Simple Beaded Chains For Jewelry and Eyeglasses

The Magic of Loom Knitting Elegant Jewelry That Is Rather Easy To Make

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Simple Beaded Chains

For Jewelry and Eyeglasses

Since I have already given my introduction as to how all this came about, let's get right into it.  If somehow you missed all the fun of the introduction, you can find it by clicking here.

In this tutorial, you will learn how to make a beaded chain that can be made any length desired and finished to make a necklace/bracelet or an eyeglasses chain.

Tools

The following are the tools you will need to complete the beaded chain itself.  Some of these items are used for the jewelry only and not the eyeglasses chain.

Knitting Loom and Loom Pick - A fine gauge loom with at least 2 pegs is all you need.  I used my treasured fine gauge loom by DALooms.  These lovely looms are no longer made.  But any fine or extra fine gauge loom may be used.  Only 2 pegs are needed.

 Flat-Nose Pliers - I recommend using flat-nose pliers.  The smooth surface reduces the chance of damaging the findings.  This pair was bought in a set of Craftsman pliers at  a Sears store about 15 years ago.  They can also be found in any jewelry supply section of any craft store.

Jump Ring Tool - This is a must if you are planning on using jump rings.  Jump rings should never be pulled open.  They should always be twisted open.  If you don't have one or want to buy one, use 2 pairs of pliers to twist them open and close.  How to use this is explained in this tutorial.

Beading Needles - I prefer using the flexible beading needles.  They are fairly inexpensive and are sold several to a package.  The eye of these needles will collapse making it easier to thread the beads.  If you are patient, you can reuse the needles by opening the eye using pliers.  This was purchased several years ago so the price likely isn't the same now...

Supplies

These are the supplies needed for these projects.  Some of these are sold in a pack of multiples so that more than one project may be completed with just one package.  All of these items may be found in any bead supply aisle of any craft store or online.

Beads - Both of these projects were made with vintage Czech crystal beads from my stash.  The eyeglasses chain used 30 - 5 mm faceted ruby beads and 31 - 4 mm faceted topaz beads for a total of 61 beads.  The necklace and bracelet used 5 x 4 mm bi-cone blue beads.  The length of the chain is dependent on how large the beads are.  The larger the beads, the longer the chain will be with the same number of beads used.  Any size or type of material of bead may be used.  Just remember than the larger the bead, the heavier the finished product.  Also keep in mind to match the size of the hole in the bead with the type and size of cord/thread.

2 ply Lame' Beading Cord - The cord used came with 10 yards per card.  I made both the necklace and bracelet with less than 10 yards.  The eyeglasses chain used less than than the jewelry.  Any type of thread or cord may be used if it can be threaded through the beads you are wanting to use.  Once again, price is likely not accurate.  Also keep in mind that 2 ply for this beading cord does not mean it is the same as 2 ply yarn.  

2 mm silver beads - These are used at each end of the necklace and bracelet before attaching the jump rings.  They are not required but do give a better finish.  I prefer spending a bit more for sterling silver than silver plated.  2 of these beads are needed for each necklace or bracelet.

Jump Rings - Once again, sterling silver is the way to go if you are wanting a piece of jewelry to last a lifetime without tarnishing.  2 jump rings are needed for each necklace or bracelet.

Lobster Claw Clasps - Any clasps may be used.  Or you may simply make a necklace long enough to tie the ends together and eliminate the need for a clasp, jump rings, or 2 mm silver beads.  I prefer the lobster claw clasps simply because they are easier for me to use.  And sterling silver is the metal of choice for me.  Only 1 is needed for each necklace or bracelet.

Eyeglass Holders - These are sold in various color choices.  I am sure you have already guessed you will only need 2 per chain unless you use a monocle...  And again on the price not being current.

Now on with the show!

The Chain

Since both the jewelry and the eyeglasses chain are basically the same until the finishing, let's start at the very beginning.

Step 1

Thread the beading needle with the cord/thread.

String all the beads onto the thread/cord.  Yes all the beads.  It is better to put too many on than not enough.  

If using more than 1 color bead, put them on in the order that they will be placed with the last bead to be used strung first and the first  bead to be used strung last.

Do not cut the thread or cord beforehand.  Just string the beads on while unwrapping the thread leaving the thread on the card or spool.  This way there is no worry about needing to join the thread or cord if there isn't enough.  Then simply unwrap the thread from the card as you work the chain.

