Putting Beads in

I've been doing the test knitting for the Beaded Mittlets (by Shirl the Purl). I was interested to see if different methods would display the beads differently. So I thought I'd explore:

• stringing the beads onto the yarn and placing them by purling them on one round, and knitting through the back of the stitch on the following round (which is how it's written in the pattern itself);
• the crochet hook method of placing beads as you come to the point in the pattern of needing the bead (which I used on my shawl shown last month).

So, I tried it on my next pair of mittlets (Christmas present for younger sister Heather). And the answer was? Yes, there is a difference. See below:

The pink and red mittlets (far left and middle) used the pattern method (stringing the beads) and the blue version in progress, on the right, used the crochet hook method. Can you see the difference? Here's a close up:

The beads on the left show better. They are more prominently displayed as they sit more "on top" of the yarn. The blue version almost hides one bead in the cable. They also sit further "in" the yarn. I doubled checked this by turning the mittlets inside-out and sure enough, you can see much more of the beads on the blue version on the inside. I think the cable also looks like it crowds the beads on the blue version.

So, I think it depends on what you're doing. I would NOT have liked to carry the beads for my shawl all the way to the end just to use them on the 2nd last row. Also, the fact that the beads show on both sides works very well for the shawl. So, for the shawl, the crochet hook method works better and for the mittlets (or The Beaded Hat or The Beaded Mittens) the stringing the beads on method is better.

Good to know.

-Lynda