Beading Frustration

[qos]

My daily meditation is supposed to begin with a five-minute session of four-four breathing -- but I'm pretty sure that unless I look at the clock I don't get anywhere near that, and looking at the clock is tough given that I take my glasses off and sit in a dim room when I meditate. Finally I had the idea of creating a set of prayer beads to count the cycles of breath: four cycles per minute for five minutes equals twenty beads.

I've created a lovely strand with hematite beads for each breath cycle, each separated from the next by three slightly smaller beads. Each set is either green-blue, red, or tiger-eye. After the tenth set I have a smooth, colorful oval stone to let me know that I'm halfway through -- because I get twitchy when I don't know how long a given activity is going to go on. Opposite the halfway stone there is a silver pendant with a labyrinth on it to mark the beginning and end.

I'm very pleased with the way the strand itself has come out. The hematite gives it a nice heft and grounding energy, and the colorful spacing beads make it pretty.

The problem is that I can't get the $%&$ crimp beads to actually crimp so I can seal the ends! I've ruined four of my last seven crimp beads. For some reason I just can't get the pliers to do the job -- and it's taking me at least five minutes or more just to get the wire looped around the pendant and back through the beads. I am beyond frustrated! And now I'm going to have to go to the bead store to get more crimp beads in order to finish it.

Comments

[margoeve.livejournal.com]

Are you using regular pliers or the specialty crimp pliers?

For meditation beads, stringing using chord and knotting might be a more organic way to go. It is meditative to use an awl to put in the knots, and energy for intent can be worked in.

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

I'm using crimp pliers.

After looking at the project again, I think part of the problem was that I was using larger-bore crimp beads with a smaller width of wire. I'm going to take my wire with me to the bead shop and get some help with it.

I've never tried knotting a strand. I think I would need to use different threading material than the wire I have been using.

[oakmouse]

It's really important to match the size of the crimp to the size of the wire! Large crimps plus small wire = too much space within the crimp and wire that won't stay put. Small crimps plus big wire = broken crimp and wire that won't stay put.

You can use beading wire for a knotted strand, but be sure you have a beading wire that will knot well and not break apart as a result of the knot. You need to use the soft, drapey wire for good results. The heavier, stiffer wires will break.

Really, for a knotted strand, fabric ribbon yarn or the thinner gauge of rayon rat-tail is best. (The thin stuff is sometimes called mouse-tail. *g*) Buy between 3 and 4 times the length you want the finished strand to be, to allow for the knots.

If your bead apertures are too small for either mouse-tail or ribbon yarn, try waxed linen cord or pearl silk. That will need to be restrung every six to twelve months to prevent breakage, but restringing is a nice piece of mindful attention to pay to your beads.

The beads sound lovely, by the way!

[labelleizzy.livejournal.com]

when you finish, will you please post a picture?

[margoeve.livejournal.com]

Yes, you would use something like Nymo or cotton thread and a needle.

Yeah, the size of the crimps will do it. But if all else fails you can always try old school and squish flat the crimp then double it. It isn't as pretty but it works in a pinch.

[wyldlingspirit.livejournal.com]

Beading intimidates me, and I don't know why. I guess its because beading materials are expensive (for us) and I'm afraid to screw up.

And here's another interesting tidbit. Hematite absolutely fries my energies. I have a pair of hematite sister rings that I can barely touch. But it's one of anax_anarkhos best gems.

Crazy glue!

[shades-of-nyx.livejournal.com]

Don't depend on crimps to crimp.
Supplement with jewelry cement or super glue.
Saves agony.

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

You and Wolfling. . . she twitches with hematite as well.

I have a spectacular necklace that the Mouse gave me: it's all hematite with a dragon head clasp, also hematite. It has both Ereshkigal's and Lohain's energies in it. When Wolfling touched it, it left her arm numb. She hasn't been comfortable with hemtatite since.

But of course, the ring LM gave me was hematite. . .

It can be expensive to start out with beading and develop your stash and buy the pliers and such -- but the wonderful, wonderful thing about beading as a craft is that if you don't like it, you just cut the wire/thread and you can start fresh. You're only out the bit of wire, and that's not expensive. It gives me confidence to work with it.

[shadowandstar.livejournal.com]

Absolutely! But it looks like it's going to be another couple of days, since tonight's re-work was also a fail, but in a whole new way!