How to Use Silk Cord in Jewelry Making
Silk cord has been used as a stringing material in jewelry-making for centuries. No other beading cord offers the softness that natural silk provides. Jewelry designs made with 100% silk bead cord drape beautifully and the cord itself can become a feature with knotting techniques. Whether you’re looking to create a simple strand of beads or incorporate knotted bead clusters into your designs, GoodyBeads.com is here to show you how easy and versatile this timeless stringing material can be.
One of our favorite silk bead cord brands is Griffin. Griffin bead cords are made of 100% natural silk and come in a rainbow of colors and a variety of thread sizes.
Griffin bead cords are sold 2-meters per card. Two strands of twisted silk are wrapped around a cardboard backer. Each cord comes with its own needle for easy threading.
Choosing Silk Cord
Thread thickness is very important, especially if you plan on incorporating knots into your designs. Beads can slide over a knot if the cord is too thin for the bead hole you are working with. Griffin bead cords has its own numeric system for categorizing thread cord sizes: No. 0 – No. 12.
Each thread number has an associated millimeter size. Below is a quick reference guide for each number:
No. 0 = 0.30mm
No. 2 = 0.45mm
No. 4 = 0.60mm
No. 6 = 0.70mm
No. 8 = 0.80mm
No. 12 = 0.98mm
Smooth Out Silk Cord
Since silk bead cords come spooled on a card, you must prepare your new cord for use by smoothing out the kinks first.
To smooth out your cord, unravel the whole cord from the card. Starting from one end, dip your fingers in water and run your damp fingers through a section of the cord. Run your fingers over the section a few times to help straighten them out. Once that section is straight, continue on down to the next section of the cord with damp fingers until you’ve straightened the whole piece. Next, run a paper towel over the entire cord and gently squeeze to remove any residual water from the cord. That’s all you need to do. The cord will still be a bit damp but you can certainly use it right away. You can also wait a few minutes until it’s fully dried.
NOTE: You can use the same cord for multiple projects if you plan to keep using the needle that is attached to the cord. String bead(s) through the needle and utilize the end section of the cord.
Using Clamshell Bead Tip with Silk Cord
A way to attach your silk cord to jump rings or clasps is to attach clamshell bead tips.
Start by making a knot at the end of your prepared silk cord. Cut any excess cord close to the knot. Add a dab of Super New Glue or fast-drying glue to the knot. Place the knot inside the clamshell center and fold the clamshell over the knot. The glue will keep the knot from unraveling and to adhere the silk cord to the inside of the clamshell bead tip. Once the glue is dry, it’s ready to use.
Need a little inspiration? Here are some ways we used Griffin silk bead cord in our jewelry designs. Plus, quick tips on how you can create these designs yourself!
Crystal Cluster Knotted Silk Cord Necklace
Make a necklace with knotting in-between clusters of beads. Choose from Swarovski® crystals, Chinese crystals, seed beads or your favorite gemstones. For our necklace, we used the entire 2-meter cord and strung on clusters of one gold seed bead, three dainty round Chinese crystals and one gold seed bead, that were knotted with an inch gap between clusters. This version makes a 60” necklace that you can wrap around two or three times.
Here you can see how the clamshell bead tips are used in conjunction with jump rings and a lobster clasp.
In our next blog post, we’ll show you how to make evenly spaced knots using The EasyKnotter® tool.
Crystal Cluster Knotted Silk Cord Necklace
- (1) A006580 – Griffin Bead Cord 100% Silk – No. 6 (0.70mm) Beige
- (2) Z008768 – 3.2mm Gold Clamshell Bead Tips
- (2) A008801 – 5mm Oval Gold Plated Jump Rings
- (1) A011536 – 12mm Gold Plated Lobster Claws
- SB00637 – MT8-GLM-TB 8/0 Gilding Metal Seed Beads Tube
- A016775 – 4mm Jet Round 32-Facet Chinese Crystal Glass Beads
Check out other 3mm & 4mm Crystal Strands - Tool: TL00200 – Easy Knotter Beading Tool
Pearl Knotted Necklace
Pearl beads and silk cord are a match made in heaven. Not only do they look great together, the silk cord also helps prolong the life of your pearl jewelry by preventing the beads from rubbing up against each other, which can breakdown the bead’s finish. Making this elegant necklace is super easy.
