Ask the Experts Rosaries Q&A

I read in a book that Silamide (using a double strand) is one of the best stringing materials for prayer beads/rosaries. The rosaries will be made of olive wood beads and glass seed beads. Some will be especially long and have active use. Can you tell me if this is a good choice? Thank you for your help.

- Timothy

Traditional rosaries are made by creating beaded links with wire and connecting these links together; thread is not used in the traditional style. Rosary pliers come in quite handy for this type of constructing and combine the versatility of round-nose pliers and side-cutters in one tool. The round-nose jaws of the pliers are used for making loops and curves. The side-cutter, found below the round-nose jaws, is used for cutting the wire. String your beads onto the wire and make simple loops on each end.

If you want to string your rosary designs on thread, FireLine® would be a good choice. FireLine is a gel-spun, polyethylene braided thread recognized as the strongest fiber, per diameter, ever created. The advanced technology used to make FireLine interknitted thread, makes it ultra-thin in diameter but three times stronger than regular monofilament. It can be finished with knots which can be hidden inside the beads in your design, a bead tip or by using crimp covers.

- Kristal Wick, Designer, Author and Jewelry-Making Expert