I promised, in my last post about Nicole, to tell you about how I resolved the beady problem of the straps.

The pattern tells you to knit the straps then sew nearly 200 beads on afterwards by hand. As I said in my last posting, I’d rather stab myself in the leg repeatedly with a metal 2.25mm needle than do that!! 😮

The strap is a very cute 4 row pattern done like this…

Foundation Row: K1, K2tog, yfwd, K1, (Yfwd) twice, K1. (7 st)

Row 1: (WS) P1, (P1, K1) into double Yfwd of previous row, P2tog, yrn, P2.

Row 2: K1, K2Tog, Yfwd, K4

Row 3: Cast off 2 st (one stitch on right needle), P2tog, yrn, P2 (5 sts)

Row 4: K1, K2tog, yfwd, K1, (Yfwd) twice, K1. (7 st)

Repeat rows 1-4….

This is what it looks like ….

Very pretty but no beads….

I’d usually add beads using the slip stitch method, as eloquently described here on Kim Hargreaves’ site.

I couldn’t use that method because I needed to place a bead every other row and would need a handy knit stitch on the straight side of the strap.

I did notice a very handily placed “yrn” on every WS row though (bolded in the pattern)…..and in the right place……”hmmmmmm” 💡

Firstly, use short needles when you’re doing this or you’ll take an eye out with the flailing ends! I used 20cm DPNs but they still felt a bit long!

Thread your beads on the yarn and described on Kim’s Help Page – about 40 is enough for each strap.

***Click on the following photos to see them bigger***

When you get to the “yrn” , slide the bead up to the front of the work and work the Yrn. Make sure you keep the bead pushed away from yo, to the right side of the strap. Like this…

then finish the row by doing P2.

On the next row you start with K1, K2tog. The K2tog is where you trap the bead in place. Insert the RH needle and make sure the bead is pushed down and under the RH needle as you make the stitch. Like this…

then wrap the warn around the needle as usual making sure the yarn passes over the bead on it’s way to the needle tip.

Make the stitch and it should look like this!

And here a fabulously beaded strap with no sewing and no leg stabbing required…

I have probably explained that very badly but have a bash at it – it’s intuitive when you have the needles in your hands.

Give it a go! 😀