Today, I was working on beading my DeLorean time machine from Back to the Future. First I started using black Nymo (nylon) thread. When I ran out, I realized I had a bobbin of gray Conso #69 thread right there on my work table. I remembered I bought it at Beadworks in Boston, but I had never tried it before. (Below is a photo of both threads so you can see the difference.)
(Nymo- left. Conso- right.)Conso is a bonded nylon industrial quilting/upholstery thread. It is pretty strong, so I thought I should try it out. After I did, I wondered why Beadworks would sell this. I guess you could use it for simple stringing. Or maybe a bead-knitting or beadweaving project, but I don't think I would. It seems to be strong enough to withstand the sharp edges of my Czech glass bugle beads, but it is very twisted, and it's hard to thread the needle with. Then, it seems hard to pull the thread through my many layers of felt!
Somehow I made the Conso thread work for a little while, but I think I'm a Nymo girl at heart:)
(Semi-beaded 2008 DeLorean. 19" x 6.5". Work in progress.)
WW
5 comments:
LB - That Conso thread is very good if you are making twisted fringe like you'd see on old Victorian purses... but that's about it as far as I know. Good luck with this project - I'm sure it will be great. Lidia
Hi Lidia! Yes, I can see the Conso thread working for that. It twists very naturally!
I'm a nymo gal too....I only use the conso thread with large beads because it's such a bear to get through a regular beading needle eye....I'm using it on the hinges of my bjp pieces, but using embroidery needles with large eyes and size 8 beads.
I've been told since I'm a nymo girl too, that conso you never wet but run it across a nubbin of Chapstick and it works like a dream. I've never tried it.
I knew a woman in Albuquerque who strung long, beautiful necklaces with it and would use nothing else. I'm a Silamide groupie, myself, but I always show both Nymo and Silamide to my students and let them try both.
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