I learned brick stitch

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 17:59:02 -0400, snipped-for-privacy@eightdollarfeathers.zyx wrote (in message ):

Once you're able to, you definitely want to start using a proper beading thread. I looked at your earrings and noticed that a lot of the problems you were having were related to using regular sewing thread. (Once you have woven a million or more beads, you can tell these things at a glance, believe me)

I strongly recommend that you use one of the gel-spun polyethelene threads: Power Pro or Fire Line. Buy these from a fishing supply store for the best price. These lines come in a very limited number of colors (grey, white or a funky green), but surprisingly, these few colors work with almost any color beads. I only use the grey and white and it works for me. These threads are much easier to bead with, far stronger and smoother than what you're using, and make a superior product in the end, which is really important when making a piece to sell. The only gotcha with GSP threads is cutting them. The proper tool to do so is a pair of Childrens Fiskars, which you can buy for about a buck at any discount department store. (I saw them yesterday for $0.99 at Wal-Mart) Normal scissors _do not work_ with these lines.

If you aren't using real beading needles, do yourself a favor and get some. I buy the John James brand from England, which is widely available at all kinds of beading supply places. I've heard decent things about the Pony brand from India, but haven't tried them yet. Beading needles are the right length, have small eyes (to get through teeny holes in beads) and the right tool for the job makes life a million times easier. If you'd like, drop me a line at my aol address (kathynv at aol dot com), and I'll send a few your way to try.

Beading takes a lot of patience and talent, don't kid yourself. But having the proper tools makes your life and your finished product so much better, you won't believe it. The time and frustration saved and the end result are well worth the extra penny or so that you spend on your project. (Really. For brick stich earrings like you make, the extra cost would be less than a penny)

Congratulations on learning a new skill, and trying to help yourself. Do yourself another favor, please. If you're living on disability, make sure that your selling of earrings won't compromise your benefits. My own benefits will be shut off if I earned so much as a dollar, but we have other disabled people whose benefits places aren't nearly as unreasonable.

Glad to have you here, and if there's anything you need or run into problems with your beading, just shout.

Kathy N-V

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 20:39:24 -0400, Kathy N-V rec.crafts.beads :

Yeah yellow thread.. LOL... I'll ask my dad for some fishing line then, he gets all he could ever use for free. I've got some green Kevlar fishing line but it seems a bit thick for the job.

I am using cheap beading needles I got at Wal-Mart. Got the Fiskars already with kids in the house..

I know it will be much easier with beads that have more unform sizes and hole sizes.. these cheap cheq beads from Wal-mart were ok for making beadie babies but not for loom work or brick stitch!

I do a lot of shopping on ebay.

Thanks!

what pound test do you recommend on the fishing line? My dad has it in several strengths from 30 lb to 80 lb

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 17:49:05 -0700, snipped-for-privacy@eightdollarfeathers.zyx rec.crafts.beads :

rec.crafts.beads :

all he could ever

thick for the job.

with kids in the

sizes.. these cheap

or brick stitch!

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 21:35:58 -0400, snipped-for-privacy@nospam.com wrote (in message ):

You really need GSP line (or Spectra, the US brand name for GSP), not monofiliment, the material used for most fishing line.

I use 8 lb. Power Pro in white, and 4 lb. FireWire in dark grey. For stringing, I use wire, although I've also had success with 10 lb. FireWire.

Kathy N-V

I'm finding this thread most informative as well - thanks Kathy. :)

I recently had a fishing tackle place open near where I live, so I was going to check out their fishing line. This thread is very timely.

One question: what does GSP stand for? Is it a brand name?

