Spacer beads...

[elektraloaded]

hi, i am new to beading, and LOVE it. but i am just wondering a couple of things about spacer beads. one, do you HAVE to use them in between every gemstone and bead? and if so, do you have to use specific 'spacer beads' for this? the smallest crystal spacer bead i could find, for example, was 5mm and i was hoping for one about 2 or 3mm? also, this necklace i want to make right now, for example is made with mother of pearl rounds...do i have to knot in between the pearls or do i use spacer beads? im sure lots of you have answers for me, so if some of you could help clear this up for me (i really want to use crystals as spacers) that would be great. thanks so much everyone for all the help!!

[Polly]

Hi Elektra,

Spacer beads are generally used for visual effect.  So simply use whatever kind you like, wherever you want, to make the pattern you like.
Swarovski crystal spacer beads don't come that small.  You might want to check out some faceted seed beads, such as the size-12 3-cut seed beads, or the slightly smaller and more subtle size-13 Charlotte-cut seed beads.. They are both approx. 2mm in size, and come in crystal clear as well as many other colors.

Bali and Bali-style spacers are another popular spacer bead, available from 3x1mm to about 6x4mm.

Also, there are 3mm Swarovski crystal bicone beads.  These aren't wafer-ish like most spacer beads, but might work in your pattern.

And - to answer your knotting question.
No, you don't need to knot.  But a nice job of knotting, does make a necklace more elegant.
Expensive pearl necklaces are knotted for 2 reasons:
1) To keep the pearls from rubbing against each other (over generations, the beads in an heirloom necklace will wear against each other).
2) If the strand breaks, which it will eventually -- some decade -- then the whole strand doesn't go scatter across the universe.  With a $1,000 necklace, it's not as bad when you only lose one $5 - $10 bead.

If you do decide to knot between the beads, I strongly suggest a knotting tool.  With about 3-5 knots for practice, you'll have it down.  Doing it by hand is slow, painful, and often messy.  (well, for me it is.  Professional pearl knotters can do this fairly quickly, but still charge a few dollars per inch.)

--Polly