I have seen two ways of knitting with beads. One is to use a crochet hook and put the bead on as you get to the place where you need the bead, and the other is to string the beads first and then move them as you need them. it seeeeems to me that hooking the bead makes more sense and allows for more control of where the bead actually lands but maybe i am not thinking of that right?
the other question i have is where do you find your beads? the ones that i find that are pretty are all way too small for the yarn to get through, much less a crochet hook. and i find i am not terribly in love with the ones that have the nice big holes in them. is there a place on line that you go to find beads that are pretty, or funky, or fun and still workable?
Brenda, I found a website that talks about beading - go into www.knittingpatterncentral.com and check out the knitting stitches ( I think ) thread. The girl who explains how to bead also gives a reference to an online bead shop if I remember correctly.
I love knitting with beads. I have a great store near where I live that sells tons and tons of beads. I think it is easier to string them all on the yarn first. However, it takes forever because I always put on tons of them to make sure I don’t run out in the middle of my knitting. I have a super tiny crochet hook, but even that is too big to go through some of the beads I have. Just give both ways a try, see what works better for you.
I was a big time beader, until I got the knitting virus. My favorite online bead source is Firemountain beads. The shipping is a little pricey, but they have everything. The beaded items I have seen recently use size E beads, which is about a 3 or 4 mm. These can be purchased at most craft stores, although they are the quality of Firemountain.
Yeah you may need an almost microscopic crochet hook. I have always thought that when I bead I would add them as I go along, it seems the best and easiest way to me, also the bead is anchored through both strands of the stitch and can’t move around to the back of the work (which is possible with prestranding). I say do a swatch with both and see what you prefer. Size 6 beads seem to be commonly recommended (e.g. with grumperina’s Odessa pattern) but of course it depends on the wool thickness.
I reckon search for buying beads online, maybe get some cheap ones in different sizes to swatch with? But for an item you will keep I would pay the extra for good ones, because if a cheap one cracks and falls off your item like a hat, you can’t replace it without undoing the knitting.
You want a thickness of hole that the wool will go through without being strained (especially if you pre-string) but not be loose, will just fill up the hole perfectly. Try a good bead shop for advice or go online to buy.
If you don’t want to use a crochet hook or can’t find the TINY TINY ones try using a dental floss threader which I have heard recommended, or you can thread onto wool by dipping the end into glue or nail polish and shaping into a point. A needle threader might be helpful too.
I’ve knitted a few items with perle and seed beads. My friend who had done a lot of beading advised that I purchase Japanese beads because the holes were most consistent in size and the hole was a little larger for the size of bead. I should have listened to her because many of the first batch of beads I purchased I couldn’t use because the bead holes were too small for the yarn and some felt like they had a “catch” when I was trying to thread the yarn through.
When threading the beads onto the perle cotton, I have used a bead needle and dental floss threader ~ both worked well and I can’t say I have a preference.
I have never ordered beads online because I have beading stores close by, but I think my friend uses the site that Jill A. recommended (all I remember is that it had the word “mountain” in it)
A very fine strand of fishing line would work perfectly for threading beads onto the stitch. I use it for a lot of different applications in my knitting; it makes the best lifelines ever!
oooh thank you for bumping this again. i am sorry i never came back. i was reminded that there is a bead store not far up the street from me when reading this so i am going to take my yarn and hooks and head over there on Thursday. hopefully i will get some idea of what i can do there. i also looked at the sites listed and liked what i saw on those too… (yeah i am totally a magpie and love shiney things…lol)
