We have been selling, teaching and designing these wonderful pieces of jewelry for at least 5 years based on Theresa Williams book, Bead Knitted Pendant Bags. Here are some tips that we have discovered during the process that might help...

Perle Cotton

We recommend Anchor Perle cotton size 8 as your knitting thread. DMC makes lovely colors too, however, we have found that the Anchor is more tightly twisted and therefore tends to shred less than the DMC when the beads are slid into place during the knitting process. This is why we carry only Anchor perle cotton, but you can use DMC with great success.

The basic idea of bead knitting is to pre-string your perle cotton (which is your knitting thread) with the amount of beads you will need to complete the small project. If you are knitting an evening bag, we find that one hank at a time is more easy to handle. Finish knitting to the end of the row, cut the perle cotton (leaving a good 5" tail), transfer another hank of beads to the perle cotton, join the new perle cotton to the 5" tail (square knot) and continue knitting. Leave the tails to work into the seam after project is knitted.

Hanks or No Hanks

You can use pre-packaged or "loose" beads. We suggest you string them on sewing thread. A #12 beading needle or #12 applique needle can be used to do this. To knit a purse without a flap, from the above book, you will need 160" of strung beads. When you purchase them by the hank, they are already pre-strung and you will need to transfer 8 strands of beads to your perle cotton unless you have purchased a 3-cut bead.

A typical hank (seed bead or 2-cut) has twelve (12) 20" strands of beads. If you have purchased a 3-cut bead, be aware that there are 2 fewer strands in the hank and the strands are approximately 1" shorter (19"). You will not have enough beads to knit the bag, knit a large flap and use the 3-cuts in the fringe and in the necklace. You will have enough beads to knit the bag and add a very simple single strand necklace. No flap. No fringe. Please plan your projects accordingly.

Transferring Tips

We highly recommend NOT attempting to transfer your beads from the hank to the perle cotton for the first time when sitting on a wild flower print bead spread in a hotel, in the car while driving (or someone else driving), sitting in a airplane seat (in the air or on the ground), or sitting on the couch with the cat greatly interested.

Place a piece of muslin, a tea towel or other smooth surface piece of fabric about the size of a placemat on a flat surface (your kitchen or dining room table). This will be your catching bouncing beads pad, in case there is a disaster. Carefully loosen the half-knot in the hank. The idea is to remove one piece of thread from the knot, so that the knot holds the other end of that strands and all the other strands in the hank. These will act as an anchor. Tie the freed thread around the end of the ball of perle cotton. A simple half-knot will do. Look in the booklet of knitting instructions for a picture diagram. Slide the beads from the hank strand onto the perle cotton thread.

Repeat this process for 8 strands. By keeping the hank together as best you can, beads do not slip off the other end of the strand you are working on. I also had a customer suggest that you remove a single strand from the hank, tape one end to the kitchen counter top and transfer your beads to the perle cotton. This will also prevent beads from sliding off the end of the transfer strand.

Those Pointy Little Needles!

The only reason we use double pointed needles is because they don't make fine, short "regular" knitting needles with the built in stitch stoppers at the end. My Dad took an 8" double pointed 0000 needle for me, filed it in half (with a fine jewelers file) and glued a 10mm Czech Lampin bead over the cut end. They are darling and short since this pattern calls for 21 stitches on the needle at a time.

Since my Dad won't make these for me in production (I believe his words were "Don't you dare ask me to go into business..." as he handed them to me), here are other ideas you can try. Mom uses a piece of wine cork on one end. Jacqui uses a bell shaped, plastic pierced earring back. You can also glue a pretty bead on the end of the 8" needle. We recommend using E-6000 glue to give your needles a personal touch.

Knitting is Done; Let's Finish It

Congrats! You have completed your first little project. Audition beads for fringe and necklace at this time. Stitch up the side seams using the perle cotton. When it comes to creating your necklace, please use Silamide or NYMO beading thread (Size D). We have discovered the hard way, that using the perle cotton for your necklace beads, causes the perle cotton to stretch, beads slide, fraying occurs and you have a broken necklace.

These threads are nylon; one is a bonded nylon (NYMO) and one is a twisted nylon (Silamide). When you make a knot in the end, please let it have a little 1/2" or so tail. This stiff thread might (over time) back out of the knot. A longer tail helps to prevent this from happening. Cut your thread to length and then give it a tug, taking out any stretch. You are actually un-kinking it and letting it relax.

Most people like a necklace long enough to go over your head without a closure. Cut a piece of NYMO or Silamide twice the length you will need. Do not double it. Put a knot in the end of your necklace thread (as if you were using thread to sew on a button). Secure the thread in the seam of the knitted bag by taking a couple little stitches in the seam. Now string the beads for the necklace. Once they are all one, secure the thread in the opposite seam by taking a couple little stitches in the seam. Now run the needle back through all the beads in the necklace. Secure and tie off in the seam where you originally started. You have made 2 passes through your necklace. You did not cheat and use it double, securing only once each side, right? Good for you!

Please also use the Silamide or NYMO thread when adding your fringe to the bottom of the bag. Secure the thread in the seam at one side of the bag, preferably hiding the knot and the tail in the seam. Work across the bottom of the bag, ending on the other side, securing the knot and hiding the tail in the seam.

Enjoy your hand crafted little treasure bag! We always tell everyone that we might be creating a monster because like potato chips, you can't have only one. Be inspired to use Jean's incredible designs in your own work. She is my Mother and is a very talented technician as well as creative person. I enjoy sharing her work with you.

If you have any tips that you would like to share, please email me and I will try to figure out a way of posting them for all to share. Bead happy knitting!