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 23:13:05 -0400, mªdcªt wrote (in message ):

Gel Spun Polyethelene, also known as Spectra. It's made from recycled tonic bottles. (Soda, pop, whatever people outside of New England call that carbonated beverage that comes in 2 liter bottles)

The big brand names in the US are Power Pro, Spider Line Fusion (not regular spiderline) and Fire Wire. There is a bit of difference between the three brands: Power Pro tends to be more thread like, and Fire Wire has more body and is smoother. Spider Line is somewhere between the two. Since I like my work to be a little on the stiffer side, I generally use Fire Line (or the Cabela's knock-off, which is 1/10th the price. Search for Spectra on cabelas.com)

Kathy N-V

TA MUCHLY for all that! :)

I think the fishing tackle shop that's 5 min away by bus would be slightly cheaper than an American website.

(I'm in Oz, and still smarting from the courier charges from another US beady website. It was totally worth it after all the trouble I've gone to to source the stuff locally, but painful nonetheless.)

All too heavy for seed beading! Try to get 10# or less. Make sure it is one of the "gel spun" fused or braided lines-- NOT monofiliment! Kaytee "Simplexities" on

The Pony needles are quite good as they seem to stay straighter for longer. I have a lot of "banana" needles in my stock. LOL but even those come in useful in some tight corners. Shirley

In article , Kathy N-V writes

So you recommend the fused rather than the braided? This is the part that has confused me in the conversations about "fishing line", since most of what I have (from fishing) is the braided kind. I used a thin braided line for a braided necklace and found it very hard to keep the lines tight. On the other hand stiffer stuff doesn't mingle as well. Time for more experimenting.

Tina

"Kathy N-V" wrote

The fused versions are "limper" than the braids, but the braids are thinner per #-test. It depends on your needs/ preferences which is "best". Also, different brands have different coatings, which will affect how the line knots, drapes, etc. Kaytee "Simplexities" on

I can't find my braided SpiderLine Spectra that my husband got for fishing, but it was too thick anyway, and extremely difficult to thread.

What I have now is Power Pro microfilament 10 lb braided Spectra which is very soft and supple. And Spiderline fused 24 lb which is quite stiff, and feels like the spun pop bottles Kathy spoke of but does not claim to be Spectra.

I find the whole subject of this line confusing. My own experiences so often seem very different from those of others.

Tina

Well darn... I tried making an earring with 30 pound test braied line and my new beads.. it looked so nice all the beads lined up nicely then near the end a bead broke and the line got all tangled when I tried to fix it and it just kept getting worse til I had no choice but to fling the thing across the room.

My new beads break much more easily than my old ones.. :(

The new ones are Japanese size 11 in a matte finish... the old ones were cheq silver lined

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 20:51:44 GMT, "Christina Peterson" rec.crafts.beads :

On Thu, 16 Oct 2003 22:09:48 -0400, snipped-for-privacy@nospam.com wrote (in message ):

Thirty lb. test is HUGE for beadweaving. I wouldn't put anything that big into a size 11 bead, especially in a stitch that requires multiple passes of thread through a bead. You were using larger beads on your previous projects, so it makes sense that the smaller beads seem weaker.

You weren't using Czech silver-lined if you bought them at Wal-Mart. They carry Chinese seed beads, which are the worst of the lot.

Think of process over product. Right now, you're learning a new stitch, with a new type of bead and a new threading material. It's natural that there would be some flubs. I spent many, many hours trying to get the hang of peyote stitch and even more hours learning Ndebele (herringbone) stitch, and it took me weeks, if not months, to get predictable results from my work.

For the line to get hopelessly tangled, it usually means that you (1) doubled the thread and/or (2) split the thread with your needle. I always, always use doubled thread, but I have to be a maniac to make sure that I don't split my thread. If the thread splits and another thread passes through it (usually on the next stitch), getting out a snarl is near impossible. You'll eventually pick up some ways to fix the flub, but for now, your best course is to make sure you don't split the thread, and if the item gets hopelessly tangled, start again from the beginning of the row.

If you feel the urge to throw the beadwork across the room, it's a good idea to put your project aside for a little while. I find beadweaving to be incredibly calming, and once I get into the groove, I can go for hours without even knowing that time has passed. I've noticed that when I get into that groove, my best work suddenly appears.

Kathy N-V