can you please link the video ? Thank you 🦋.

Hello there. I have 3 4 6 and 8 gemstones in one necklace... what number silk cord would you recommend? Thank you have really helped me with my confidence in beading! I want to gift some necklaces and bracelets to the mothers in my life and I really want to make it a quality piece !. Thank you 🌹

Thank you for taking the time to explain the silk cording and covers. It was a little confusing for me at the end. I am not sure why you would create an exposed knot after covering the second to the last knot at the end. See, spelling it out doesn't even make sense. LOL. Unless you are not covering both but just the very last one. Is that correct? If so, why the need for two knots at the end at all? Also, have you ever used a surgeons knot for your knotting technique? It looks more like a macrame stitch than a knot. Very nice.

Hi, one spool of the silk thread with knots between 6mm pearls how long will it be???

I make the silk cord wet before working with it. Love what's hanging in your ears!

The whole truest thing about knotting pearls is to keep pearls from rubbing and damaging them..I buy reclaimed pearls that have been abused , throwing damaged ones out and remaking what's left