restringing the pearls

DH and I, on our various perambulations around, like to stop at those places that will sell you an oyster guaranteed to have a pearl in it, and buy an oyster or two (Or more if the pearls are running especially nice) Then, once a year, I get out the Dremal Tool and the press, drill my new pearls, and re-string my eccentric necklace.

I always feel so proud of myself when I use these power tools. DH uses drill presses that can hollow out a hot tub, but I am quite content with this tiny level of power.



Having set up the press, I take my pearl vise and the new pearl that I love the least. I love all my pearls, and it takes me quite a while to overcome my trepidation and start the drilling. You can't unsay a hard word, and you can't undrill a pearl that rolled in the vise. I think my hand was a tad bit unsteady when I took the picture here.

Pearl clamped snugly in vise and set into drill platform. Gulp. Here goes! (I have two pearls that have moved during the drilling process. They live on the back of the necklace. There is one pearl that fractured when I screwed the vise too tight. It takes a sensitive touch.)

Here are my newest pearls being strung on silk thread with a knot between each to keep them safe. And the eccentric necklace continues to grow.

The needle nose tweezers help me set the knots right down tight next to the pearl.

Professional jewelers charge $10 a pearl for drilling.

Mandatory kitting pics. Everything is better with a kitty in it, but re-stringing pearls - with kitten assist - leaves Roxie very cross and leaves the kittens bruised and bemused. So they spent the afternoon in the spare bedroom. When I put the pearls away, DH brought them out, all sleepy, soft and warm. By the time I grabbed the camera, they were waking up. You should have seen those drowsy baby faces drooped over his shoulders.




The deadline for the knitter's hands photos is midnight tonight. Again, these must be pictures you have taken and they need to be e-mailed to flyingfish3@comcast.net. The prize is 11 ounces of black fingering weight cashmere. Debbie sent fifty nine photos (!) (She has been taking pictures of knitter's hands for a few years now.) She is such a good sport that she said I didn't need to give her a chance for every pair of hands, but could enter her name as often as I wanted. Now I am wishing I could send the cashmere to everyone!!

These pictures are so wonderful! Hands have such a LOT of character. Old, young, dark, light, square, long, plump and gaunt. Ladies, we are ALL beautiful!!