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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781592174003 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Annie's |
| Publication date: | 07/01/2012 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 56 |
| File size: | 5 MB |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Little Knitted Jewels
By Kara Gott Warner
Annie's
Copyright © 2012 DRGAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-59217-400-3
CHAPTER 1
Before You Get Started
If working with beads, findings and wire sounds intimidating, then you'll find these pages to be an invaluable resource for finding the information needed to get started on creating your own knitted jewelry. The process is easy and only takes a few extra tools and materials.
Knitting Needles
Many of the projects presented in this book suggest using smaller-gauge knitting needles, so choosing the right kind of needle is essential. The most common are wood, bamboo, plastic and metal.
Crochet Hooks
From picking up a dropped stitch to working a decorative edge, crochet hooks are the best friend to all of your knitting projects! Small steel crochet needles, often used with thread crocheting, can also be used to add beads to individual stitches on knit projects.
Beads
Beads come in many shapes and are most commonly measured in millimeters (mm) such as 6mm, 8mm and so forth. Beads are made from many materials such as glass, acrylic, crystal, bone, gemstone, horn, clay and felted fiber beads.
Findings
These are what make jewelry making possible. Usually metal, findings include clasps, pins, buttons and much more depending on what your imagination can dream up!
Earring Findings
These are posts, ear wires, hoops or clip-on components that attach the knitted jewelry to your ear.
Jump Rings & Split Rings
Jump rings and split rings connect jewelry components, like links or a clasp to a strand, together. They are usually round, 18-gauge wire with a cut in one side. You can also find soldered jump rings for times you don't want the ring to open.
Stringing Materials
In this book, knitters will be using materials like embroidery floss for stringing and knitting beads. Embroidery floss is thread usually used for cross-stitch and other embroidery projects. It comes in a large variety of colors and is typically made from twisted cotton, but can also be made from silk, linen, polyester or rayon. Other materials used to string beads include nylon beading thread, beading wire, elastic cord and even ribbon.
Jewelry Pliers
Pliers are commonly used for wire and jewelry findings. Some of the common kinds are 4-in-1, bent-nose, chain-nose and round-nose.
Tapestry Needles
These come in a variety of sizes from blunt to fine-point to curved. It's always good to have a variety of all shapes and sizes on hand for weaving in loose ends, sewing buttons and taking care of unexpected "knitting emergencies."
Wire
Wire comes in many shapes. Four common shapes used in jewelry making are round, half round, square and twisted. Wire is measured by its gauge, which increases as the wire gets thinner. For example, a 22-gauge wire is much thinner than a 16-gauge wire.
The hardness of wire is determined by its malleability, or how easily it can be bent without breaking. There are three general levels of hardness: Dead soft is super malleable and very easy to manipulate — sometimes too easy. Half hard is most commonly used because of its level of malleability and sturdiness. Full hard is very difficult to manipulate.
CHAPTER 2The Magic of Knitting Beaded Jewelry
By Leslieanne Beller
Knitting jewelry with beads is fun and exciting! Beads are wonderful to touch and the colors are stunning. There are thousands of beads to choose from, varying in color, texture, size and shape.
Not only is knitting with beads a sensory experience, it has also been shown to be meditative and relaxing. Studies indicate that knitting promotes feelings of calmness and tranquility, stilling the mind while it draws attention to the work at hand. The act of beading affects people similarly. How many times have you seen someone lost in her beadwork? When knitting with beads, you will be doubly focused as you combine these two crafts to create beautiful wearable art. Knitting jewelry with beads can become addictive and you won't want to stop once you start.
Always buy the highest quality beads that fit into your budget. They are relatively inexpensive and the beads are the showcase of your finished piece of jewelry. Beads can be purchased at local craft stores or online. Colors and sizes can vary a bit from each manufacturer, but overall are pretty much standardized.
Working Beads Into Your Knitting
There are many ways to work beads into your knitting. Many of the patterns in this book use a technique whereby the beads sit in between your knit or purl stitches. For this method, you will string all beads onto embroidery floss or yarn in either a random order or in a specific sequence prior to knitting.
If working a defined bead pattern into your knitting, you will have to be precise when stringing the beads to ensure that the beads fall in the right order when knitting the pattern.
The last bead strung will be the first bead you will use. If you are working a specific bead or color pattern, you will need to string the exact number of beads required. In other cases, you can be a bit less precise, initially stringing more or fewer beads than you will actually use. Extra beads can easily be removed from the back end of your yarn when you're finished. Likewise, if you run out of beads before you've finished your project, you can add more beads to the back end of your yarn. If for some reason you need to add beads to the end of your yarn when working a bead pattern, take care to follow the proper stringing sequence. The first bead strung will be the first bead available for use.
A very narrow, wide-eyed needle is necessary for threading beads onto embroidery floss or yarn. You can purchase many different types of beading needles at your local craft store. When working with embroidery floss, many people prefer a beading needle that has a wide vent-type eye usually made of thin wire — it is often referred to as a Big-Eye needle.
