WONDERFUL FINDS OF CORDS AND ELASTICS FOR JEWELRY

Strong silicone cords, cords, braided elastic and silicone elastic are essential supporting elements for handmade bracelets or necklaces. Pearls, beads or stones are strung on them, and often these materials for making jewelry go unnoticed.

We at EM ART strive to meet all your needs regarding jewelry making, so we offer different sizes and thicknesses of these products. Our items of this type are extremely suitable for jewelry that is used daily, because they are very durable, difficult to break, and some of them are also elastic.

Perhaps those of you who are taking your first steps in creating jewelry have wondered how professional threads differ from ordinary sewing threads and why we need special materials for our models.

In fact, different types and brands of cords and elastics for stringing jewelry are available in stores. For some techniques, they are interchangeable, but naturally, they have their own specifics.

Today, many companies offer different threads for beading, with various characteristics. We at EM ART will introduce you to the features of several types of cords and elastics for stringing jewelry, and you will decide for yourself which product is most suitable for you and your models.

Practical Items

Invisible cord, for example, is made from completely transparent nylon. It can withstand a lot of weight, but it is not suitable for stringing beads with a rough surface and sharp edges. This type of cord is very effective for making necklaces and bracelets, and the beads strung on this cord look as if they are "levitating" around the body since the thread is transparent and not visible.

Traditionally, it is used with pearls, but with different sizes of magical beads and the help of a simple optical illusion, you can get a very effective "magical" necklace.

Strong silicone cords are a main supporting element for handmade bracelets and necklaces. Pearls, beads, or stones are strung on them, and often the elastic silicone cord or transparent jewelry cord goes unnoticed.
 
We at EM ART have different sizes and thicknesses of elastic silicone cords for jewelry. We also have transparent cords for jewelry, and cords again in different sizes and on spools.

 
Transparent silicone cords are extremely suitable for jewelry that is used daily because the cords are very durable, difficult to break, and at the same time are elastic.

It is important to choose cords and elastics that will hold your beads and not break prematurely. When it comes to durability, the size of the cords is usually the most important factor. Choose your beads before selecting the cords and elastics, and then buy the most convenient cord that will pass through all of them.

Choose a cord that will fit through the beads, when doubled if you do not plan to use a needle, or as a single strand if your beads are not large enough to be strung without a needle.

The first (and perhaps most common) material is a cord made of a single strand. At EM ART, they are offered in a wide range of sizes, including large sizes that are ideal for use with large beads. One disadvantage of the cord is that it is a bit more difficult to tie a knot tightly than other types of stretch cables.

Using a surgeon’s knot (with an additional half-knot) is the most secure way to keep your beads tied. Many people add a drop of super glue to ensure the knot stays tightly tied.

The other common type is braided elastic with an elastic core. The polyester covering this cable is available in a wide range of colors and sizes.

This silicone elastic is often used for hair accessories or other applications where the cord will remain visible in the finished design. You can also use it for stringing larger beads; but due to its larger size, its knots may be a bit more difficult to hide.

Cords and elastics for jewelry are among the most intuitive materials for stringing beads. Their diameter determines the strength of the material and what beads will fit on it.

The diameter of the elastics and cords is usually given as a fraction of an inch. Logically, thicker elastic is better for large and heavy beads, and thinner ones are more suitable for small and light beads. This is because the thicker bead base is stronger than the thinner one, and the thinner one is easier to pass through the small bead holes.

However, the real "strength" of the cords and elastics for beads and their overall durability is influenced by several physical factors, not just the weight of your beads. For example, if you use a bead or element with a sharp edge and it is subject to a lot of movement, this component may eventually wear out.

Bracelets from silicone elastic and braided elastic

Who doesn’t love the convenience of elastic bracelets - until the inevitable moment when the elastic breaks and the beads scatter all over the floor. You can extend the life of your elastic bracelets by making a few simple changes to the way you wear them, how you choose them, and of course, how you make your stretch bracelets. Here are the main reasons why your elastic bracelet may break:

•  Whatever you do, don’t pull one end of the bracelet to form a triangle and don’t stretch it over your hand. This emphasizes the elasticity and will eventually cause it to break. To keep your bracelet in top shape, roll the beads over your wrist, stretching the elastic as little as possible.
•  If you never take off your elastic jewelry, they are exposed to chemicals that degrade the elasticity over time. Shampoo and soaps in the shower, hair sprays, perfumes, body lotions, and sunscreens all play their part in helping to degrade and weaken the elasticity over time, eventually causing it to break. Remove elastic bracelets before applying lotions or sprays. Ideally, do not wear them in the pool or ocean.
•  Here you can’t do much except to carefully select the beads you will use for this type of jewelry. Do not choose rough beads, as the elastic will wear out and make it prone to breaking.

This may seem strange to you, but before making your bracelet, you should pull the elastic well to stretch it a bit. You can tell when this hasn’t been done because the beads will be a bit loose or the bracelet will stretch a bit when you pull it for the first time.

When the elastic is pre-stretched, it will return to the same size without losing its elasticity. The beads should be slightly tightly fitted together and maintain slight tension on the elastic - and therefore the knot - preventing it from loosening under normal wear.

