Today, there are so many options, it’s hard to know where to start. Refer to this list of commonly used cords in jewelry making before you purchase materials for your next project. Hemp cord is available on cards or spools and comes in .5 mm, 1 mm or 1.5 mm thicknesses. Hemp cord is good for macrame, crochet, knotting and other jewelry making techniques. The cord size may be listed by weight in which case 10 lb cord is approximately 1mm and 20 lb is approximately 1.5mm. Hemp cord is available finished with a wax coating or unfinished for a more natural rustic feel. Bamboo cord is often waxed giving it a slight sheen and also used to smooth stray fibers. The texture holds macrame knots well, but the cord is also flexible enough to be used with bead crochet and kumihimo. Typical cord size is 1 mm or 1.5 mm. It can be wax finished or left naturally unfinished, with finished cord having a more substantial weight and is easier to hold knots. It is available in a wide variety of colors and common sizes including .5mm, 1mm, 1.5mm, and 2mm. Linen cord has a look that is earthy and rustic - similar to hemp. Some people swear by Irish Linen Cord instead of other linen cords. The size of linen cord is indicated by a ply number - which is the number of strands bundled together. The most common sizes used for jewelry making are 3-ply (approximately 0.55mm), 4-ply (approximately 0.7mm), and 7-ply (approximately 1.2mm). Finishing Chinese knotting cord is different since it can be slippery. Burning the ends with a lighter will melt the synthetic fibers and prevent fraying or knots from untying. C-Lon Tex 400 is a slightly heavier weight cord approximately .9mm in diameter. It is suitable for the same purposes as regular C-Lon. C-Lon has several other sizes of cords and thread too - all with the same range of colors and silky, easy to knot characteristic. S-Lon is a similar product which may be developed to imitate C-Lon. It is available in similar colors and sizes and can be used interchangeably.
