I finally used red twine with clear lacquer, rather than the hemp/cotton twine. I also tried electrical tape and pattern tape - with little good results. I think I would probably recommend the grip shifters - I simply didn't realize they existed at the time of purchase.
http://flic.kr/p/cg4Frw
http://flic.kr/p/cg4F4J
P.S. I could not for the life of me figure out how to post a photo attached to this message -the uploader simply wouldn't work (may be user error).