Soft Stringing Products Index

How do I a Choose Beading String?

With the vast number of string, cord, thread and other stringing products on the market, figuring out what product is best for your projects can be more of an art than a science! While everyone seems to develop their own personal choices over time, here are some things to consider when choosing soft bead stringing material.

• How big are the holes in my beads? - There is no standard sized hole in the beading world, so it is important to figure out what is the smallest hole that you will encounter when stringing your piece. In general, larger gemstone beads and Czech glass beads have holes in the 0.9 to 1.1mm range. Pearls tend to have much smaller holes, as do small gemstone round beads and most faceted gemstone that is fabricated in India (such as Tourmaline or Peridot). Glass beads such as many lampworked styles tend to have rather large holes (1.5mm and up).
  
  Another thing to consider is that you need a bit of "wiggle room" when stringing beads. It is hard to make a 0.8mm cord fit through a 0.8mm hole because it tends to compress when you push it through. It will slide easily through a 1mm opening because of that bit of extra room. If you are using a thread and needle you need to allow for the doubled width of the thread at the base of the needle (the largest area that will pass through the hole).
  
  
• How do I want the finished piece to behave? - Consider how you want the finished piece to perform when complete. If it should be very soft and drapey you might choose a nylon thread product. A bracelet that just stretches over your hand with no findings needed obiviously calls for an elastic product. Leather cord might be just the choice for a short necklace that holds it shape nicely.
  
  
• What kind of findings do I plan on using? - If your finished jewelry calls for a clasp, such as a toggle or lobster clasp, you need to consider how to attach it to your stringing material. When using silk or polyester threads, bead tips are commonly used to hide and secure the thread ends and provide a hook or loop that can attach to metal clasps of all sorts. When using leather a common solution is a crimpable finding that has a loop already attached. Properly sized fold over crimp ends can also be used for leather or polyester cord. Some designers opt for a natural look with leather or cord and simply tie a nice looking knot to attach to findings.
  
  
• How heavy are my beads? - Heavy beads such as large metal or glass beads call for a heavy and sturdy stringing material. Very light beads like freshwater pearls or small diameter gemstone need lightweight stringing material so that they will lay properly.
  
  
• How smooth are the hole openings in my beads? - Many beads have holes that aren't very smooth at the ends so they tend to abrade the material that they are strung on. High tech braided or multi-strand materials are a good choice for this situation. Pearls tend to have fairly smooth holes but are typically strung on very thin material. This fact encourages the style of stringing that places a simple knot between each pearl bead on the string.
  
  
• What are my design criteria for my finished jewelry? - Sometimes, you don't want your stringing material to show in the design. At other times, the string is part of the design, so it is left exposed between the beads. Pick something pretty and color coordinating if the string appearance is part of the finished look of the jewelry.
  
  
• What tools will I need? - Stiffer materials like cord often can be used with no tools required for stringing. Thread usually requires a needle of some sort. Consider using products like the Griffin thread that comes pre-attached to the needle and is pre-twisted to avoid hassles while stringing.