Beading plus felting

#1

Hi - I am starting my Christmas gifts and am planning to knit and felt totes for my sisters. The pattern calls for a novelty yarn to be added to the top third of the tote for accent. I would like to add beads instead of novelty yarn. Has anyone added beads to knitted pieces prior to felting and were you happy with the results. (I know I should just do a swatch :). Can you share your experience?
Thanks!
Lisa

#2

I have! I love to do felted bags and have done them with both beading and novelty yarn. You’ll want to separate the beads by several stitches and several rows as well. It helps to diagram placement using graph paper. There are a couple of ways to add the beads. Ones with very small holes need to be threaded onto the yarn before you begin and ones with larger holes can be placed as you knit, with a tiny crochet hook or bodkin. I use the bodkin because it has a ball at one end(for stopping beads) and a 2.5mm hook at the other end. My bodkin is 9", so I can put enough beads onto it for each row I’m beading. I have some pictures in my Photobucket site. Click on the pictures and you should be able to see the bead detail. Great gifts for everyone and they love that you’ve made them! Mary

#3

Hi! I went to your photobucket site and was super impressed with all your purses and hats! You are very talented! I am not familiar with a bodkin - but I am going to google it right away. Thanks for your help and suggestions!
Lisa

#4

Beautiful work, Mary!!

#5

Thanks! I do love to make bags!!

#6

I peeked too Mary and your work is just gorgeous! I love that they are all different. I have felted with novelty yarns but haven’t tried the beads yet … thanks for the inspiration!

#7

I love especially the beaded blue matching bag and hat.