Learn a second knotting technique -
knotting with tweezers. This technique is more difficult to master than the
foolproof technique. However, with practice, you will find it to be a more efficient
knotting method. This also demonstrates the use of bead tips. Bead tips offer a neat
and simple way to finish a piece. There is another, more practical advantage to
using bead tips; should a clasp ever break, bead tips allow one to remove the broken
clasp and attach a new clasp without restringing the entire piece. This is not
possible when working with pieces finished in other ways.
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| | Start with
a piece of bead cord that is approximately twice as long as the piece of jewelry you
intend to make. Tie an overhand knot at the end of the bead cord, or, for extra
strength, tie a double overhand knot. Then, string on a bead tip so that the knot
fits neatly into its cup, as shown.
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| | - String on all of the beads
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| | Begin knotting after the first bead strung, using
the tweezers technique illustrated.
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| | Push all beads except
the first one up towards the needle.
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| | Make an
overhand knot.
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| | Use the tweezers to
reach through the loop and grasp the bead cord where it exits the bead. The bead
should be positioned firmly against the bead tip.
|
| | Pull the
cord so that it tightens around the tweezers.
|
| | Gently remove the
tweezers from the knot. Place the tips of the tweezers around the bead cord just to
the left of the knot. Push the tweezers to the right and pull the cord to the left
to tighten the knot against the bead.
|
| | Continue
knotting after each bead in this way. Do not knot after the last bead.
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| | String on
the second bead tip bottom-end first. Use the tweezers
technique to place a knot directly in the bead tip's cup. Dab
a bit of glue or clear nail polish on the knots in the bead tips. Let the glue dry
and use a pair of wire cutters or a small pair of scissors to snip off the excess
bead cord.
|
| | Attach
the clasp to the bead tips as shown and use your needle-nose pliers to gently close
each bead tip.
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