Do you have a  knitting spool? Have you used it to create a stunning knitted jewelry design? Did you know there are more ways to knit with it than one? Today, we are looking at three knitting pattern styles you can use with the knitting spool and Soft Flex Flexible Beading Wire or Soft Flex Craft Wire. Each knitting style has a different finished look and each wire type gives your finished jewelry a unique feel. Make your next bracelet or necklace look professional with these simple design tips.

Did you know you can use Craft Wire with your knitting spool? 24 gauge is the thickest we would suggest, otherwise it becomes difficult to manipulate the wire on the spool. 28 gauge is a wonderful size for easy designs. You can also use Sterling Silver wire in any of these gauges. All of our Soft Flex Beading Wire spool diameters work on knitting spools. Medium is the one we prefer as our medium diameter comes in the largest array of colors.

The knitting spools we sell at  Soft Flex Company are updated versions of the spool you may have owned as a child. We often hear feedback at how wonderful it is to see a tool that people once loved as a child and can now enjoy as an adult. Create jewelry and go back in time with a knitting spool today!

Knitting spools are wonderful for jewelry designs that use Soft Flex Beading Wire or Soft Flex Craft Wire. You can change your design by choosing a different knitting pattern style or size of spool and you can also use different colors, beading wire diameters or gauges of Soft Flex Craft Wire as well as thread, cord, yarn and leather. You can add beads and weave multiple different materials together to create unique, one-of-a-kind jewelry. The possibilities are endless!

Before we get to the three different knitting styles, we will revisit Sara at Beads Baubles And Jewels. She showed us how she works with multiple strands of Soft Flex Beading Wire to create a delicious Southwestern flavored bracelet. The video is short, but packed full of great tips and is great for inspiration.

Beads Baubles And Jewels - Southwest, Episode 2704 with Sara Oehler

Sara worked with a  knitting spool for her Southwestern inspired bracelet. The design looks complicated but it is so easy once you play with the spool for a bit.In this project, Sara used three colors of .019 Medium Soft Flex beading wire – Turquoise, Red Jasper and Citrine. You can also find all three of these colors in our Trios Southwest Design Collection. These colors really evoke the spirit of the Southwest!

Sara took all three colors and knitted them together on a 4 pin knitting spool. She used Soft Flex crimp tubes (key for a good hold) on both ends to string and attach to findings from Saki Silver, one of her favorite findings companies. The decoration on the toggle clasp reminded her of a big sun and felt appropriate for a piece inspired by the sunny Southwest.

Click here for instructions to make the Southwest Knit Bracelet by Sara Oehler.

Knitting Spool Style 1

This style yields a design that looks like  Viking Knit. The basic instructions that come with each knitting spool are for this style. When demonstrating the knitting spool, this is the knitting pattern style that we generally show. For written instructions, follow this link on how to use Knitting Spool Style 1.

This video shows how easy it is to start and use what we refer to as  Knitting Spool Style 1 on a 5-pin Knitting Spool. The bracelet below used Knitting Spool Style 1 on a 4-pin Knitting Spool.

Knitted Cage Bracelet

Designer Jamie Hogsett
Skill Level Intermediate

Materials
Soft Flex Beading Wire, .019 Diameter, Antique Brass Color
Soft Flex Beading Wire, .019 Diameter, Dark Blue Lapis Color 
Soft Flex Beading Wire, .019 Diameter, Peridot Color 
Soft Flex Beading Wire, .019 Diameter,Turquoise Color 
20mm Sterling Silver  Toggle Clasp 
3x3mm Sterling Silver Crimp Tubes - 2 pcs 
14x18mm Sterling Silver  Cones - 2 pcs
2mm Thai Silver Cornerless Cubes - 24 pcs
4mm Azure Crystallized - Swarvoski Elements Crystal Bicones - 16 pcs
4mm Indicolite Crystallized - Swarvoski Elements Crystal Bicones - 16 pcs
4mm Aquamarine Crystallized - Swarvoski Elements Crystal Bicones - 16 pcs
4mm Turquoise Satin Crystallized - Swarvoski Elements Crystal Bicones - 16 pcs
4mm Peridot Crystallized - Swarvoski Elements Crystal Bicones - 16 pcs
10mm Pale Blue Lucite rounds - 3 pcs

Tools
4-Pin Knitting Spool and Stylus 
Cutters 
Mighty Crimping Pliers 
Bead Stoppers

Instructions

Finished Size: 8"

Step 1: Use the Antique Brass beading wire and the 4-Pin Knitting Spool to knit a 6 1/2" length of knitted wire using Style 1 in the instructions for How to Use the Knitting Spool, making sure to leave 3" of wire at the beginning of the knitted wire. Cut the wire from the spool, leaving a 3" tail, and place a Bead Stopper on the wire. Set aside.

