How to Make Gimp Cord with a Drill

Found this deep in a forum, but it seems like handy instructions for making gimp cord quickly.

Here are the instructions:

First, in order to use a drill, you need someone else to hold the drill, or you need to only work with very small lengths.

Start with short lengths- a drill isn't ideal and takes some getting used to.

Get a cuphook - the type you can screw into shelves - put this into the drill instead of the drill bit, to hold your thread.

cut a piece of string, tie it into a loop, and put this loop onto a fixed point (such as a clamp on a table)

This acts as a swivel, taking up some of the excess twist. Or you can get a swivel from a fishing supply shop.

Cut your length of core material - you'll need at least two lengths of the same so that they can twist together. Fasten one end to the loop, the other to the hook on the drill.

Your covering thread should be fine and free flowing. By this, I mean if you can use say three spools of covering thread, and have those spools on a spool rack on the floor it works pretty well.

Fasten your covering thread to the hook on the drill.

Have you helper stand so that the core thread is taught, but not too tight. That person will have to slaken the tension when required, or the core thread will snap eventually. (Another reason why shorter lengths are better ).

You stand to the side of this core thread, holding the covering threads loosely at a right angle to it. As the drill spins, the covering threads will be taken over the core thread - you need to guide them and slowly move along the length of the core thread, holding the covering threads out evenly.

You are effectively guideing the covering threads - but the twisting of the core threads is what is doing the work of covering, not you.

This method does use the basic principles of the traditional equipment, and can work quite well with practice. The fishing swivel and tension on the core thread is where the biggest difficulty lies, getting it right seems to be more of a practice thing then a technique secret!

Oh, and if you get fed up - here's a supplier of rayon gimp in lots and lots of colours! -http://www.silkenstrands.co.uk/catalogue_other_gimp.htm

The original post can be found here:

http://www.et-tu.com/soper/cgi-bin/index.cgi?action=forum&board=tassels&op=display&num=178&start=0#2