Knitty: Bijouterie - Winter 2008

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model: Olivia Foppiano

photos: Rosemary Hill

by Rosemary Hill

I love making knitted jewelry with wire: the sparkle, the satisfaction of making something beautiful, the instant gratification, and best of all the surprise on people's faces when they find out your jewelry is knitted!

You will be surprised at how easy on your hands knitting with thin gauge wire is, how simple it is to shape and form the knitted wire just by adjusting it with your fingers, and how quickly you can produce a beautiful pair of earrings.

Best of all, these three quick trinkets come just in time for the holiday season: easy to whip up and fun to wear to winter parties and celebrations! And need I add...they make perfect gifts!

SIZE

One

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

Measurements taken after finger blocking.

Earrings 1:
Bottom width: 0.75 inch
Length of knitted piece: 1.75 inches
Length including cable thimble and earring wire: 2.5 inches

Earrings 2:
Bottom width: 1.25 inches
Length of knitted piece: 1.75 inches
Length including cable thimble and earring wire: 2.5 inches

Earrings 3 [shown above]:
Bottom width: 0.875 inch
Length of knitted piece: 1.625 inches
Length including cable thimble and earring wire: 2.25 inches

MATERIALS

Earrings 1:
30 gauge wire [sterling silver, dead soft; 180 ft per troy ounce]; 6 feet
OR
Artistic Wire 32 gauge wire [silver plated copper; 30 yd per spool]; Non-Tarnish Silver; 2 spools
8 pearls [button shape; 2.5 x 4mm]; color: mauve
2 sterling silver cable thimbles (also called Wire Guardians)
1 pair sterling silver French earring wires
Note: if you are using artistic wire, you can use silver-plated earring wires and cable thimbles.

Earrings 2:
Artistic Wire 32 gauge wire [silver plated copper; 30 yd per spool]; Non-Tarnish Silver; 2 spools
44 pearls [button shape; 2.5 x 4mm]; color: white
2 silver plated cable thimbles (also called Wire Guardians)
1 pair silver plated earring wires

Earrings 3:
Artistic Wire 32 gauge wire [silver plated copper; 30 yd per spool]; Non-Tarnish Silver; 2 spools
32 pearls [button shape; 2.5 x 4mm]; color: rose pink
2 silver plated cable thimbles (also called Wire Guardians)
1 pair silver plated earring wires

Recommended needle size:
1 set US #2/2.75mm needles
Note: Bamboo needles are recommended. You may find it easier to use two double-point needles, rather than long straight needles.
[always use a needle size that gives you the gauge listed below -- every knitter's gauge is unique]

GAUGE

Gauge is not important for these projects.

PATTERN NOTES
[Knitty's list of standard abbreviations and techniques can be found here.]

Two spools of artistic wire will make all three pairs of earrings.

Finger block your wire as you are knitting; just pull down on it and shape as you go. It will make knitting with the wire much easier.

I used two double-pointed needles because they are short and much more manageable than long straight needles. I found it very easy to manipulate the wire. I had no problems with losing stitches.

Wire is used doubled on two version of the earrings, rather than using thicker wire. The doubled thin wire is much easier to knit than thicker wire!

Placing Beads: Beads are placed between stitches. To place a bead in your work, knit the stitch before the place you want your bead to go, slide the bead up the wire until it rests next to your right needle, then knit the next stitch. It's as easy as that!

Directions for making a Lark's Head Knot can be found here.

Instructions for the Backward Loop Cast On can be found here.

DIRECTIONS

EARRINGS 1 [shown at right] (Make 2)

Prestring 4 beads on wire.

Note: if you are not using sterling wire, use two strands of artistic wire held together, and string beads on one of the strands.

CO 5 sts, beginning with a lark's head knot and continuing with the backward loop method.

Row 1: [K1, place bead] four times, k1. 4 beads placed.

Rows 2-7: K all sts.

Row 8: Ssk, k1, k2tog. 3 sts.

Rows 9-11: K all sts.

Cut wire, leaving 4-inch tail.

Thread wire through live stitches and through cable thimble, then run through live stitches and cable thimble again [see photos below]. Wrap tail around top of knitted piece and wrap wire around itself to secure.

Trim wire.

EARRINGS 2 [shown at right] (Make 2)

Note: Use two strands of wire held together throughout.

Prestring 22 beads on ONE strand of wire.

With wire doubled, CO 8 sts, beginning with a lark's head knot and continuing with the backward loop method.

Rows 1 and 2: [K1, place bead] seven times, k1. 7 beads placed in each row.

Note: This is a good time to finger block the piece so that the beads are arranged as shown in the photo.

Rows 3-5: K all sts.

Row 6: Ssk, k4, k2tog. 6 sts.

Row 7: K all sts.

Row 8: [K1, place bead] five times, k1. 5 beads placed.

Row 9: K all sts.

Row 10: Ssk, k2, k2tog. 4 sts.

Row 11: [K1, place bead] three times, k1. 3 beads placed.

Cut wire, leaving 4-inch tail. Thread wire through live stitches and through cable thimble, then run through live stitches and cable thimble again [see photos below] . Wrap tail around top of knitted piece and wrap wire around itself to secure.

Trim wire.

EARRINGS 3 (Make 2)
Note: Use two strands of wire held together throughout.

Prestring 16 beads on ONE strand of wire.
With wire doubled, CO 6 sts, beginning with a lark's head knot and continuing with the backward loop method.
Row 1: K1, place bead, [k2, place bead] twice, k1. 3 beads placed.
Even-Numbered Rows 2-12: K all sts.
Row 3: K2, [place bead, k2] twice. 2 beads placed.
Row 5: Work as for Row 1.
Row 7: Work as for Row 3.
Row 9: Work as for Row 1.
Row 11: Ssk, place bead, k2, place bead, k2tog. 2 beads placed; 4 sts.
Row 13: Ssk, place bead, k2tog. 1 bead placed; 2 sts.
Row 14: K2.

Cut wire, leaving 4-inch tail. Thread wire through live stitches and through cable thimble, then run through live stitches and cable thimble again [see photos below] . Wrap tail around top of knitted piece and wrap wire around itself to secure. Trim wire.

FINISHING

Attach each cable thimble to an earring wire and you are set.

ABOUT THE DESIGNER

A regular contributor to Knitty, Rosemary (aka Romi) has just had her book, "Elements of Style: Knit & Crochet Jewelry with Wire, Fiber Felt and Beads" published by Interweave Press. When she's not designing lace and jewelry patterns, she's making shawl pins and sterling yarn ball jewelry for her company, Designs by Romi. She's just happy to be mixing work with play!

Drop by her blog to see what she's up to these days!