Step 2: Divide the crystals into twelve piles, with each pile having one crystal bicone of each color.

Step 3: Cut 16" of Dark Blue Lapis beading wire. Place a Bead Stopper on one end of the wire. Using 1 pile of crystal bicones at random to string 2 bicones, 1 cornerless cube, 1 bicone, 1 cornerless cube, 2 bicones, and 1 Lucite round. Repeat three times, omitting the final Lucite round. Place a Bead Stopper on the wire.

Step 4: Repeat Step 3 using Peridot wire and passing the wire through the Lucite rounds. Repeat Step 3 using Turquoise wire and passing the wire through the Lucite rounds.

Step 5: Remove the Bead Stopper from one end of each wire. Pass three wire ends through the knitted wire cage, gently pushing the beads into the wire a few at a time. If a wire end pokes through the knitted cage, carefully tuck it back inside. Make sure the second Lucite round strung is in the center of the knitted cage and that the other two Lucite rounds are evenly spaced.

Step 6: Use all four wire ends (Antique Brass, Dark Blue Lapis, Peridot, and Turquoise), to string 1 cone (wide end first), 1 crimp tube, and one half of the clasp. Push the cone onto the end of the wire cage and snug the wires. Pass all four wires back through the crimp tube, and crimp.  Click here for crimping instructions. Carefully trim the wire ends.

Step 7: Repeat Step 6 for the other end of the bracelet.

Knitting Spool Style 2

The bracelets below used  Knitting Spool Style 2 on a 3-pin Knitting Spool. The key difference between this style and Knitting Spool Style 1 is the way the wire is looped over the pegs. For written instructions, follow this link on how to use Knitting Spool Style 2.

Trios Knitted Bracelet

Designer Sara Oehler
Skill Level Intermediate

Materials
Trios Beading Wire Packs Multi-Color - 36 feet total, 12 feet in each color
3x3mm Sterling Silver Crimp Tubes - 6 pcs 
Toggle - 1 set 
Cones - 2 pcs

Tools
5 Pin Knitting Spool with Stylus
Mighty Crimping Pliers
Soft Flex Flush Cutters or Bead Nippers

Instructions

Click here for instructions on the Knitting Spool

Step 1: Use a 5 pin knitting spool to "knit style 2" all 3 strands of wire as if they were just one. Knit the entire length of the wires (12 feet), leaving at least a 1.5 inch tail to attach your clasp.

Step 2: Use all three strands to string 1 cone, 1 crimp tube, and one half of the clasp. Pass back through the tube and crimp. Click here for crimping instructions. Repeat on the other side. Trim the excess wire.

Knitting Spool Style 3

This bracelet used  Knitting Spool Style 3 on a 4-pin Knitting Spool. The key difference between this style the other knitting spool styles is, again, the sequence the wire is looped over the pins. For written instructions, follow this link on how to use Knitting Spool Style 3.

Check out this video. Kristen shows examples of Knit Style 1 and Style 3. She makes it easy to discern how unique each pattern is and she teaches you how to finish a Knit Style 3 bracelet.

This bracelet is an example of a design finished using  Knitting Spool Style 3.

We learned this Knitting Spool Style 3 from Sharon Hessoun. Sharon is a master of all things knitting spool. She has published a book on the subject. She is a designer, shop owner, and teacher. If you would like to immerse yourself in this lovely craft, she is an invaluable resource.

Finish Your Knitting Spool Design

Click this video and you will land on the Knitting Spool Playlist on our YouTube channel. Over twenty instructive videos are in the vault, with more added all of the time. Learn how to master and finish any knitting spool design!

Join the fun in our VIB Facebook Group today! Stay in the know. Stay up to date. From our bead shows to our video shows and sales, you can stay in touch with us. The community is full of artistic and helpful beaders and crafty people. Inspire and be inspired. Share your pictures and get the beading bug from others!

Visit the  Soft Flex Company YouTube Channel!

Blog contributor Thomas Soles loves Jazz Age writers and crunchy french fries. His favorite gemstones are Lapis and Pietersite. His favorite hobby is day dreaming. And his favorite mustache is Freddie Mercury's. As you can see, he has a healthy (or possibly unhealthy) sense of humor. You can write to him at Thomas@SoftFlexCompany.com