Are you craving a little bling in your knit life? I have the solution: add pretty beads to your knitting! Adding beads along the edge of a shawl or scarf adds just the right amount of weight so that it hangs nicely. Adding them to mitts, hats and even socks can add a touch that makes the project just a little more special.
If you’d like to give it a try, you’ll need:
- beads (size 8.0 works well on fingering yarn)
- a super small crochet hook that will fit through the hole in your bead (I use size 14) OR dental floss threaders. I find the dental floss threaders very handy for those beads that have smaller than usual holes
I’ll show you both the crochet hook and floss threader methods for getting beads onto your knitting:
Crochet Hook Method:
Step One: Pick up the bead with your crochet hook and hook stitch to be beaded.
Step Two: Secure stitch with end of crochet hook while pushing bead off of crochet hook and over loop onto knitting.
Step Three: Replace stitch back on left needle and knit stitch.
Dental Floss Threader Method:
Step One: Thread Floss threader through loop of stitch to be beaded and through bead as shown:
Step Two: Thread single end of floss threader back through bead again:
Step Three: Holding both ends of floss threader, push bead onto knitting. Remove threader, replace stitch on left needle and knit stitch.
Voila! Either way you do it, you now have a bead within your knitting!
Nice work, Crafty Friends!
I’ve shied away from doing beading in my knitting because I’d only seen stringing the beads on before hand. I’d be terrified that I’d miss one. This style makes much more sense to me!!!!
That’s what I like about it too – plus I can decide at the last minute if I want beads and exactly where to put them.
I have been adding beads to some crochet projects , and to my knitted scarf, and I love it. Once I had to improvise with some metal jewelery thread, because the beads were to small for the crochet needle…and now I learned it is actually a technique. Good to know. Have fun with this… You have inspired to try it again. And I love your photos and explanation!
Thank you Ana. 🙂
Thanks for posting this. It convinces me I can do beading, which I’ve always worried about trying before. You always pick things to address I wish I knew how to do!
Yay! You can definately do it, Jan.
Wonderful tutorials. I will definitely try the crochet hook method … thanks so much for showing how easy this is.
You’re so welcome, Evelyn. Thanks for the kind comment! 🙂
Thanks for the great tutorial! Like previous commenter, I too have stayed away from using beads because I didn’t want to have to string them all on ahead of time. I like your method much better!
You’re very welcome Kristie. I’m so glad it’s inspired you to break out the beads. 🙂
What a great tutorial! I’ve wanted to try using beads for ages but have shied away because I couldn’t quite grasp how to do it. This is so clear! 🙂
Oh good, Sharon! Glad it was understandable and now you’ll be beading with the best of them! 🙂
Thanks for this post. I’ve always wanted to know how to do this! I really need to try this soon =o)
You’re so very welcome, Hanna! You inspire me in so many ways. 🙂
This is going to be really helpful for the next pair of mitts I’m planning on making (I know, it’s May now. I plan far in advance:)
Smart move on the advance planning. Mitts with beads sound nice. I’m going to have to stalk your blog to see those…
I’ve never seen those flossers, but I came up with a similar way to put a bead on, using a short piece of beading wire. There’s no threading the tail back through the bead though, so it might be even quicker.
http://www.tracykm.blogspot.ca/2012/06/beading-on-knitting-machine.html
This is actually exactly the same method we’ve used here, using wire instead of floss. I prefer the floss, because I’d be afraid the wire could cut into the plies of some of the more delicate yarn. Anyway – glad this method is working for you!
Gosh, this makes all the more sense to me now that I have seen your pretty pictures and read your clear explanation. You ladies rock!
Love your bead bowls! I use a plastic vegtable tray. Where did you get them?
Hi Kimberly! A friend of mine brought it to me from the Netherlands. It’s actually a lazy susan for condiments, but I use it for beads. 🙂 I love it too!
Thank you! I had previously purchased both the yarn and some pretty beads for a scarf but didn’t know how to begin to put them together. Great instructions!
Glad it was helpful, Karen!
This is just what I need to put the sprinkles on two cupcake hats that my girls want me to knit for them, and I think the hooks they have in their loom band kits will be the perfect size for the job. Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
You’re welcome! How fun to make sprinkles from beads! That’s going to be adorable. 🙂
Thank you for this explanation! I started knitting a little over a year ago and have wanted to do some beadwork but was intimidated. But not anymore, thanks to your tutorial. I’m going to be on the lookout now for patterns with beadwork and jump in head first.