How To Make a Belt Using Beaded Knitting

This versatile beaded belt pattern makes a fun, funky accessory for almost any outfit.

Skills Required: Basic knitting - cast on/off, knit/purl

Materials: You will need one skein of yarn and appropriately-sized knitting needles (see yarn label), and 1 package of pony beads. The beads may be in a matching color, several complimentary colors or even in one or more contrasting colors, but you will need at least three dozen. You may find an upholstery needle helpful for the beading, and one of the variations calls for 3 buttons.

Instructions: To begin, unravel about three feet of yarn from your skein. Thread all the beads onto the end, using the needle, if desired. Slide the beads down to the skein, out of the way. Cast on enough stitches for a width of 1½ inches. Use the listed gauge on the yarn label as a guide for this. It does not have to end up exactly 1½ inches, but you do need to maintain the same number of stitches per row all the way through the project.

Row 1/Row 3/Row 5: Knit the first stitch, then purl until there is one cast-on stitch left on the needle. Knit this stitch.

Row 2: Turn the work and purl the first stitch, then knit 2 stitches. Draw one pony bead up the working yarn so that, when you wrap the yarn for the next knit stitch, the bead lies between the two needles. When you pull the new stitch up onto the needle in your dominant hand, the bead should be just below it. Knit until 1 stitch is left, then purl the remaining stitch.

Row 4: Turn the work and purl one stitch, then knit 4 stitches. Draw a bead up the working yarn. Knit until 1 stitch remains, then purl the last stitch.

Row 6: Turn the work and purl one, then knit the next 6 stitches. Draw one bead up the working yarn. Knit until 1 stitch remains, then purl.

Repeat Rows 1-6 until the belt is long enough to tie loosely around your waist, or hang down from your front belt loops 3-6 inches.

Variations: 1 - After Row 6, follow instructions in reverse from Row 5- Row 1, to create a zigzag pattern. 2 - Make the belt only 2-3 inches longer than the width of your waist, sew 3 buttons onto one side and make a loop on the other end, so that the belt fastens. 3 - Knit it extra long to double as a neck scarf.