Stringing the Beads

[harmonise]

hi ladies...i've read almost every post in here and have a couple of questions i haven't gotten answers for. First one a- what do you do with your project when you're not working on it...how do you keep it from getting tangled? Second, I tried both the nail polish method mentioned here but its not quite stiff enough for my liking...how much polish do you have to use? Third, i also tried the dental floss and although possibly stiff enough how do you then get the beads to the thread? I tried tying them together but some of the 6/0 beads got stuck...pretty certain the 8/0s i want to try next won't work that way at all (using #10 floss). Tips and hints are greatly appreciated

[crochetqueen]

Are you trying to transfer beads from a hank to your thread or just loose beads ?

[harmonise]

Are you trying to transfer beads from a hank to your thread or just loose beads ?

 

loose beads from a package or tube

[crochetqueen]

Then a "Big Eye" needle is what you need. This needle is split all the way down the middle so you can actually use it for any size thread. You just insert your thread thru the middle just as you would if you were threading a small eye needle, and then just start picking up your beads as needed. Here is a link to a picture of one, scroll down it is the 8th one down http://www.firemountaingems.com/shopping.asp?skw=KWTOOLNEEDLE

[JCB]

I second the idea of the big eye needle. Rather than picking up each tiny bead with your fingers, and placing it on the needle, I find it much easier to spread the beads out flat (on a paper plate or something similar). Then, take the needle and poke it at the hole of the bead. The bead should just pop onto the needle. I usually do maybe a 1/2 dozen on the needle, then push it back onto the thread, and continue poking beads. Tie one bead onto the end of the thread before you start, to keep the beads from coming off the other end as you thread them on.

 

Joan

[justwantacraft]

I use these floss threaders to string beads onto thread they are thiner than dental floss you can also buy them at walmart, kmart etc.

http://www.nextag.com/floss-threaders/search-html?nxtg=26a90a20050b-B0805FE554835DBC

[lisaekh]

I came up with this method a few weeks ago when I was in a pinch (broke my needle threader, couldn't get the needle threaded with my #10 thread, broke the thread trying to get beads from the needle onto the thread, etc.). It worked pretty well for me, at the least, I got my beads on the thread so I could finish my project!

 

I took some regular sewing thread, folded it in half and threaded it onto a very small needle (one with an eye small enough to go through my beads). Then I took the end of my crochet thread, stuck it through the doubled over sewing thread, pulled it through several inches and folded it over itself as well.

 

Lisa

[tygger428]

Is this Eva? She is the only one I know that goes by Crochet Queen LOL I know you from CGOA message board (it's current "tone" is rubbing me the wrong way) and probably elsewhere.

[crochetqueen]

Why yes it is me, Eva I'm overly happy there is a Crochetville to come to

[Shell]

another thing to try is fine wire (i like fuse wire personally) cut 5inches or so, bend it in the middle and loop your thread through (if double thickness of thread will allow the beads to slide over) and twist the wire tightly together (it will sort of resemble a fine needle). or just get a 2-3 inch legth of wire and wrap it around the end length of your thread, folding the very end over so it doesnt snag. it will act as a support for the thread

[Shell]

oh, and when i am putting a project down i will remove the crochet hook, draw the loop big (about 5-6 inches). depending on the size of the project i will then

A) small project i will wrap around the cotton ball and put into a zip-lock bag or use an elastic band to hold it together

B) larger progects I will wrap the yarn inside the project with the loop being the first to be folded in. again store in a bag or something so that it has less chance of unravelling

 

and the nail polish method; paint 1-2cm of the end of the thread. once dry it is stiff enough to feed through a single bead at a time, but it is manual. pick up a bead in one hand and thread over the cotton. pick up another bead and thread again. it cant be used like a needle and pick up many beads at a time as there is no support. the polish simply stops the cotton end from fraying and stiffens it slightly. as the polish is drying you may need to gently roll the cotton between thumb and forefinger to neaten and narrow it. sorry this wasnt in my first post, i forgot you had a few questions

[lhasaapsolady]

On your bead question, I use a collapsible eye needle, they come in various sizes and thread or yarn will go through them. Then I lay my beads out and put about a dozen on then slide them down on thread.

 

When storing my project in the works, I pull a large loop so my work won't come out.

[Vickietoria]

Here's an idea that my Mom got from Dad... Dad plays guitar, and when he changes out the guitar strings, there is one or two that are especially thin. He somehow folds a small piece of it in half, wraps it around itself, leaving a large hole for the thread to go through, and there you go, a bead needle. I just thought I'd post that since I thought it was a pretty cafty way of recycling guitar strings.

 

Also, before I discovered bead needles, I would use elmers' glue to glue the tip of the thread, make it stiff like you do with the nail polish (I didn't know about that method, bet it works pretty well too) and let it dry. I don't know how it would do with the super tiny beads, but it worked well for me with the size E, and the 4mm.

 

Victoria