Creating beaded jewelry using elastic cord is not difficult, but you should have knowledge of which cord to use, including the method of using it. This type of stringing material comes in many different brand names. An example is the Stretch Magic which you can use for endless beaded bracelets and other applications. Because it is a high quality cord, its price is a bit on the high side. There are also inexpensive elastic cords, as well, which has a small diameter that will work well with 11/0 seed beads. As this type of cord is not as durable as the branded one, this should, however, be used with care.
You can work this elastic cord in many different ways. Some crafters would want to use cylindrical crimp beads with it, while others choose the newer Tornado crimps as they find it better than the cylindrical crimp. There are no sharp edges on a Tornado crimp, thats why. One other way of working with this cord is knotting it after stretching it out. It will be easier to do if you use a “3rd hand toolâ€. This is a kind of jewelry tool with swivel arms attached with alligator clips; and the base is weighted. This is a handy tool and the price is not expensive.
After the knot is made, add to it a drop of super glue to hold it in place. A clear nail polish will not work that well, so opt for the jewelry glue and allow it to dry. Waiting until the glue has completely dried will prevent the knot from slipping out. Clip the ends of the elastic cord and then push the knot inside the hole of one of the beads to hide it.
You can also secure the knot by melting it together using the lit end of the incense stick. You must be careful, though, so that the lit end of the stick does not get close to any part of the elastic cord, except the knot. When melted or overheated, the elastic cord will weaken and your beaded piece may break prematurely.
When your beaded necklace or bracelet is not in use, keep them out of water and light also because that can cause disintegration of the stringing material. The durability of the entire product depends on how frequent you use it, and also on the quality of the elastic cord that you used. This beaded jewelry may last for a year or longer. Some, however, get broken after just several months of use.
Some other problems may occur that comes with rough wear and too much stretching too fast. So when you buy elastic cords for your own pieces, use your best judgment. It probably would be better if you buy the more expensive cords for reason of longevity of use. If you choose the cheaper one, match it with beads that you would not have a hurt feeling losing. For heavy and larger beads, use many strands of elastic cord that are allowed on the bead holes. This will add security to the finished project.
Pandahall has one of the largest collection of elastic cords for jewelry making.
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