However, it's not necessary to purchase a specialized beading needle. Instead, you can use a makeshift beading needle by threading a regular sewing needle with about 8 inches of sewing thread and tying the ends together to make a loop, then slipping the end of the embroidery floss or yarn through the loop. Use the needle to pick up the beads and slip them down the sewing thread and onto the yarn.
The medium that you knit with (be it yarn, embroidery floss or wire) supports the beads and also creates the shape of your jewelry. It can either complement or contrast with the beaded work. Some jewelry projects are designed to show off the knitted medium, while for others, the yarn or floss acts as a backdrop to the beads.
Working with embroidery floss can be a bit challenging, but working carefully and mindfully will solve this dilemma. Follow these suggestions and you should not have a problem.
Always work with all the strands of floss held together — never separate them.
Both embroidery floss and wire may kink, twist or tangle on occasion. A kink is usually just a slip knot that forms in the floss. If this happens, loosen the knot with a blunt needle. This will usually loosen it enough for it to release. If the floss tangles, gently remove it from the wrapper and use your blunt needle to work out the tangle.
When working with embroidery floss or wire, never wind it up after the beads are strung. Just let it drop into your lap or into a catchall. You can use a little basket or a tray lined with a soft cloth or a towel and let the beaded floss (or wire) rest in that. This will prevent the delicate threads from getting tangled and become impossible to work with.
You might also notice that the ends of the floss fray or pull apart while working. Before sewing or restringing beads, just cut away any frayed ends.
Using beads that do not slide easily along your floss or yarn will shred it. Therefore, before stringing any beads, always check to make sure that they have a hole that is large enough for the floss or yarn to pass through. If a hole seems too small, take a spare length of whatever you are knitting with to see whether it will go through the bead. This will help ensure that your yarn or floss won't fray because the bead is too tight. If you can't get the bead to fit, you might try inserting a small tool or awl into the bead hole. Pushing the tool around and around and in and out will sometimes make the bead hole a bit bigger. After enlarging the hole, try stringing the bead on the spare yarn again.
Pre-string your beads by gently guiding them down your yarn in small groups in order to avoid stressing the yarn. The more beads you are working with, the further down you will have to slide them.
Adding the Beads Into the Knitted Fabric
Once your beads are pre-strung, you are ready to start knitting. You will usually need a length of empty yarn following the beads so that you can knit a few unbeaded rows, as instructed in your pattern. When your pattern instructs you to add a bead, slide the bead up the yarn (or embroidery floss or wire) and use your finger to hold it snug against the right-hand needle. Work the next stitch, making sure that your yarn comes up over the bead, not under it. Do not catch the bead into the stitch.
Most patterns (but not all) require a row of plain knitting between beaded rows. Beads can fall to either side of the fabric, depending on the particular pattern. Beaded fabric will usually have a right and wrong side. If the beads fall to only one side of the knitted fabric, the side the beads are on will be considered the right side (RS) of your work. If the beads fall to both sides of your work, then one side will be called Side A and the other side will be referred to as Side B.
CHAPTER 3Black & Blue
This knitted cuff brings to life a new version of a vintage style. By pre-stringing the beads in a specific sequence, you can create two stunning patterns — one for each side!
Design by Leslieanne Beller
Skill Level
** EASY
Sizes
Woman's small/medium (medium/large) Instructions are given for smaller size, with larger size in parentheses. When only 1 number is given, it applies to both sizes. The knitted/beaded fabric has a slight give to it allowing for flexibility in the sizing.
Finished Measurements
Length: 6½ (7¼) inches
Width: 1 inch
Materials
• DMC 6-ply Antique Effects Embroidery Floss (100% polyester; 8.7 yds per skein): 1 skein ebony #E310
• Size 2 (2.75) straight bamboo knitting needles
• Size 6/0 square seed beads: 80 each black iris (A), frosted cobalt blue (B), plain black (C)
• Size 6/0 glass seed beads: 85 each clear light-blue-lined (D) and matte black chocolate iris (E); 80 clear turquoise- lined (F)
• 3-hole silver-plated slider clasp
• Big-eyed beading needle or makeshift beading needle (see page 10)
• Size #16 blunt tapestry needle
• Clear nail polish (optional)
Gauge
23 rows of beads = approx 4 inches.
Exact gauge is not critical to this project.
Special Abbreviation
Slip Bead (SB): Slide bead up to RH needle as far as it will go, hold in place.
Pattern Notes
This bracelet is reversible with each side of the bracelet having a different pattern. Side A has vertical beaded rows and Side B has horizontal beaded rows. The 2-sided pattern is a 6-row repeat.
A slider clasp is used so that the bracelet can be worn with either side facing out.
The pattern lists more beads than you will actually use; it is always best to have extra beads on hand in case some break or are misshapen. You want to have enough matching replacement beads in the same dye lot.
See page 8 for more information about knitting with beads and embroidery floss.
Cuff
Holding all strands of embroidery floss tog, string beads for 6-row pat in following sequence:
Row 1 (Side A): 5A.
Row 2 (Side B): 1E, 1D, 1C, 1D, 1E.
Row 3 (Side A): 5F.
