Saturday, September 1, 2012

The Cellini Spiral Study of Stringing Mediums

Last year while at the Robbinsville, Mid South Bead Retreat Group Retreat in North Carolina, Kassie Inman and others commented on two of my Cellini Spirals asking what I had used and how did I keep the Spirals " Squooshy " and flexible, not stiff and non pliable.  I explained I used Nymo D which surprised everyone..

With preparing a new Cellini for my Breadreamz exchange partner I decided to use #4 Fireline and determine if it was just my use of tension ( which I still credit my years of quilting too ).  So off to #4 Fireline.
I used the same technique of dropping back one row to add the new thread and continued through always using the #6 Center bead as the stop and start point.  I did not find the use of Fireline as pliable as Nymo D and the piece was not as squooshy as with Nymo D.


After the completion of several Cellini Spirals I have observed the following:
Silamide: Frays during use even with the use of just 18" at a time
Nymo:  No fraying and had no knotting if I used Beeswax.  Very pliable and maneuverable.
Fireline#4: To stiff and still maintained the one row back at the 6 to add the new thread.
Tension is still very important but truly enjoy using the Nymo D in creating Celllini.

1 comment:

  1. Hi Catherine,
    Beautiful Cellini spirals! Thank you for sharing these tips on thread.
    Therese

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