How To Use The Tools

Instructions

Cut Lengths Of Cord Cut a number of rosary cords with the cord stick. After you make the cut, grasp all the strands near one end and put the cords in a small container with the ends you are holding hanging over the edge of the container by about 5 inches. The exact size of the container is not important, it could be somewhere in the area of 6 inches long, 4 inches wide, 4 inches deep.
Cut Threads Cut a number of threads with the thread block. Video
Place Beads In The Jig Place the bead jig on your work surface with the row for nine beads at the far end. Take from two to five beads at a time in your fingers and "sprinkle" them along a row putting one in each bead well. When all the rows are filled, tap the jig alternately on the right and left sides several times. This should settle most of the beads into proper alignment. The beads do not have to be perfectly aligned at this stage. You will align them later when you insert a threading rod. The row of nine beads will be used for the Our Father beads and the 3 Hail Mary beads near the crucifix. If you are using different beads for the Our Father beads then put the nine beads in that row so that when you are ready to use the threading rod, the five Our Father beads can be taken off first, then the three Hail Mary beads, and then the last Our Father bead.	Video
Insert Threading Rods Insert a threading rod in the row of nine beads, this is the "sixth" row of the bead jig. Insert another threading rod in the row of ten beads nearest yourself, this is the "first" row of the bead jig. When you insert the threading rod, use your other hand to touch each bead as the hook end of the threading rod moves into the hole in each bead. Move the bead as necessary to precisely align it to allow the rod to enter the hole. As you move the threading rod through the beads you can rotate it between your fingers and move the back end of the rod up and down or back and forth slightly to allow the hook end to find the hole in the bead. Video
Tie The Thread Loop Take one end of a cord from those hanging over the edge of the container and pull it to the edge of the table so that the end is an inch or so beyond the end of the table. Tie a thread loop to this end. Make the first overhand knot of the thread loop by forming the knot loosely first, then placing it around the cord end and then tightening the knot. Tie the second overhand knot and then close the loop. If the thread loop comes off the thread while you are making a rosary don't worry about it - just tie another thread loop to the cord and continue making the rosary. More (You may want to tie a thread loop on the other end of the rosary cord too if you find the short end of the rosary cord unravels while you are making the rosary and/or you want to hide the cut ends of the rosary cord in the finished rosary by threading them through an Our Father bead.)
Tie The First rosary Knot Pull the cord completely out of the container and tie your usual rosary knot at the other end of the cord. Use the knotting hook to pull the cord through the groove in the knotting tool. The knotting hook can remain on you hand throughout your rosary making session. Video Does it matter which direction I wind the knots?
Transfer The First Decade Hold the thread loop in one hand and take the threading rod with ten beads in your other hand holding it with your fingers between the beads and the hook. Hold the rod vertically with the hook down and place the thread loop over the hook. Let go of the thread loop and grasp the thread rod above the beads and allow the beads to fall onto the thread. If the beads do not fall easily past the hook try holding the rod at a 45 degree angle with the opening of the hook downwards. This prevents the edge of the beads from catching on the hook as they move over it. Push the beads onto the cord. Lift the thread loop from the hook on the threading rod.	Video: Hooking the thread loop on the threading rod. Sliding the beads from the threading rod onto the cord.
Insert The Threading Rod Still holding the end of the cord near the thread loop, move the threading rod holding the nine beads to the first row in the jig. This will remind you that the next bead is an Our Father Bead since it will be the first threading rod on the jig. Insert the other threading rod through the beads in the second row of the jig.
Tie A Rosary Knot Now slide the ten beads down the cord to the knot and, using the knotting hook, tie your usual rosary knot after the first decade.
The Our Father Bead Using a similar procedure to the way you transferred the first decade, transfer one Our Father bead onto the cord. Place the threading rod with the remaining Our Father beads on the third row of beads on top of the other beads in that row. This leaves the second row of beads (which should have a threading rod through them) free so that you will be reminded that the next beads to add to the rosary are the second decade. Now slide the Our Father bead all the way down the cord to the last rosary knot and tie the next knot after the Our Father bead.
Another Decade Transfer the beads for the next decade to the cord.
Insert The Threading Rod Move the threading rod with the Our Father beads into the second row of the jig and insert the threading rod through the beads in the third row of the jig.
Rosary Knot Now slide the beads of the second decade all the way down the cord and tie the knot between the second decade and the second Our Father bead.
Another Our Father Bead Transfer the second Our Father bead to the cord and continue repeating these procedures to finish the rosary.

If you make a knot that requires pulling two strands of cord through the groove of the knotting tool you will need to experiment to see if you can pull both strands through at once with the knotting hook or if you need to pull them through one at a time. With bonded cords you should probably pull them through one at a time. With non-bonded cord you might be able to pull both strands at once. When you become proficient you can keep the knotting tool in one hand during the entire rosary making session just as you keep the knotting hook in your hand during the entire session. Keep your pinky and ring finger curled around the knotting tool to keep the tool in your hand while transferring beads and inserting threading rods. Notice that in the above instructions, it is recommend that before you insert a threading rod through a row of ten beads, you move the threading rod holding the Our Father beads to the empty row just before the decade. And, when putting down the threading rod holding the Our Father beads you place it on top of the beads of the next row after the row of beads with the threading rod inserted through them. Doing this will help remind you when you are to transfer a decade or an Our Father bead. This helps prevent mistakes. If you find that you have transferred the wrong bead or beads to the cord you can put the beads back on the threading rod reversing the process you used to transfer the beads from the threading rod to the cord. For this reason it is a good idea to have three threading rods in case you have to take a decade off the cord after you have already inserted a threading rod through the next row of ten beads. The threading rods can also be used to pull the ends of the cord through an Our Father bead to hide the cut ends of the cord in the finished rosary. This is done for the short end of the rosary cord after you have tied the knot that joins the two ends of the rosary cord and are about to add the next Our Father bead. The best way to do this is to use a thread loop on the short end of the rosary cord and place both thread loops over the hook in the threading rod when you transfer the Our Father bead. Once the bead is over the thread loops, pull the loops through the bead one at a time so the cords do not become jammed in the bead. If you do not have a thread loop on the short end of the rosary cord you can place the short end of the cord through the thread loop on the long end of the rosary cord before you transfer the Our Father bead to the rosary cord. When you slide the bead over the thread loop it will pass over both ends of the cord. You may need to adjust the loop after you place it over the hook in the threading rod so that long end of the cord is half way up the loop and the short end is at the bottom of the loop. This way the two ends of the cord pass through the bead one after the other and will not get jammed in the bead. When you are tying the knot that attaches the crucifx to the rosary, before you slde the knot against the Our Father bead, insert the threading rod through the Our Father bead and use the thread loop to pull the end of the cord through the Our Father bead. Then slide the last knot close against the Our Father bead and tighten it as usual.

Home