How To: Stringing Beads For Your Knitting!

YouTube and Instructables are invaluable sources for people who need a visual, rather than just a read and do.

Here’s one for knitting with beads that you’ve already pre-strung: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2-YbLvyNCY and another, more in detail: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8ib6nyWKQg

But that’s not how I do it. Because I’m backwards, usually reserving “how it’s supposed to be done” for after all else has failed. Yup, I’m a read the instructions last kind of gal.

I don’t pre-string my beads, preferring instead to use a crochet hook and snag the stitch off of the left needle before knitting it, then feeding the bead from the crochet hook onto the stitch, returning it to the left hand needle to be knit as normal. So, the individual yarns aren’t strung through the bead, but the stitch is. Hard to explain, probably impossible to grasp with the way I explained it, so I looked for someone else that would maybe be able to explain this a bit better. And who came to my rescue? Clara Parkes of Knitter’s Review has a wonderful explanation for her “stringing as you go” method.

If spending 30 minutes stringing tiny beads onto yarn doesn’t excite you, fear not. There is another technique that allows you to add the beads as you go.

You’ll need an extremely fine crochet hook — one so fine that the tip will fit through the hole in your bead. Knit until you reach the stitch where you’d like to add the bead.
Pick up the crochet hook, slide one bead onto it, and use it to snag the stitch in question off your left knitting needle.
Slide the bead down from the crochet hook deep onto the yarn loop, then place the loop back on your knitting needle.
The bead is now in place and you can continue knitting.
The major benefit of this technique is that your bead is held very securely. The drawback is that your bead will be positioned vertically in your work, rather than horizontally.

Thanks, Clara, for your wonderful explanation!

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns!

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil.

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn.

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point.

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up.

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.

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