How To Knit A Beaded Necklace

Make this knitted necklace with beads as a great gift or for yourslf. It is quick and simple and there are endless possibilities.

I wrote this post to provide simple instructions on how to knit a beaded necklace. I like to make these with a variety of beads and yarns. For the one shown above, the yarn I used was Knit Picks Pallette in Bronze Heather and then I used some old wooden beads I had in my craft supplies that were no longer even in a package. They were all just mixed in with the buttons in my button box. I had never tried this before but I knew that I wanted to learn how to knit a necklace. I am glad that I gave it a go and was able to come up with this pattern and design. It is a gift idea I can use repeatedly.

How To Knit A Beaded Necklace

Supplies needed

• Fingering weight yarn
• 2 US size 3 double point knitting needles
• 57 wooden beads (

  

  When working with beads while knitting there are a couple of ways that you add the beads. One way is to string the beades onto the yarn before beginning and the other involves a more complicated process with floss or a crochet hook. For this project we are going to pre-string the beeds. You can watch a video of that here. (This is a video of the other method)

  For the first knitted strand you will want to string 25 beads onto your yarn.

Leaving a 6 inch tail, cast on 4 stitches and work in an i-cord for 20 rows. Knitting an i-cord is very simple. You will need 2 double pointed needles. After working your row you do not turn your work, you simply slide it to the other end of the needle and begin working the first stitch again, using the yarn that is coming off the other end. This will cause your work to “roll” to make a cord. Here is a video to watch to learn how to make an i-cord.

Slide the bead up to the needles and wrap the yarn to knit as always but also move the bead past the needles to the other side.

Continue wrapping the yarn around again and then knit the stitch, grabbing BOTH of the yarn over wraps as one. Knit to the end of the row. Wrapping the yarn two times like this and then grabbing both of the wraps will “snug” the bead to the i-cord.

Knit the next row as for an i-cord, but knit those first two stitches together as one so that your i-cord remains just four stitches. Knit 5 more rows and then attach another bead. Keep to this pattern of one row of adding a bead and 5 rows of i-cord until you get to the last bead. Knit 20 rows of i-cord, bind off and cut work, leaving a 6 inch long strand.

Now load another 32 beads onto your yarn. (Now, I could only add 32, because that was all I had, but 35 would be nice and would use an entire package of 60 beads.) Work the same as the first strand.

Even up one end on each of your two completed strands. Thread these through the end of the lobster claw. Repeat other side attaching a jump fing to which the lobster claw will clasp, Finish up your raw ends. I secured mone with a bit of fabric glue.

Try different combinations of yarn or thread and beads to create your unique knit beaded necklace. I hope you enjoy learning how to knit a necklace!