Friday, October 2, 2009

Sparkle: Beaded Holiday Placemats (a free knitting pattern)



I've been trying to come up with things to make for family for christmas. I had an idea for some nice placemats that were simple, but still dressed up a little for the holidays. Here's what I came up with:

Yarn: Bernat Handicrafter Cotton Ultrasoft in Imperial Red
Needles: size 6
Gauge: 20 stitches per 4 inches
Beads: use a bead that has a large enough hole to get the beads onto the worsted weight yarn. The beads I used were the large sized glass beeds from beader's paradise (I found them at JoAnn fabrics)

PB (Place Beads): bring yarn to front of work, slide bead as close to last worked stitch as possible, slip next stitch while holding bead in front of it, so that the slipped stitch is behind the bead. Bring yarn back to back of work to begin next stitch.



Pattern for Placemat:

Thread 25 beads onto the yarn (BEFORE CASTING ON!!)
Cast on 80 stitches.
Work 6 rows of seed stitch (K1P1 across for a row, next row K1P1)

Row 1 (right side): work seed stitch in first 5 stitches, Knit to last 5 stitches, work seed stitch in last 5 stitches
Row 2 and every wrong side row: work seed stitch across first 5 stitches, Purl across to last 5 stitches, work seed stitch to end.
Row 3: work seed stitch in pattern for the first 5 stitches, knit 6, PB, knit across to last 5 stitches, work seed stitch to end.
Row 5: same as row 3
Row 7: work seed stitch across first 5 stitches, K3, PB, K2, PB, K2, PB, work across to last 5 stitches, work seed stitch to end.
Row 9: work seed stitch in first 5 stitches, K4, PB, K1, PB, K1, PB, knit across to last 5 stitches, work seed stitch to end.
Row 11: Work seed stitch in first 5 stitches, K5, PB, K1, PB, knit across to last 5 stitches, work seed stitch to end.
Row 13: Work seed stitch in first 5 stitches, K2, [PB, K1] 4 times, PB, knit across to last 5 stitches, work seed stitch to end.
Row 15: work as row 11
Row 17: work as row 9
Row 19: work as row 7
Row 21: work as row 3
Row 23: work as row 3
Row 25: Work seed stitch in first 5 stitches, K across to last 5 stitches, work seed stitch to end.
Continue working as row 25 until work measures 11 inches.
Work 6 rows of seed stitch. Bind off in pattern. Weave in ends.



Measurements: Finished placemat measures 16 inches by 12 inches.


5 comments:

Barbara said...

Hi, Love your design, making my first one. Have you since created any other patterns, such as a snow man, angel etc?

Anonymous said...

This is a cute design! My aunt Carol would love it; too bad Christmas is over... I'll make it for her next year.:)

Anonymous said...

Aren't your directions for the seed stitch border supposed to be P1, k1 for Row 2???

Jenna said...

Yes, I think you're right.

Anonymous said...

I am going to do a pair of these as a wedding gift and I think I will attach the beads after knitting is done. I will place them in the shape of a heart.