Land of Odds

For Other Cords, Stringing Materials, Chain, Wire

Silk and Nylon Bead Cords BEAD CALCULATOR: Calculate the number of beads you will need, with or without using knots. Also of interest: Glass Pearls Gemstone Beads French Wire Twist Wire Needles Pearl, Safety and Box Clasps Brands Listed Below: Griffin Nylon and Silk Gudebrod Silk Stringth Nylon C-Lon Bead Cord and Micro Bead Cord Similar Products used in Similar Ways: Hemp Waxed Linen, Irish

People often confuse BEAD CORDS and THREADS. Beading Threads are very thin ribbons, and are meant to be fully covered with beads, thus hidden within your pieces. They are typically waxed with beeswax to keep them from fraying. Threads, once waxed, are actually stronger and more durable than bead cords, but they are unsightly. Threads are used in both bead weaving and bead stringing projects. Beading Cords are threads that are braided together, to make them visually attractive. But you don't wax bead cords -- this would make them ugly. So bead cords will have problems of fraying and stetching that waxed threads will not. Bead Cords are used for projects where you want the cord to show, like putting knots between beads, or tin cup necklaces where you have a cluster of beads, then a length of cord showing, and then another cluster of beads, then the cord, and so forth. To see the full range of available threads and cords, please visit these two web-pages: Cords, Stringing Materials, Chain, Wire Beading Threads

NYLON Nylon is the modern way of bead stringing.   Nylon does not fray as much, or stretch as much, as the silk.  High performance nylon does not stretch. We carry Griffin (good quality), Stringth (best quality), and C-Lon Bead Cord and C-Lon Micro Bead Cord (best quality) brands. Griffin Nylon Bead Cord (Click for Full List) (good quality) Order By Color: amber, amethyst, beige, black, blue, brown, carnelian, coral, dark blue, dark pink, garnet, grey, jade green, light pink, lilac, medium green, red, turquoise, white, yellow Order By Size: 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 10, 12, 14, 16 COLOR CHART SIZE COMPARISON CHART Griffin Nylon (now a substance called Polyamid) Bead Cord on cards with needle for beads and pearls.  Cards have about 6 1/2 feet (2 meters) of cord plus a needle. Simply take it from the card and off you go.  The twisted stainless steel needle at the end of the cord saves threading time.  Doubling the thread is not necessary.  You can knot the cord easily because the thread has the correct twist.   The most popular sizes are #0, #1 and #2 for use with pearls, and #4 and #6 for use with other beads. Stringth (high performance nylon) COLOR AND SIZE CHART Stringth bead cord is made from synthetic fibers, so it is strong and less likely to fray, shred, or stretch than conventional cord.  It's "slide-easy" finish allows even, consistent knots.  Coat the cord end with superglue to form a self needle.  Not all colors are available in all sizes.    C-Lon Bead Cord (high performance nylon) Similar to Conso on the spool, or Griffin Bead Cord Size #6. Great for bead crochet, macrame, fiber and beads projects, using size 8/0, 6/0 and larger sized seed beads, or Czech glass druk and fire polish beads. Also see C-Lon Micro Bead Cord below. C-Lon Micro Bead Cord (high performance nylon) Similar to Conso on the bobbin, or Griffin Bead Cord Size #2. Great for bead crochet, macrame, fiber and beads projects using 15/0, 11/0 and 8/0 sized seed beads. Also can be used as the warp threads on a loom. Also see a thicker bead cord C-Lon Bead Cord above. Conso Thread (A thin beading cord) TWO THICKNESSES: Thinner:#69 on Bobbins (similar to Nymo G, or Griffin Size #2) or, Thicker: 2 ounce (apprx 170 yards) Spools (a little thicker than Gudebrod Silk E, similar to Griffin Size #6) COLOR CHART This upholstery thread (really a bead cord) is a heavy, twisted thread yet supple and flexible. Use bobbins with size 8°-11° beads where you need a really stiff tension, or spools with size 6/0-8/0 beads. It's also perfect for stringing our large Czech pressed glass beads (those are the leaves, hearts, drops, triangles, pendants, etc.) You'll find that a milliner's or other sewing needle is easier to use with Conso than a true beading needle which has a long narrow eye. For stringing, use a Big Eye or twisted wire needle or dental bridge floss. Excellent for bead crochet or netting projects which are to stand alone. Can be used to warp loom. Less stretchy than Nymo, and results in stiffer project. Conso is sold on bobbins (thinner thread) and spools (thicker thread).

SILK 100% real silk is the traditional way of bead stringing.   We suggest using silk cords when your project is all pearls or mostly pearls.  Other stringing materials hurt the pearls.  Silk tends to fray and stretch. Silk breaks down in 3-5 years, so anything strung with silk will have to be restrung. We carry Griffin (good quality) and Gudebrod (best quality brands. Griffin Silk Bead Cord (Click for Full List) (good quality) Order By Color: amber, amethyst, beige, black, blue, brown, carnelian, coral, dark blue, dark pink, garnet, grey, jade green, light pink, lilac, medium green, red, turquoise, white, yellow Order By Size: 00, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 10, 12, 14, 16 COLOR CHART SIZE COMPARISON CHART Griffin Silk Bead Cord on cards with needle for beads and pearls.  Cards have about 6 1/2 feet (2 meters) of cord plus a needle. Simply take it from the card and off you go.  The twisted stainless steel needle at the end of the cord saves threading time.  Doubling the thread is not necessary.  You can knot the cord easily because the thread has the correct twist.   The most popular sizes are #0, #1 and #2 for use with pearls, and #4 and #6 for use with other beads. Gudebrod Silk (high performance silk) COLOR AND SIZE CHART Truly the desired thread of Kings and Queens down through the centuries. Silk is the finest natural fiber in the world. This smooth, twisted three ply, 100% pure silk thread has the most luxurious feel and the softest sheen of any natural fiber. Our bead cord is extremely supple, yet resistant to stretch and wear. Durable enough to withstand the abrasion of pearls, glass beads, and gemstones. Gudebrod, (also sold under the "Champion" brandname), bead cord is piled from pure Chinese long filament silk. Available in 1/2 ounce spools.   Available in white, all sizes. All Colors available in size E.

Also of interest:
Pearls
Glass Pearls
Gemstone Beads
French Wire
Twist Wire Needles

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