Dawnmorningstar’s Weblog

Be sure to use thread designed for beadwork.  I started out using Nymo Nylon Beading Thread and probably because I’ve worked with it for so long and have learned how to handle it, Nymo is now my favorite.  It’s ideal for seed beading.  I like to use the Nymo size O with the size 11 beads.  It’s small enough to fit through the bead several times, which you will need to do on the top section of the earrings.

Nymo comes in several weights.  They are OO, which is the thinnest; O; A; B; and D, which is the thickest.  It is a non-twisted thread, which makes it easier to thread in a needle than a twisted one.  Nymo can be bought on bobbins that have from 64 to 110 yards of thread, depending on which thickness you’re using, or on 3-ounce spools that have from about 1600 to 5000 yards.

The size of the Nymo on a spool is slightly heavier than the Nymo on a bobbin.  Technicaly speaking, its denier is heavier.  I have read that this is because Nymo was originally made for the leather industry and the thread on the spools going on the top of a sewing machine needed to be slightly different from the thread on the bobbins going into the bobbin well of the sewing machine.  The spool thread needed to be slightly thicker, slightly stronger, bonded more tightly, and have a silicone coating to make it slip through the gears more easily.  The bobbin thread needed to flatten easier and have a slight adhesive coating to keep it from unwinding.  My advice is for you to try many different kinds of thread in order to find the one that feels best to you and suits the type of work that you do.

You should choose a color of thread that matches the main bead color in your project or one that is slightly darker.  I have been making do with only black and white because in most of my earrings I’m trying for a traditional American Indian look.  Do keep in mind that if you use are using transparent beads, the thread will show through and affect their color.

I definitely recommend using a thread conditioner.  Beeswax will always have a place in my bead box.  Try using it to coat your thread and you will notice a difference.  Beeswax helps to take the curliness out of the thread and it also helps prevent knots and tangles from forming.  Another thing it does is protect the thread from being cut by the sharp edges found on some beads.  Because Nymo already has a little wax on it, some people say they do not need the beeswax or other thread conditioner.

The photo above is a selection of my beading thread and wax.