Stringer control - mine is all blobby

[TiaraHelen]

I have just watched Laura Sparling's videos on YouTube of her applying stringer.

I'm so impressed!

I must be doing it all wrong - mine goes really blobby. and then droops.  and then falls off.

Hers is pin thin, and just lays on precisely.  Any hints?

[saffie]

Practice Practice Practice!!! i been making beads for nearly a year now and i have just started to get the hang of dots. Still have poor control at times but i am getting there. I have found a fab bead for practicing!! Fish scale beads! have a look on my webiste in the gallery you will see some there they are fab to make. If you make a mistake they are quite forgiving and you get to place loads of dots! will see if i can find the tut for you it might be in the tutorial section already!
MTA: here is link to tutorial: http://www.cauldroncreations.com/fishscale.html
might be on tut section but quick glance could not see it

another modification- as for stringer control and lines i am still practicing!!!! dots first then lines!

[saffie]

another tutorial for you to look at:
http://www.jaychantell.com/spiralwrap.pdf

have fun

[saffie]

and another:
http://www.kikibead.com/techniques/placingdots.htm

gonna shut up now hope they are at least a little helpful but gotta be just plain ole simple PPP!!!

Have fun

[TiaraHelen]

Thanks Samantha, all of those links have been helpful.  I've been m holding the stringer in the main flame and not underneath, so I'll try that next time.

[Mary]

Keep the stringer just in the edge of the flame, and start with a thicker stringer. If you can turn the flame down a bit, do that too. You'll get there!

[Donna@Rockin' Beads]

And avoid white, ivory and black - best use transparent glass to start with as it is stiffer. Another great tip that I picked up from here is to use stringer the same colour as your bead, that way you can just melt it in if it's rubbish 

[Redhotsal]

• Encase your stringer with clear - it'll be nice and thick making it easier to use but as it melts in it wil look much thinner.

• Start with thick stringer and work towards thin. Very few people can control a stringer the thickness of fishing line

• Never apply the stringer in the actual flame. It will break apart and blob.

• Anchor the stringer onto the bead. If you don't anchor it by pushing it on there and then melting it in a little it will break and go blobby.

• Aim for the top of the flame in the "ambient" heat - not in the direct heat. If the stringer is glowing it is way too hot. You can even turn the flame down - it's not "cheating"

• Keep the stringer in the same place and move the bead under it. This is the hardest concept of them all to grapple with.

• Don't give up. But we all have bad stringer days. When this happens just try something else and revisit it later on.

[TiaraHelen]

Thanks guys. I just knew there'd be loads of great tips for me.

In the meantime, I'm majoring in swirly beads (dotty/line-y ones that went wrong) - I'm getting to quite like them.

[lemon kitten]

Mt stringer control was practically non-existant too my dots are fine but the lines Nooooooooo!!  but I've read the tips and checked out the pics and I'm off now to practice....thanks you clever guys!

Janey x