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Adding Beads to Knitwear

The essence of the Beaded Beanie is the beaded trees in a multitude of colours. There are several different ways of adding beads to your knitting, one of which involves threading the beads onto the yarn in advance. For this, a beading needle really helps, but any thin needle will also work – just ensure

The essence of the Beaded Beanie is the beaded trees in a multitude of colours. There are several different ways of adding beads to your knitting, one of which involves threading the beads onto the yarn in advance. For this, a beading needle really helps, but any thin needle will also work – just ensure the needle will fit through the holes in your beads. You also need plastic thread and the bead pattern and/or order of stringing the beads, and of course, your yarn.

Gather your beads and place them in order of stringing. Remember, last strung will be first knitted and first bead strung will be the last to be knitted. Size small has 8 colours, medium has 9 and large has 10 different colors beads. There are 37 beads per tree so, for the Beaded Beanie, you will need a total of 296 (333, 370) beads.

This is the order of stringing the beads. Remember colors 9 (and 10) are for sizes medium (and large). You could string the beads before starting to knit the hat or work to the round where the beads will be placed, break yarn and add the beads then.

 

Color 1 Color 2 Color 3 Color 4 Color 5 Color 6 Color 7 Color 8 Color 9 Color 10
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

 


Thread the needle with approx. 10 inches of plastic thread.


Knot the two ends together.


Slip one end of your yarn through the plastic thread loop.

 


Add the beads in order.

 


Pull the bead down the plastic thread and onto your yarn.

 


The plastic thread makes it easier to thread the beads on to the yarn as the yarn is too thick to go through the eye of the needle.

 


Continue to add beads in this manner until all beads have been strung.

 


Disperse the beads over your yarn.

 


Following the chart, work to one stitch before PB (place your bead). Bring your yarn forward as to purl.

 


Slip the next stitch purlwise.

Place bead in front of this slipped stitch. Ensure the bead is snug against the base of the stitch.

Bring yarn to the back of your work.

Work the next stitch as in your pattern.

Continue to add beads in this way.

 

Beads18
Sometimes you might have to tighten up stitches before or after you place the beads.

 

And just like that, you’ve learned how to add beads to your stitches! Now, taking all you’ve learned, click on to make your own Beaded Beanie.

 

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Comments
  • maya m.

    everything is wonderful exept the pictures that are impossible to see?

    Reply
  • I have tried this method when knitting socks and did not like how the beads kept sliding behind the stitch. Now I know how to make them stay where I want them. Would you show the method for adding beads in knitting using a crochet hook too please?

    Reply
    • If you want the bead to sit where it can be seen on both sides, use a crochet hook that fits inside the hole of the bead, slide the stitch off the needle, pass the bead onto it, and put back on the needle. It makes for a flatter fabric and a bead that is less visible than above.

      Reply
  • Mari R.

    Thank you for the information always wanted to know how the beading is done

    Reply
  • Loretta

    So you don’t actually knit the stitch the bead is placed on?

    Reply
  • Janice S.

    An easier way to put the beads on the yarn [rather than sharp needle and plastic thread, which not everyone has] is to buy a package of dental floss threaders. Even some of the $1 stores have packages of 30. It’s the easiest way to do it!

    Reply
  • Iceni S.

    I love this idea, but unfortunately most of the website photos are too pixilated to make out.
    So I am still nnot t sure how to get the beads on the yarn and what size beads?
    But I love this site.
    Thank you.

    Reply
    • I tried to copy the pictures and paste them to my Word program page – they cleared right up.

      Reply
  • Patricia D.

    Thank you so much , this has helped me tremendously as I have previously abandoned the idea of beading due to the fact that I could not get the wool through the needle with wool threaded through it. I will now try again.

    Reply

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