Row 4 (Side B): 1E, 1D, 1C, 1D, 1E.
Row 5 (Side A): 5B.
Row 6 (Side B): 1E, 1D, 1C, 1D, 1E.
Continue stringing beads in this sequence until you have 11 (12) 6–row reps, end with 5A — total of 34 (37) Side A rows and 33 (36) Side B rows.
Push beads down the floss, leaving about 30 inches of floss without beads to start your knitting.
Leaving a 16-inch tail, cast on 6 sts.
Rows 1 and 2: K6.
Row 3: K1, [SB, k1] 5 times.
Rep Row 3 until all beads are used.
Bind off, leaving a 16-inch tail.
Finishing
Using blunt tapestry needle and tail, make whipstitches along one end of bracelet to reinforce the edge.
Line up 1 side of slider clasp along edge of bracelet. Continuing with tail, sew through loop holes on clasp to join, reinforcing at each point as necessary.
Secure tail (using clear nail polish, if desired) and cut excess.
Rep on other end.
If you would like the bracelet to be a bit larger, gently pull on each end of the bracelet to stretch.
CHAPTER 4Pink & Pearls
You will absolutely love to show off this fabulous ring made with luminous pearls. With sizing from 6 — 9, this eye-catching creation can be made to adorn any of your fingers!
Design by Leslieanne Beller
Skill Level
* BEGINNER
Size
Ring size: Woman's 6–9
Band width: ¾ inch
Materials
• DMC 6-ply Precious Metal Effects Embroidery Floss (100% polyester; 8.7 yds per skein): 1 skein silver #E168
• Size 2 (2.75mm) straight bamboo knitting needles
• Size 6/0 glass seed beads: 40 frosted pink (A)
• 6mm round glass pearls: 17 pale pink (B), 4 light gold (C)
• 6mm druk (round) glass beads: 4 clear pale pink (D)
• Big-eyed beading needle or makeshift beading needle (see page 10)
• Size #16 blunt tapestry needle
• Clear nail polish
Gauge
4 rows with beads = approx ¾ inch.
Exact gauge is not critical to this project.
Special Abbreviation
Slip Bead (SB): Slide bead up to RH needle as far as it will go, hold in place.
Pattern Notes
The pattern is written for an average finger size; because the knitted fabric is somewhat elastic, the ring will fit a woman's finger from size 6–9. To make a ring that is approximately size 9–11, work 2 additional beaded rows on each side of the 10 unbeaded band rows, and then adjust as desired when you sew the ring together.
The beads are worked on wrong-side rows but will show on the right side of the fabric.
See page 8 for more information about knitting with beads and embroidery floss.
Ring
Holding all strands of embroidery floss tog, string beads and pearls in following sequence: 5B, 1D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1D, 1B, 1C, 1B, 1D, 5B, 40A.
Band
Leaving a 16-inch tail, cast on 6 sts.
Row 1 (RS): K6.
Row 2 (WS): K1, [SB, k1] 5 times.
Rep [Rows 1 and 2] 3 more times — 4 rows of beads.
Knit 10 rows without beads.
Rep Rows 1 and 2 until all A beads have been used — 4 more rows of beads.
Top
Row 1 (RS): K6.
Row 2 (WS): K1, [SB, kl] 5 times.
Row 3: K1, p5.
Rep [Rows 2 and 3] 4 more times — 5 rows of pearls.
Purl 1 row.
Bind off kwise.
Cut floss, leaving a 16-inch tail.
Finishing
Close band
With RS facing and cast-on and bound-off edges butting, using blunt tapestry needle, cast-on tail and small whipstitches, sew edges together to close ring, turn. Use backstitches or whipstitches to sew edge again, catching any sts you may have missed, turn. Rep, using backstitches.
Shape dome
Using same tail, make small running stitches along one outer edge of pearled section to gather fabric, working into outer knitted loops. When you come to last pearl on this side, gently reinforce last st.
Switch to bind-off tail. Continue making running stitches on other side, cinching the fabric.
Continue around, shaping dome as desired and reinforcing beaded section of band. Try on the ring periodically to ensure proper fit, adjusting as necessary. Do not pull floss too tightly so that the dome remains open enough to fit on your finger. Do not reinforce the unbeaded section of the band — it should remain flexible and somewhat elastic.
Weave in tail ends. Cut and secure with clear nail polish.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Little Knitted Jewels by Kara Gott Warner. Copyright © 2012 DRG. Excerpted by permission of Annie's.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Contents
Before You Get Started,The Magic of Knitting Beaded Jewelry,
Black & Blue,
Pink & Pearls,
Boho Sun Berries Lariat,
Double-Take Earrings,
Blue Glacier Cuff,
Lovely Ladders,
Trio,
Lotus,
Arrowhead Necklace,
General Information,
Abbreviations & Symbols,
Skill Levels,
Standard Yarn Weight System,
Inches Into Millimeters & Centimeters,
Knitting Basics,
Techniques,
Crochet Stitches,
Sewing Stitches,
Beading Guide,
Photo Index,
Suppliers,