Strings

Bead stringing is probably the oldest form of jewelry making on earth. In ancient times, leather or fiber was used to string beads made of bone, shells, or teeth, and over time the discovery of how to make metal wire placed it ahead of more fragile materials for bead stringing.

Today, all kinds of stringing materials are used, some old and some very new, resulting from high technology material advances, are now found in jewelry making supplies. We offer a wide selection of stringing materials.

One of the most popular bead stringing materials in use for gemstone beads today is Beadalon. It is made from a number of very thin steel wires bound together in a nylon coating. Beadalon is available in a variety of colors and sizes.

Another very popular thread for bead stringing is nylon monofilament. The monofilament brand we carry is Supplemax. For a stretchy piece, such as a bracelet, Elasticity is another nylon monofilament.

We also offer hemp in a variety of colors, waxed and unwaxed, for a more ethnic effect or for use in beaded macrame. Hemp is a natural fiber that takes dye well and holds up better than cotton or silk, due to its long fibers. However, hemp twine is too thick to use with gemstone beads or pearls.

For pearls and gemstone beads, silk thread, which we offer in several sizes, is often the string of choice. Although silk thread does tend to stretch and will wear with use, it makes an attractive choice for a knotted necklace and adds the protection of keeping the beads on the string if it breaks, as a knot between each bead stops the destruction. Pre-stretching can minimize the stretching of silk, which is done by wetting the thread and letting it dry with pressure. For example, one could cut it to the desired length, moisten it, then tie weights to each end while it dries.

For seed beads and Delica beads, the string of choice is often Nymo. Nymo was originally developed for use in upholstry and is very strong. It also does stretch, so a good pull on it prior to use is recommended. The selection of size in Nymo, as well as any stringing material, is determined by the hole size in the beads.