First, make a knot and clamp a clamshell over the knot. Make another knot close to the clamshell. String on a pearl. Make a knot close to that pearl. Repeat until a preferred length. Make two knots at the end and clamp a clamshell over the last knot. Finish with a lobster clasp and you’re done!
If you have a worn-out pearl necklace, you can undo all the pearls and restring on silk cord to extend its jewelry life.
Pearl Knotted Necklace
- (1) A006573 – Griffin Bead Cord 100% Silk – No. 4 (0.60mm) White
- (2) Z008717 – 3.2mm Silver Clamshell Bead Tips
- (2) A008799 – 5mm Oval Silver Plated Jump Rings
- (1) Z001124 – 12mm Silver Plated Lobster Claws
- (60) SW00665 – 6mm White Swarovski Pearl
- Tool: TL00200 – Easy Knotter Beading Too
Gold Layered Silk Cord Necklace
Minimalist jewelry is a huge fashion trend right now. Dainty jewelry components shine alone or together in multiple strands like our layered silk cord necklace. For this necklace, we focused on the sleek simplicity of gold tube beads and the lightness of silk cord.
Step 1: String on 25 gold tube beads on white silk cord. With the beads strung on, cut 20” off the end of the silk cord. Make 2.
Step 2: String on 25 gold tube beads on white silk cord. With the beads strung on, cut 22” off the end of the silk cord. Make 2.
Step 3: Gather the four cord strands and make a knot. Repeat to the other end.
Step 4: Dab some Super New Glue to both knots. Clamp a clamshell over the knots.
Step 5: Add a jump ring to one of the clamshell tip ends.
Step 6: Add a jump ring and a lobster clasp to the other clamshell tip ends. Done.
This style of necklace is perfect for small dainty beads or seed beads or even some NEW 3mm or 2mm Czech round beads.
Layered Gold Tube Silk Cord Necklace:
- (1) A006573 – Griffin Bead Cord 100% Silk – No. 4 (0.60mm) White
- Z001306 – 3mm Gold Plated Tube Beads
- (2) Z008768 – 3.2mm Gold Clamshell Bead Tips
- (2) A008801 – 5mm Oval Gold Plated Jump Rings
- (1) A011536 – 12mm Gold Plated Lobster Claws
Twisted Seed Bead and Chain Silk Cord Bracelet
For this bracelet, we twisted groups of silk cord with size 11/0 Miyuki seed beads and gold plated chain.
Step 1: String on seed bead to 8” and cut 10” silk cord strands with seed bead on. Make twelve strands. Tip: You can use the Bead Spinner to help to string on seed beads.
Step 2: Gather three seed bead strands and knot all three strands at both ends as close as you can to the seed beads. Clamp a clamshell over the knots. Make four group of seed bead strands.
Step 3: Cut two chain links at 8” and attach oval jump rings to each end of the chains.
Step 4: Also cut a few links of chain for your bracelet chain extender.
Step 5: Open an oval jump ring and slide on your lobster clasp.
Step 6: Open a larger jump ring and slide on these:
chain extender piece, two seed bead groups, chain extender piece, two seed bead groups.
Step 7: Close Jump ring.
Step 8: Leaving the chain extender along, separate the strands into two sections of chain and two seed bead grouped strands. Make a “flemish twist” with the two sections.
Step 9: Open a large jump ring and slide on the other ends of the chain and grouped seed beads and lobster clasp jump ring.
Step 9: Close jump ring and you are done.
(Close-up shot of jump ring with grouped seed beads and chain links.)
We hope enjoyed these tips and tutorials. Check our next blog post where we show you how to create evenly spaced knots in your jewelry designs using The EasyKnotter® tool. Happy Beading!
Twisted Seed Bead and Chain Silk Cord Bracelet
- (2) A006573 – Griffin Bead Cord 100% Silk – No. 4 (0.60mm) White
- SB00339 – 11-912 Silver Lined Light Amethyst Miyuki Seed Beads Tube
- Z002399 – Gold Plated Clamshell Bead Tips
- (2) A008801 – 5mm Oval Gold Plated Jump Rings
- (2) A008808 – 7mm Gold Plated Jump Rings
- (1) CH00015 – 3.4mm Gold Plated Double Cable Chain
- (1″) CH00027 – 6mm Gold Plated Cable Chain
- (1) A011536 – 12mm Gold Plated Lobster Claws
- Tool: A009839 – Bead Spinner