Monica Knits

This is the fourth in a series of articles on inserting beads and sequins in knitting. This one demonstrates a variation of the carrier yarn method in which a coordinating, fingering weight carrier is stranded and/or woven behind the work. In my opinion, the appearance is better than the slip stitch method and can be better than the knitted carrier yarn method (if bulk is an issue, or a coordinating yarn is difficult to find). This approach enables the use of beads otherwise too small to thread onto worsted or heavier weight fashion yarn. Read more... for stepwise illustrated instructions and further discussion.

Additional photos coming.

Supplies

1. Beading or small diameter sewing needle.
2. 4.5 mm diameter knitting needles.
3. Worsted weight fashion yarn.
4. Fingering weight fashion yarn.
5. Glass Beads, Size E (6/0).
6. Fingertip yarn guide for weaving (optional, but helpful).

Bead Insertion Steps
For this approach the beads are pre-loaded on a coordinating, fingering weight carrier yarn using a beading needle, and brought into position on the stocking stitch side for insertion. The carrier yarn is woven and/or stranded (depending on the bead spacing) behind the work and brought to the front for placement. This approach reduces bulk, conserves yarn, and nestles the bead in position. The first 5 steps of this method are similar to the Bead Insertion - Two Yarn Method discussed in an earlier article.

Tomorrow the photos for the weaving method will be posted, to show the differences in appearance from the approach of knitting all except the bead insertion step with two yarns. Since the first 4 steps are similar, the same photos are used, since these ones have a contrasting yarn for visibility.

Click on any of the thumbnails below to view a larger image.

1. Beads have been pre-loaded on the lace or fingering weight carrier yarn.
2. A bead is brought into position for insertion.
3. The carrier yarn and bead are held to the front of the knitting while a stocking stitch is knitted with the worsted weight yarn.
4. The carrier yarn is moved behind the needle.
5. Both the carrier and fashion yarn are knitted together only for the single stitch following the bead insertion.
6. Knit across to the next bead position with the worsted weight yarn, weaving and/or stranding the fingering weight carrier yarn behind the work. On the purl (wrong) side of the work, the carrier yarn is woven/stranded for the entire distance.
7. In the example, beads are inserted approximately every fourth row, so the carrier yarn does not need to traverse the stocking stitch fabric (and subsequent purl stitch return) for the paired rows that do not have beads. Just weave the carrier yarn up the selvedge, so it is in position for the start of the next beaded row.

Repeat steps 2 to 7.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4









The first article in this series, Bead Insertion in Knitting, described stringing beads on yarn and purling beads into a 2 x 2 rib stitch ground. The second article, Bead Insertion - Slip Stitch Method, describes a slip stitch method of inserting beads into a stocking stitch ground. The third article in this series Bead Insertion - Two Yarn Method demonstrated the use of a carrier yarn knitted together with the fashion yarn except for the position at which the bead is placed.

Related Posts
Color Work - Stranding
Color Work - Weaving