Tip from EM ART:

Our suggestion is to limit wearing your bracelets on your dominant hand. It is much less likely to catch your wrist on something with the hand you use less frequently.

A few changes in the way you choose and wear your elastic bracelets will go a long way in making them last. Many people avoid elastic bracelets, but there is no reason to if you know how to care for them.

There are many types of cords, elastics, silicone cords, etc., for making jewelry. How do you know which thread, cord, or elastic for beads to use for your jewelry-making projects? Learn what the best supplies are made of and their intended use to ensure you get the best thread, cord, or wire.

Even if you are familiar with many materials for stringing jewelry, you may find a new brand to try and discover that it works better than your current choice for design projects.

The cord we offer at EM ART is designed for stringing projects and is recognized as the strongest fiber with a diameter ever created. The advanced technology used to create the cord provides an ultra-thin diameter that is three times stronger than ordinary monofilament.

The bead cord is also protected from UV rays, so it will not deteriorate due to exposure to sunlight. This thread does not stretch and does not tangle. This material is great for making jewelry. We offer a wide range of sizes and colors.

Elastic thread bracelets

There are countless ways to make a bracelet, but today we will focus on elastic bracelets that do not require fasteners. For this, you will need silicone elastic or braided elastic from EM ART. The thickness of the elastic threads is recommended to be from 0.4 to 2 mm. If you have large, heavy beads and you have chosen a thin thread - fold it in half.

To start, you first need to determine the wrist size of the future owner. This is especially true if you want the bracelet to fit snugly. Typically, wrist sizes in different people range from 15-19 cm. Also, keep in mind that the size of the left and right wrists differs. As a rule, the right hand is slightly thicker. It is not much, but after a few hours of wear, it may cause discomfort if the bracelet is not made a bit tighter.

If the holes of your beads are wider, you will not need a needle and can string directly on your cord, silicone elastic, silicone cord, etc.

How to tie a knot on an elastic thread?

The most important thing to know is that an ordinary knot will not work. Our suggestion for you is to make a reef knot for this type of jewelry.

The reef knot is at least 4000 to 9000 years old! Its name dates back to 1794 and comes from its frequent use on mast ships, where it was used to tie part of the sail to reduce its effective surface area in strong winds.

To untie the knot, the sailor only had to pull one end of the knot with one hand until it "flipped" and untied by itself, and the weight of the sail did the rest. This exact behavior makes it unreliable for tying the ends of two ropes together. The name "square knot“ (square knot) was first mentioned in 1841 in “A Seaman’s Friend“.

Jewelry made from braided elastic and silicone elastic is ideal for children’s jewelry because they are easy to put on, remove, and adjust.

Make a beautiful hair elastic

Summer is the season when we most often tie our hair in a ponytail, bun, or braid. And to avoid having our hairstyle look plain, we often resort to the help of irreplaceable women’s decorations.

A suitable example to adorn your hair this summer is large elastics in various colors and materials. Although typical for the generations of girls from the ’80s and early ’90s, this fabric delight remains a classic among accessories to this day and can be found almost everywhere.

Instead of buying creations whose quality is often questionable, better treat yourself or a friend by making these cute beautifying items in just 7 steps.

1. Cut a piece of fabric to be 45 cm long and 9 cm wide. Remove the excess part.
2. Fold the fabric in two and pin several pins along the edge to hold the material folded. Make a seam 1 cm from the edge along the entire length of the fabric to join the two sides. Leave the two ends unstitched to create a "breathing" cavity like a tube.
3. Turn the fabric inside out so that the seam is inside and iron it.
4. Cut a piece of elastic 18 cm long and tie it to a safety pin.
5. Pass the elastic through the inside of the fabric, being careful not to unthread the pin. Then remove it carefully and sew the two protruding ends of the elastic... or just tie them in a tight knot.
6. Tuck one end of the fabric into the other and sew.
7. Enjoy your new acquisition!

How to make a double-stranded elastic bracelet?

A stronger bracelet is obtained with cord, elastic, braided elastic, silicone cord 0.8 mm, but not all spacers fit into it.

• On a cord 50 cm long, string two stoppers 1.8 mm or 2 mm in succession. Center them in the middle of the length.
• On each of the two ends, on both sides of the stopper, string one 8 mm bead.
• After the two beads, string a spacer parallel through the two ends of the cord. Throughout the process, ensure the bracelet is not twisted.
• To achieve the checkered rhythm of the model, repeat the following step: on one end, string an 8 mm bead, 6 mm bead, 8 mm bead. On the other end - 6 mm, 8 mm, 6 mm.
• Close the step with a metal spacer, parallel through the two ends of the cord. For the next step, reverse the order for the two ends.
• Repeat the steps until you string the eighth spacer or judge according to the size of your wrist. After the eighth spacer, string one 8 mm bead on both ends.
• Turn the bracelet parallel to the beginning and pass the left end through the left stopper, and the right one through the right stopper. Tighten tightly and close the stoppers with the help of flat-nose pliers. Carefully cut the ends and the cord between the two stoppers to free the rows. It’s time to put the metal caps and enjoy your new temptation.