Bead Stringing Material

Choosing the right stringing material
for your jewellery creations

© by Lisa Jagger; all rights reserved

Aspiring jewelry artists string beads at a "stay and make"
in Lisa Jagger's Bedazzle Beads shop.

Here are some of the most frequently used types of cord, chain, and wire for stringing beads in jewellery making projects:

Elastic is the perfect choice for stretchy jewellery, as it's inexpensive and ideal for children's jewellery made with a single strand projects without the need for clasps.

It is easily knotted or crimped and pretty strong - although if stretched too far, will lose its elasticity.

Always cut off more than is required for your project, as you will need the extra length, in which to double knot, to ensure it does not come undone.

It's soft to work with and the clear variety is the best to use, as it can be used with light or dark beads.

Elastic is pretty strong, so experiment with various types and sizes.

The only downside in working with elastic is that you will have to check the beads for sharp edges, as they could eventually cut through the cord.

Other than this, it's a great inexpensive stringing material which can come in various sizes - 0.5mm, 0.8mm, 1.0mm (the smaller the size, the more beads you will be able to use; the larger the size, the stronger the elastic will be.)

Strung bead jewelry creations by Lisa Jagger.

Silkon is a special heat-set nylon. Because of its exceptional durability and resistance to fraying, it can be used with abrasive stone or metal beads.

Use lightweight Silkon thread for designs using small gem beads and freshwater pearls. Use medium-weight thread for plastic, glass and wood beads. Use heavyweight thread for gemstone, metal and larger glass beads.

Tigertail is miniature braided stainless steel cable covered with nylon. This beading wire is excellent with heavier necklaces.

Tigertail beading wire should be used with crimp beads. No beading needle is required.

This wire is relatively flexible but is prone to kinking, which will be evident in your jewellery.

Good for most beads, as the nylon coating protects the stainless steel wire inside it from rough bead edges, giving your pieces a longer life.

Micofiber / faux suede is very soft to work with.

Try this newest lacing on the market; this man-made material is ultra soft, providing incredible comfort and drape.

It comes in various thicknesses and washes easily in warm soapy water.

Use it for every lacing and stringing application. It's a great option for stringing pendants, and the suede can be tied in a knot with a focal piece in place, making this a piece that can be worked quickly and inexpensively.

You can also place cord ends at the tips, to give a more professional finish to your pieces.

Monofilament is similar to fishing line. It's naturally waterproof and resists 100% of the sun's damaging ultraviolet radiation.

It's 10 times stronger than steel, with superior abrasion resistance.

A great starter material for beginning bead stringing, this single strand nylon thread is an inexpensive product which is very strong and a worthwhile addition to your kit.

As it is inexpensive, you can make up mock designs with minimum costs, before moving onto a more permanent stringing material.

Monofilament is generally clear coloured and can be used in the making of 'illusion' or 'floating' designs since it's almost invisible - probably the biggest use of this stringing material.

Monofilament can shrink or crack over time, which can be evident in older, vintage pieces of jewellery, maybe as a reaction with oils from the skin etc.

Rough beads may also cut through it, so better to double up if the string thickness allows.

Monofilament can also be knotted or crimped and this can be backed up with a dab of hypo cement to add extra strength to your pieces.

Inside Lisa Jagger's Bedazzle Beads shop.

Rattail is the thickest satin cord, measuring approximately 2.0 mm, and has a lovely soft, satin feel.

This man-made product is a good inexpensive cord for stringing pendants, such as dichroics or donuts, and comes in an array of colours.

It can be knotted to finish off your piece, or finished with cord ends for a more professional look. Dab the cut ends of rattail cord into PVA glue and let it dry, and then when the ends are stiff enough, attach your cord ends with an extra dot of glue for additional strength.

Other variants of this cord are Mousetail (1.5 mm) and Bugtail (1.0 mm).

Chain comes in various sizes. It is usually more expensive than some of the other stringing materials, but can also be quite versatile.

For example, 2 mm cable chain can be used to create your own chains to hang lockets or smaller pendants onto.

It can also be cut into small lengths to create dangles for a great effect.

Larger style chain (such as 11 x 6 mm) can be used to create great looking beaded products - bag charms, charm bracelets etc., as it is chunky enough to hang dangles and charms from it.

Memory wire is very worthwhile experimenting with, as it's basically a coil of ultra strong tempered stainless steel, for making some really quick jewellery designs.

Finishing off memory wire is simple - just turn a loop at your first wire end to prevent beads from falling off as you work, and then turn a loop at the other end of the memory wire once your design has been completed.

Charms can then be hung from the loops to finish off your designs.

Cutting and bending memory wire can be quite difficult due to its strength. Memory wire will blunt normal jewelry cutters and pliers.

For cutting, it's best to use memory wire cutters or get two pairs of sturdy flat nose pliers and bend back and forth at the point you want, until the wire snaps in two.

Memory wire is easy to use, with fast and effective results.