Step 2

Make a slip knot leaving a tail about 6" long.

Place the slip knot on the loom.

After placing the slip knot on the first peg, wrap the second peg by bringing the working thread behind peg 2, around the front of the peg, and between the 2 pegs.  Now there is a loop on both pegs.

Wrap a second pass by bring the working thread behind peg 1, around to the front of peg 1, between pegs 1 and 2, around the back of peg 2, then back in front of the peg and between the pegs at the back.  Each wrap is like a figure 8 around the 2 pegs with the working thread always at the back.

Lift the bottom loop over the top loop on both pegs.

Important Note  After knitting over, gently tug the i-cord tail first then the working thread.  This keeps the stitches from being too loose or uneven.  This must be done after each set of stitches due to the thinness of the thread when used with this gauge loom.

Repeat the figure 8 wrap and knit over a total of 8 times.

Slide the first bead down the working yarn

 to the back between the 2 pegs.

Wrap making sure the bead is snug against the back of the peg

and knit over.  Work the i-cord 6 times remembering to always gently tug the worked end of the chain first then the working thread to snug up the stitches after knitting over each time.

Add the next bead and work the i-cord 6 times again.

Continue until the cord is the desired length ending with a total of 8 wraps after the last bead.

The length of my pieces are as follows:

• Necklace - 24"
• Bracelet - 6" - 8" depending on wrist size
• Eyeglasses Chain - 28"

Bind off by placing the loop that is on peg 1 onto peg 2 and pulling a 6" tail of thread through both loops.  Gently snug up those last stitches.

Finishing

The finishing for the necklace and the bracelet are exactly the same.

First thread the beading needle with the thread and string the first 2 mm silver bead.  The second will be placed on the other end.

Place the silver bead at the end of the i-cord.  The hole in the bead should not be big enough to slide over the i-cord itself.








While there are several different methods of attaching the thread tail to the jump ring, this is the method I used.

First run the thread through the jump ring and tie the end in a knot making sure the jump ring is next to the bead.






While this may be enough for some people, this is a time I love to use knots so let's carry on...

Now fold the tail and run it though the jump ring so that there is a single thread on one side and a folded double thread on the other.

While treating the side with the double thread as one, tie a square knot with both ends.






Repeat by running the folded tail through the jump ring and tie a second square knot.

Cut the ends.  Use a small dab of jewelry or fabric glue on the knot if desired.

Now prepare the clasp by adding a jump ring.

Place the jump ring tool on a finger.

Pick up a jump ring with the pliers so the the opening  is toward the end of the pliers.

Insert the jump ring into the appropriate size slot on the jump ring tool and twist the jump ring open.

Place the lobster claw clasp on the open jump ring.

Close the jump ring by repeating the steps to open it but twist it closed instead.

Now the jump ring is on the clasp.  And yes...  There are clasps that already have the jump ring attached.








Attach the other end of the chain to the jump ring on the clasp in the same manner as the first end.

Use the same method of attaching the thread tail to the jump rings to attach the thread tail to the eyeglass holders.

The possibilities are endless when using different beads and threads!  Spacing the beads closer or farther apart by working fewer or more i-cord stitches will give a different look as well.

I look forward to seeing what gorgeous projects everyone makes!  Share your work here in the comments, on the String Theory Fiber Works page on FB, or in any of the loom knitting FB groups.

Loom Knit Corkscrews

I have been thinking on corkscrews for some time.  There are a few other tutorials online loom knit corkscrews.  But I have been wanting tight spirals similar to crochet corkscrews that are not limited to the number of pegs on the loom for the length or using lots of decreases.

The other day while looking at a picture of an i-cord, it hit me.  A 2 peg modified i-cord.  Got out a loom and proceeded.  Got it on my second try.  First try, the yarn was not bulky enough for the loom gauge.  Found a heavier weight yarn, and it worked!  Oh happy day!

Had some trouble with my borrowed video camera though.  There is audio static.  Not happy at all...  But it does get better after 10 seconds or so.  I will try to remake the video whenever I can acquire a different camera.

But the video is recorded.  The tutorial is written.  And it's all uploaded to Ravelry in one nice downloadable file here.

Or find the video here.

Enjoy!

