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Learn How to Knit with Beads with this Fun Book

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knit one, bead too

Helen is getting this one.

This week’s giveaway is a book all about embellishing your knitting with beads. Knit One, Bead Too by Judith Durant is the perfect book to get you started using beads in your knitting, because it covers all the techniques you need to know, offers plenty of examples for how to use beads as a design element and has 15 patterns (some of which you can find on Ravelry) using a variety of techniques on a range of projects, from bags to pillows to a gorgeous wedding stole.

This book really is a one-stop source for everything you need to know about adding beads to your knitting, so if that’s a technique you want to try or something you’d like to do more of, you’re going to want to leave a comment on this post for a chance to win it.

Leave a comment before the end of the day Sunday, Aug. 6, and I’ll pick a winner at random. I’d love to know if you’ve ever used beads in your knitting before. I have a couple of times and it’s lovely but not something I think to do very often.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

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Comments

  1. Yes I have used beads in knitting.
    Stunning effect.
    It’s my birthday…Hope I win!

  2. I love adding beads to my knitting. I have added beads to shawls, scarves, and fingerless mitts. I think this book will be very helpful. Thank you.

  5. I have the beads, I knit, I just never had the courage to do it. One day I will. I saw Lily Chin doing that once on TV and it looked pretty easy. But then, Lily would make anything look easy.

  6. I started adding beads to my knitting after I spotted a woman knitting with beads on the bus to work.

  7. I’ve knitted a beaded hairband for my daughter, but would like to be more adventurous in my beaded knitting!

  9. I’ve tried to knit with beads without instruction and wasn’t successful. I definitely need to learn the technique. I would love to have this book.

  13. I’ve taught a class on knitting a beaded scarf. The beads were located on the scarf ends and create a godet affect. The scarf was knit in two pieces and grafted at the center. I’d love to learn more techniques!

  14. Oh, I would LOVE to get this book! I’ve been planning to learn how to knit with beads for several months now. I have a scarf project and a shawl project that I plan to knit with beads.

  15. I have used beads to decorate my traditional clothing. I would love to learn how to use beads when I knit.

  17. I have not knitted with beads, but it looks so pretty and fun. I would like to learn how and this book would be a great tool to help me with that. Thanks

  19. I haven’t used beads………..kind of a place that angels fear to tread. This might push me over the starting line;)

    from ‘neath the bright blue skies of VT,
    the Vermonster

  20. I have never used beads in my knitting or crocheting, but would love to one of these days. The past three years I have been busy knitting and crocheting baby items for my one daughter and now I’m back doing more baby things for my other daughter. It would be wonderful to have a book to teach me from the start how to add beads correctly to an item.

  21. I am also new to beading in my knitting projects and I love the extra glamour they add! It’s not that hard to do after all! This looks like a great resource book!

  22. I am a beginner at knitting. So, I don’t know how to do this. I love the look of beads in sweaters and would like to make a shawl with beads.

  23. Yeah, I added beads to a shawl I was making for a friend. Threading hundreds of beads was a bit of lengthy surprise and I thought I’d understood the placement directions but the beads ended up facing the back of the piece. Obviously I need a smidgen of help before starting again.

  24. I have restrung beads but prefer to use the tiny crochet hook, which I got stuck in my hand one day! Trip to the ER removed it! Then I finished the shawl!

  25. I haven’t yet tried to knit with beads, but would love to try it!
    Thanks, Kim R.

  27. I have tried using beads in one project, but I’m interested in expanding my use of them. Especially in shawls.

  28. oooooh, beads! To date, have not used beads in my knitting. would like to learn. I have one pattern, that I have not started, because of the beads. What a nice looking resource to own! Someday, I’ll start Fragile Heart wrap — do need to figure out the bead parts!

  30. I have never used beads in my knitting, but I would love to learn how! I have two awesome granddaughters who would love some of their knitted Granny gifts to be a little blinged out ????

  31. I haven’t tried knitting with beads, but I’d love to learn. I think beads can be a beautiful addition to knitting. Thanks for this great giveaway!!

  33. I do a lot of bead crochet but haven’t tried knitting with beads yet. It is something I have wanted to try.

  34. I would love this book. I bought a booklet of beaded Christmas ornament patterns a couple of years ago and have played around with one or two of theservice patterns a time or two since purchase. Planned to give them to friends and co-workers as gifts but just haven’t been able to achieve an actual “finished” look. Thank you for the opportunity to participate in your give-away.

  35. I have beads and of course I have yarn. I just have never had the guts to put them together. This book would definitely change that!!

Have you read?

Knit a Classic Aran Cardigan with this Free Knitting Pattern

Not too long ago I did a test knit for another designer that was for a cabled cardigan. It’s really cozy and nice but it just about broke me in a ton of different ways. I couldn’t get gauge, which I suppose is my own problem, but mainly I was somehow both bored and forced to pay attention at the same time. 

Because it used the same cable all over, I always had to know what row I was on, but nine out of ten of those rows, nothing in particular was going on. So I couldn’t stop paying attention, but what I needed to attend to was boring. 

It may have ruined me for knitting cabled sweaters, but maybe I just need something that’s more engaging. Like this Modern Aran Cardigan pattern from Lion Brand Yarn. 

This is a reworking of an old pattern from their archives, and you can tell that form the classic look of the cables and the oversized feel (nothing cropped about this one!). It has allover cables, but like a classic Aran sweater it’s not the same cable, so you’ll have to pay attention to what row you’re on and what cable turns happen for which cables on that row. 

Because of this, it’s considered an intermediate knitting pattern, but if you’re comfortable working from multiple charts at once it shouldn’t be a problem for you. There are three different charts and seven different cable moves. 

Also because the pattern is so big and boxy there are only two sizes available, with a finished chest measurement of either 49 or 63 inches (that’s 124.5 or 160 cm). It’s up to you to decide how much ease you would like and whether that will work for your body. 

The pattern uses worsted weight yarn (and calls for another classic, Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool). It calls for six buttons and includes pockets to make it extra cozy. 

This one looks like a great winter project to make and to wear if you’re up for a bit of a challenge. You can grab the free pattern or buy a kit with the yarn needed direct from Lion Brand Yarn. 

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]