How to Hide Knots on Beaded Earrings

Hide knots with a little glue.

Beaded jewelry is beautiful, a great outlet for creativity and easy to make. But to make your beaded jewelry look professionally done, you'll need a few pro tips. One of these is how to hide the knot at the end of beaded earrings. Hanging knots are unsightly and a telltale sign of an amateur. And what's worse, these hanging knots may easily get tangled or come undone.

Things You'll Need

• Crafting cement
• Toothpick

Instructions

1. Trim the excess thread that hangs off of the end of the knot.

2. Dab glue on the end of the knot with a toothpick. Any type of crafting cement that bonds to ceramic, glass or the material your beads are comprised of will do. Mana Beads recommends using Hypo-Tube Cement. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for application methods and amounts.

3. Push the knot into the nearest bead with your toothpick. Press the knot onto the inner wall of the bead for the amount of time recommended by the manufacturer. Or, place a new bead over the glue-dabbed knot. Hold it in place for the manufacturer's recommended amount of time.

Tips & Warnings

• Another option for hiding the knot is to place a clamshell bead over it. Clamshell beads are available at most craft stores. They come open and are clamped around the knot using crimping pliers. However, they come with a dangling hook designed to attach fasteners to. You can remove the hook with wire cutters, but you risk damaging the clamshell or leaving an unsightly stump.

References

• "Quick and Easy Beaded Jewelry"; Elizabeth Gourley, et al.; 2002
• Mana Beads: Finish Jewelry Using Knot Covers
• "Jewelry Making and Beading for Dummies"; Heather Dismore, et al.; 2004
• "The Encyclopedia of Beading Techniques"; Stephanie Burnham, et al.; 2005