Zoe MacLean's Loom Knit Mermaid Tail with the Raised Paving Stitch

How exciting!  Zoe MacLean is very talented!  And she created a new loom knit pattern with the raised paving stitch that I converted for loom knit for a photo prop baby mermaid tail.  Isn't it incredible??

This is knit on the 36 peg round loom so the stitch has been modified just a little to accommodate the peg count of the loom.  She uses 2 strands of DK yarn held together as one.  DK is a 3 weight yarn equivalent to sports or baby weight yarn.

You can find her awesome pattern here.

Fringe (without Joshua Jackson as Peter Bishop ...)

So I was a on tear with my Addi King knitting machine the past 2 days.  Among the 12 hats, I made a tube scarf and added fringe.  Which lead to a small quick impromptu video on how I make and attach fringe.

Here is the video!  I hope it helps.  

My newest creation for the humiliation of the children...

Back in the fall while waiting for the bus with my kids, I got the bright idea for a hat.  Took me this long to get it done.

I know.  Classy...  not my best work but this was  fly by the seat of my pants project.  It can be done with knit (needles, loom, machine) or crochet.  It's quite simple.  I made this hat on my Addi King knitting machine.

Make a tight fitting beanie hat in the "hair" color of your choice. Cut long strands of the yarn and add it to the hat like fringe.  I cut my yarn about a yard long then cut it half.  Hooked it on so there were 2 strands per fringe.  Roll the fringe on sponge rollers.  I used 2 pieces of fringe about 1" apart per roller to hold them steady and 16 sponge rollers.  Use however many suits your fancy though.

Viola!

The perfect hat to wear with a housecoat while holding a cup of coffee when waiting for the bus.  You might want to do it in the afternoon when they least expect it.  Or makes a nice hat to wear to Wal-mart.

Update:

Here is a loom knit pattern for the hat including detailed instructions on how to attach "hair".

Curlers Wig Hat

Yarn Usage for Different Loom Knit Stitches

I have a new friend on Facebook!  Hard to believe but true nonetheless...  Say hello to Katie of the Crafty Misu Co.  You can find her at:  Facebook.com/craftymisuco

Well Katie has taken the trouble to work up some swatches to see how much yarn different stitches use.

Here is what she has found out.  Take it away, Katie!

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Alright so for everyone like me who knits on a budget, yarn usage is an important consideration before taking on a new project. Because I wanted to see which stitches have the best ratio between yard efficiency and knitting speed, I tested six stitches to see how much yarn they use (I already know how long they take me to knit, on average):

Measurements are for 5 rounds of knitting on a 12 peg (3/4" gauge) flower loom, counting from the end of the slip knot to the end of the tail of the working yarn:

E-wrap Knit - 136 1/4"
Flat Knit - 97 5/8"
U-Wrap Knit (U-Knit) - 102 7/16"
Basic Purl - 100 1/2"
Figure Eight (All-In-One-Round) - 221 7/16"
Diamond Lace - 225 1/2"

41" of each measurement was the cast-on length, that brings the per-stitch/per-peg measurements as follows:

E-wrap Knit - 2 1/4" ps
Flat Knit - 1 9/16" ps
U-Wrap Knit - 1 5/8" ps
Basic Purl - 1 1/2" ps
*Figure Eight (AIOR) - 3 5/8" ps
*Diamond Lace - 3 11/16" ps

*I will post pictures of the differences between these two stitches as well.

So long story short, you won't see a big difference in the amount of yarn used when you are making small projects with a low number of rows. However, the more rows you knit, the more you will notice that certain stitches use more yarn than others. The flat knit stitch uses the smallest yardage of yarn, and the diamond lace stitch uses the most.

Now for some pictures...

• Shows the 2" tail.
  

• E-wrap cast on - pulled taut but not stretched.

• Figure 8 (all in one round) - You wrap in a figure eight, until there are three loops on every peg, then knit over.

• Diamond lace stitch - You wrap in a figure eight, and knit over those two pegs before continuing. Each peg technically gets TWO stitches per round.

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Thank you, Katie, for all  your hard work and pictures!

