Taking the mystery out of some of the Threads on the market

Can you believe all of the threads on the market right now?  Which is good for which project?  In my opinion, if you are going to be beading with crystals, bugles or any kind of rough or sharp beads,  I would recomend fireline.  It holds up really good with sharp beads.  I just started waxing mine, although you don't have to, and it makes it glide through the beads easier.  Fireline comes in different sizes or pounds as they call it.  The smaller pound like 4lb is thinner than the 6 lb and the 8 lb.  I like 6lb or 8lb unless the holes of the beads are small and I am going to go thru them multiply times. But mostly 6lb or 8lb works just fine.  Fireline comes in smoke, clear and green.  Some people dye their fireline but I haven't been that adventurous yet.  I like the smoke for darker beads and clear for the lighter beads.  I don't use green.  To really decide which to use, you should string a few beads on the thread and see which looks better.  Another reason I like fireline is that you can burn the tails with a thread burner an it forms alittle ball so the knots won't come out.  You can also add thread with the burn method, something I learned from my customer and a teacher at Kat's, Marla, but that's a future post and video.  We sell 4lb, 6lb, 8lb, and 14lb in smoke and clear, at our store and on the web.  For the smaller spool which is 50 yds, it is $9.00.  For the larger spool, which is 125 yards, it is $24.00.  We will be having it put on the website, but for now, if you would like some you can just email me at katsbeadboutique@gmail.com and I will get it to you.



The next thread I am going to talk about is silamide.  Here at Kat's we have silamide in 900 yards, which is $8.75 and 100 yards, which is $3.10.  The 900 yard spool is waxed and size A.  I actually am not sure about the 100 yard spool.  I used silamide before I found out about fireline.  I still use it if I want thread that matches the project I am making, like a bead embroidery project.  Silamide is a nice thread for seed beads because they are not sharp.  It will rip if rubbed on a sharp spot.  One thing about silamide is that it is easy to knot together when you add another thread.  (I hate hiding tails). We have different colors in the larger spool but only black and white in the smaller one.  I can probably get any color you need, though, just ask







The next thread I am going to talk about is KO thread.  This thread can be used for anything that silamide is used for.  It comes in alot of colors and my customers like it for the wrap bracelets that are in style and different bead weaving stitches.  Gentle sewing is what they call it.  No sharp edges.  It holds up well when going back and forth in beads such as seed beads.





Nymo, the thread I started with when I first started beading.  We have sized D at Kat's.  $1.69 for the smaller spool and $6.00 for the large spool.  As you see, I don't have many colors but I can get whatever you want.   I have to admit, there are alot of people that love Nymo.  I am not among them.  I have found that it frays unless you wax it.  I have to admit, though, before I heard about other threads, I loved nymo.  It's all about what works for you.  This thread, again, is not good for sharp beads.






The last thread I am going to talk about is S-Lon.  We use this for Kumihimo, leather wrap bracelets with beads with alittle bigger holes, micro macrame, and bead crochet (single chain bead crochet, If you want to do the circular it can be used but it is stiffer than other thread that is out there for that).  This thread can be used with size 8 seed beads.  Depending on the hole in the bead, you can use smaller than 8's but it's difficult.  It's a stiffer thread so you don't always need a needle to thread on beads.  I have not had any problem with this ripping.  We sell it for $2.90 a spool and as you can see, we have alot of colors.



By no means are these the only threads out there.  These are the ones that we have here for beadweaving.  There are lots of different threads out there but these are the ones I am familiar with.

Any questions just let me know

Kat