Knitting with beads has been one of my passions since discovering the technique several years ago. My first book of designs, published by Rowan in 2006 was entitled Beads, Buttons and Lace, and some of those designs are still popular with knitters .

Several of the designs I have done for magazines and yarn companies have featured beads, and I used them again in my 2012 book A Handknit Romance.

So enamored of beads am I that in 2015 I decided to research their historical use in knitting and present a paper at a conference in Glasgow entitled In the Loop: From Craft to Couture . I love researching so this was a really enjoyable exercise – and it revealed some  interesting new aspects to bead knitting! For more details see here.

Meanwhile, as a regular contributor to the Rowan magazine, I have designed several beaded garments. So when Rowan joined with Swarovski for a project in 2015 they asked me to submit designs. For more details see here.

Lastly, I’m currently working on some new, smaller beaded items, and am teaching workshops on bead knitting. See here.

Photos: Erika Knight; Rowan; Nick Sargeant; Jennie Atkinson; Vogue Knitting; The Knitter