Bead Knotting Tools and Trade Bead Kits

Are you ready to try silk knotted jewelry?! One of my most very favorite stringing jewelry making techniques I've learned in the past couple of years is silk knotted jewelry.  That's how I made this necklace.  Knotted jewelry is so flexible and that's one of the reasons I love it so much. Candie Cooper here and now you can try your hand at knotted jewelry designs too! JJB now has the Knot-A-Bead tool in stock.  It's a table top (or I put it on my lap too) tool to aid in making precise knots between each bead very easily.  You can use this tool with all different silk sizes.  I'm using size 12 for this jewelry design. This piece also incorporates the new African trade beads that we are all very excited about.  They are sold on the site in kits like above (sans tool)--one ring of trade beads, silk, and complimentary color beads. To get started making silk knotted jewelry, you can tie your clasp onto the very end of the silk (opposite of the needle end) and start knotting or leave a tail, make a knot and get stringing (that's what I did). It's important to note that the bead's hole can't be much bigger than the silk so the knot keeps it separated.  Many of the holes in the beads are too big, but it's not (or should I say "knot" haha) the end of the world!  String a small spacer bead on either side of the large hole beads and knot on either side of those. Instructions come with the Knot-A-Bead tool.  It's really easy to make knots wherever you like.  I tried knotting before with a hand knotter tool and I was just too clumsy with it.  The Knot-A-Bead saved my silk knotting game. Knot the entire length of beads and when you come to the end, you tie a clasp on or I opted for using up a couple links of scrap tortoise chain.  Tie whatever to the silk and then make sure to dab some adhesive over your knots to secure them.  Let them dry and then trim leaving a tiny tail. This is an over the head necklace so to finish the design off, I'm stringing a large focal pendant with some more trade beads.  Crimp the ends to the tortoise links and you're off to the races with your silk knotted jewelry piece. Gazing into this fossil Ammonite pendant, I get lost.  That's how I came up with the name for this necklace, Knotted Wonder. This photo really shows how to use small spacer beads on either side of large holed beads to keep the knots in place in your silk knotted jewelry piece. Supplies: Trade Bead Kit Knot-A-Bead tool Beading Wire Crimp Beads Tortoise Chain Fossil Shell Pendant