Bead Whimsy

Learn how to put beautiful beads in an assortment of stitch patterns. While working a small bracelet sampler, you’ll explore four different beading situations and learn firsthand about creating color effects with beads. You will emerge with inspiration and tons of ideas.

Materials

Handouts: Please download and print a copy to bring to class. HANDOUT LINK

Yarn: Fingering weight or sock yarn, 20 yards

Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm) circular needle, double points, or pair of straights. Double points are preferred.

Beads: Size 8/0, 6/0 or 5/0 round, triangle, magatama or cube seed beads, preferably Japanese – 88 beads: 70 of one color, size, shape or texture (MC); 18 of another (CC)

Notions:

• Steel crochet hook, size 13 (0.75 mm) for placing beads
• Decorative button of any size
• Dental floss threader for stringing beads (found in drug and grocery stores)
• Yarn needle

Homework

String the 70 MC beads onto the outside end of yarn (not the center pull end) with the dental floss threader. Use it just like you would use a needle; thread the yarn end (from the outside of the ball of yarn, not the center) through the loop, and pick up beads with the long end. When you have several beads stacked up, slide the beads down the strand of yarn. Repeat.

About Sivia Harding

Does bling make your heart sing? If you’ve always wanted to add some beads to your knitting, now you can learn how when Sivia Harding comes to our guild in June.

Sivia Harding is a knitwear designer known mainly for her work with beads and lace. She has worked with fiber and art since childhood, but she only learned how to knit in her mid-forties. She loves teaching because of the cross-pollination of ideas and enthusiasm that happens in a class setting. Look for her work on Ravelry and on her website https://www.siviaharding.com/.

Sivia will present the program at our Guild meeting, “Seduced by Beads”, she will inspire you to start knitting with beads so you can add bling to any knitting pattern, from simple beaded edgings to elaborate beaded knits that make a statement.  Sivia will also offer three workshops.

Please sign-up for the workshops at the May meeting or send an email to Tina Rounsavell at cmrouns@aol.com and make your check payable to SDNCKG.  If you have any questions, please contact Tina.