Ask the Experts Design Q&A

How do you keep top-drilled beads going in an alternating pattern on a necklace or bracelet? I have some small pearls that I would love to use.

- Linda

Threading the beads onto your stringing material and finishing the strands so the beads are close together will naturally create an alternating pattern. This happens due to the shape of the top-drilled teardrop beads. However, due to the more rounded shape of top-drilled pearls, the alternating pattern will be more unpredictable, and the beads will flip back and forth (up and down) with the movement of the design when worn.

- Tammy Honaman, Author, Jewelry-Making Expert and Educator