Here we’re arriving at the term of this loooong tutorial. I’m closing it introducing you another way I’ve just learned in the course of the test knitting of Starry pullover.
The third way is, strictly speaking, not a method but a variant of the crochet method. Actually, you make a crochet hook yourself with a beading.
The wire method has several advantages: you can load the wire with many beads, so no need to pick up beads one by one with crochet hook; you’re more likely to find a beading wire suitable for your beads’ size, as the size range of crochet hooks differs from one country to another and the size you need (i.e. 0.6 or 0.9 mm) could not be readily available in your country; a wire is relatively slimmer than a crochet hook head, which extends the scope of possibilities.
The wire need some rigidity to support the load of beads, but shouldn’t be too “thick”. As you will see, a bead will pass on the hook where the wire is doubled.
I used a 0.4 mm wire for Toho 8/0 beads (3 mm for 1.2 mm hole size) and I think it’s the maximum you can use for this size.
Here we go!
Make your wire crochet.
1. Take a length of beading wire 20 cm/8″ long. Make a little ring at one end and twist the wire so that the beads can’t drop off.
2. Load the wire with beads, as many as you want, but leave 5 cm / 2″ free of beads.
3. Bend the free end at the 1.5 cm / 0.5” from the end.
Your wire hook is ready!
Now you’ll use it as a crochet hook.
As with the crochet method, work the stitch to bead first and drop it off from the right hand needle (it’s better to work the stitches to bead, because they are to be pulled when we put a bead onto it).
1. Catch the stitch with the hook.
2. Slide a bead onto the hook…
… then put it onto the stitch.
The stitch is beaded!
Personally, I prefer working with a crochet hook, especially since I’ve found the perfect crochet hook (Clover Soft Touch 0.9 mm), because I feel the crochet is easier to handle, it’s a solid thing. But it’s sure when you have many beads to add, this variant is an excellent solution (I regret not knowing it when I knitted my Starry pullover). Anyway, give a try both ways and judge yourself!
And finally, thank you for your patience 🙂