New tricks?

I bead with double fireline......and I wax and knot.  It's habit that has developed over many years and mostly serves me well.  I don't have to look for a certain color, the fireline recedes into the work, I get the tension I need without pulling too tightly which is hard on my hands.  I can manage double thread easily which you can read about here.  For the most part I'm happy with the results it gets me, but I decided I needed to be a bit more open minded.

So on a recent visit from Sabine Lippert I decided to give her way a go.  Single Sonoko thread.  It has more elasticity and so I can pull tight and get really good tension with  single thread.  Usually my tension is completely even and has enough fluidity in it.  I've got a rhythm that works.  With Sonoko thread I did a length of cubic raw that needed to bend around a fancy stone.  I pulled tighter in some places than others and got a 1/2 inch of unbendable craw in the middle of the piece!  For me, knowing I could achieve this tension with pulling tightly was a revelation as usually with single thread I cannot.

This bezel definitely benefits from single thread as the row of embellishment on it's surface was difficult.  My second one with the sonoko thread was easier.  Having said that, I immediately cut the thread with the 2mm crystal edge embellishment, so I switched back to fireline for that part.  I'm always a tad reluctant to suggest two different threads within a piece and especially to be specific about brand.  I must agree with Sabine however that my Sonoko thread experience has been superior to other nylon threads I've tried.

I'm beading a second wind beneath my wings and I've decided to continue my experimentation with the hubble band and craw bezel.  In both cases the Sonoko thread has served me well.  I can definitely see a different where I've pull too tight and am getting way more tension then I typically achieve even with doubled wax fireline.  

So as the saying goes, I guess you can teach old dogs or old bead artists new tricks!