Beaders who love to work with seed beads and crystals swear by a product sold by Berkley, a leader in the fishing industry called Fireline.
Fireline is a thermally fused line that is incredibly thin, very strong, and smooth. It can be threaded through a size 12 beading needle (with a bit of patience) and will pass through the smallest of seed beads. The upside to using this line is that it is strong enough to withstand the sharp edges of a Swarovski, or Preciosa crystal bead.
Unfortunately, all this wonderful comes at a price. A 50 yard spool of 6# test in smoke retails for $11.00 per spool. Ouch!
Thanks to my friend Claire I learned something. Get thee to the sporting goods store! A 125 yard spool of the exact same product retails for $14.99 making the cost per yard only 12¢ as compared to 22¢.
I took a quick trip to Berkley-Fishing.com to see if it would be less expensive from the distributor. Um, nope, they’re charging $19.49 per roll.
More than once I’ve told a customer I believe that many of our stringing materials come via the fishing industry. This is definitely a case in point.
Next time I go shopping at Sportsman’s Warehouse I’m going to check out the lures, feathers, and other lines that are available. I feel like I’ve discovered a whole new resource for beading supplies.
; ) I had no idea you didn’t know about this! I was just telling Louise about it the other night at our class. I love Fireline and I use LOTS of it.
Hey Ms. B.Fab (aka Jen ;)… I had not a clue… none whatsoever. Now that I know, I’ll be keeping oodles on hand at the shop for classes (so my wonderful instructors won’t have to use their supply) and I’ll share the gospel of going to the sporting goods store.
I really wonder what else they have. Oh, and I’m grateful I don’t have to dress in camouflage to shop there.
*hugs*
Off to K.Falls tomorrow!
Louise had the good luck to find a place where they sell the Fireline in bulk! $.10 per yard! It’s at the new outdoor store over by Sonic and Costco. Very exciting!!!!
~Jessica
Sportsman Warehouse? That’s where I got the 125 yard spool. There was a 300 yard spool of 4# crystal for $29.99. Hmmmm, now that I do the math, that must be the one she found!
Gotta love the fishing store!
Carol