Now I would like to add a few of things.  While the flat knit uses the least amount of yarn, it is also the shortest of the knit stitches.  The e-wrap knit stitch is the tallest of the knit stitches.  And the u-wrap knit stitch is in between the 2.  So you will need to keep in mind that it will take more rows using the flat knit stitch to get the same length as with the e-wrap or u-wrap knit stitches.  A post detailing the differences in the different knit stitches is on my list of things to do this year along with learning how to post pictures on here where they all line up properly...

Loom Knit Oval Shapes

Wanting to knit an oval on loom?  Well, look no further!  With a few short rows and picked up stitches, you will be knitting ovals on any loom in any size you want.

This is my first attempt at an oval.  And yes I know what it looks like...  Uh mum...

And this is my second attempt.  It is a little longer in the middle than the red one.

I am writing this so you can make any size oval. There is not a set number to cast on or number of rows.  It can make for a confusing pattern.  I am hoping the video will help clarify everything.  Feel free to ask questions either here or on the YouTube comments.

The width of the oval is double the number of pegs cast on.  So if you want an oval that is 10 stitches across, you need to cast on 5 pegs.  If you want an oval that is 30 stitches across, you cast on 15 pegs.  And so on.  You can use any gauge loom with any yarn weight you desire.

Video links at the end.

Here you go...

K - knit
P - purl
S - slip (skip)
W&T - wrap & turn - lift loop off peg and wrap working yarn around peg from back to front.  Now peg is has 2 wraps or loops on it and working yarn is ready to purl the first stitch on the next row.

I will be using letters for the rows for the garter ridges in the center section and numbers for rows on the end semi/half circles.

E-wrap cast on half the desired width.  You will need to cast on an odd number of pegs.

FIRST SIDE OF MIDDLE SECTION

Row A - S1, K rest.
Row B -  S1, P to last peg, K last
Repeat Rows A - B until you get the desired middle length.  Rows A and B together is 1 garter ridge.

Now we start our short rows for the curved end.

CURVED END SECTION

(*Row 1 - S1, K to next to last peg, W&T next to last peg
Row 2 - P to last peg, K last peg
Row 3 - S1, K to 2 pegs from last W&T, W& T the peg that is 2 pegs from the last W&T  -There should be a peg with only 1 loop between the pegs with the W&T
Row 4 - P to last peg, K last peg

Repeat Rows 3 and 4 until there is a W&T on every other peg with the end pegs only having 1 loop.  So your last repeat will only be having 2 pegs where you slip the first peg and wrap and turn the second then knit the end peg. * Refer to the video for clarification on this.

This shows how the pegs look at the end of the wedge with the W&T.

Now repeat Rows A and B once.)

That is the first wedge of 6 for the semi or half circle end.

Repeat inside the ( ) 4 more times.  Then repeat from * to * once more.  This will give you 6 wedges.  You now have 2 loops every other peg.

Now we are ready to work our garter ridges back down the other side while picking up the side stitch to join the 2 sides.

SECOND SIDE OF MIDDLE SECTION

Row A - S1, K rest
Row B - Place end stitch chain from the other side from the last garter ridge before the semicircle on the end peg.  P to the last peg, K last peg.

Repeat Rows A and B until all the side stitches from the other side have been joined.

Repeat the Curved End Section

There are 2 ways to finish.

Method 1 - Join and Bind Off

Place the cast on stitches back on the loom.
Using the Basic Bind off, bind off.

Method 2 - Bind Off and Seam with Mattress Stitch

Bind off first with Basic Bind off and use the mattress stitch to seam close.

If you wish,  you can sew the 2 little circles close.

I hope this helps!  Please feel free to refer to the videos to help understand what I have written.

Video Links

Part 1 -  Covers introduction and knitting the first side of the middle section.
Part 2 -  Covers the short rows for the first curved end.
Part 3 -  Covers knitting the second side of the middle section and joining the sides together as you knit.
Part 4 -  Covers the short rows for the second curved end, joining for the bind off, and binding off.
Part 5 -  Shows the finished product.

Or play them all on the Playlist.

New Videos Demonstrating Loom Knit Stitches

Got a request to make a video demonstrating the garter stitch.  So I made 3 videos.  Garter, rib, and seed stitches.  Will be adding other stitches later.  Also made a playlist that contains all the stitch videos.  So here are the links to the videos.

Garter Ridge Stitch

 

Rib Stitch

 

Seed Stitch

Here are all three side by side.  All swatches are 6 stitches wide.  Shows how much the ribbing draws together.