Bead knitting

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Bead knitting is a type of knitting in which the stitches are decorated with ceramic or glass beads. Important advantages include (1) the surface and color effects available with beads (and not with yarn) and (2) the longer wear of the beads may lengthen the life of the knitted fabric significantly.

The techniques are described here for beads, but knitting sequins (and other perforated objects) can be done analogously.

[edit] Techniques

The classic approach is to thread beads on the yarn in advance. (The rotational axis of the bead is aligned horizontally.) In this case, the easiest method is to slip the stitch with the yarn (and bead) in front at the position where a bead is desired. The bead will be visible only on the right side of the work. The disadantage of this method is that beads cannot be arranged on top of each other, since the same stitch could have to be slipped multiple times. A second, alternative method is to position the bead on the yarn connecting two stitches, i.e., between two bights. A third alternative method is to knit the stitch with the bead on the bight itself. For consistency, the bead should be positioned on the same leg of the bight. Using this third method, one can make a densely beaded knitted fabric, i.e., one that appears to be all beads, with no knitted yarns visible. It is sometimes difficult, however, to keep the bead on the right side of the fabric; for this reason, the stitches are often twisted, to tighten up the fabric.

A second approach that offers more flexibility is to thread the bead onto the bight, i.e., onto the loop before it is knitted. (The rotational axis of the bead is aligned vertically.) In this case, the beads appears on both sides of the fabric. The chief drawback of this method is that the beads must be larger, since two strands of the yarn pass through the bead. In this approach, it is helpful to make an elongated stitch to fit both the bead and the next stitch.

A third approach is to sew on the beads after knitting. This approach is the least desirable, since it does not protect the yarn as well and since the sewing thread is usually weaker than the yarn.

[edit] History of bead knitting

In the Victorian era, it was popular to knit densely beaded purses using tiny knitting needles made of stiff wire, much smaller ( $\mathrm{\ll 1 mm}$ ) than the smallest knitting needle available commercially today. Such tiny stitches allow for very intricate patterns.