First I want to apologize for not being "here" last week. Two weeks ago I learned they were going to bulldoze the dormitory I lived in for 2 years at Northern Illinois University and with less than a week's notice, I found out they were having a last dinner in the dorm for any alumni who wanted to show up. On Sunday night. I was very bittersweet and I will likely do a diary about that at some point. However, now on to the point of this week's diary: adding beads to a knitting project without prestringing. Many experienced knitters likely already know how to do this, but I do this a little differently and it has worked well for me.
To find out how, follow me below the orange squiggle.
I am working on a shawl, Bella Botanica, to take on a cruise to Alaska. It is the most challenging knitting I have ever done, and I'm glad to say that I am on the last 4 rows and there are very few errors in it.
The key point to adding beads without prestringing them is to have a crochet hook that is small enough to slide seeds beads over. I have a size 14 that I inherited from a friend's great aunt. It is a wonderful size for doing this although I have read of using a size 12 crochet hook as well (or dental floss or even guitar wire). I tried the dental floss and didn't like it; never tried guitar wire. In all cases the process is much the same. You begin with the knitting project, the crochet hook, and beads. And yes, the crochet hook is bent. I got it that way. Works fine.
First you slide the beads on the crochet hook. Because of the bend, I can only slide 5 - 6 seed beads on.
When you come to a place that needs a bead, you knit (or purl if appropriate) the stitch, then carefully slide it off the needle, holding onto it.
Then hook the yarn with the top of the crochet hook and slide the bead down.
Slide the stitch back on the right hand needle, being sure to keep it in the correct orientation, and knit on!
Most instructions have you adding the bead with the stitch remaining on the needle, slide the stitch off the needle, slide the bead down and put back on the needle. I found this to be too awkward.
Update on the DK VA Hospital Warmth for Vets Project
Below is the current list of hats and gloves promised. I have started receiving some of them. If everyone keeps to their committment, we will have 100 (!!) hats and scarves to go to homeless vets in the Detroit area who visit the VA hospital. Everyone should be PROUD of this!
VA Hats & Scarves NN14
Hat Scarf
WFH 3 2
NAR 1
Susan S. 15
Shellly L. 2
Tabatha 1
Eve 1 1
Kat D 1
Kathy T. 2 2
Nicole 1
Jody L N 1
Sharon N 1
Marguerite 3 Got 1
Broths / Barb 20 finished
Fineena 5
Elizaveta 2
jlms qkw 1
BLW 2
Temmoku 1
mommyof3 2 2
Texas Mom 2
Cali Scribe 2 2
Arlene 2 2
suejazz 4 4
Frankenoid 1
Question Authority 2
HappyinNM 1 1
McRonan 1
Supenau 4 Got them!
17 83
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON?