This spring the dwarf apple tree outside my kitchen window just exploded into bloom! Stray petals wafted through the window on the breeze, and it wasn’t long before the intoxicating fragrance called me outside. I spent a happy hour sitting next to the tree with my knitting, soaking up the sunshine and exquisite floral sweetness, and listening to the hum of the bees. There were hundred¬s of them, looping lazily from one bloom to another to sip the nectar. They seemed drunk on the sun’s warmth and so much sweet bounty, and their happy buzz began to sound like a song, the very sound of bliss and contentment. I knitted these wristlets as a tribute to the bees, and a reminder of that happy afternoon.

Wristlets are easy to knit – they’re simply a tube knitted in the round with no shaping. Bees In Love are knitted in stranded stockinette colorwork from a chart, with written instructions for the picot garter edgings. They can be knit on double points, two circulars or with the Magic Loop method. Optional metallic yarn accents and sewn-on beads and sequins add extra sparkle, but these wristlets would also look lovely without. These use small amounts of several colors of fingering or sock weight yarn so are a great project for leftovers. You can use more or fewer colors as you wish – small projects like this are a great opportunity for playing with colors, so have fun!

Skills required:
• Knit and purl stitches
• Stranded color stockinette knitting
• Picot cast on and bind off (instructions given)
• Sewing on beads and sequins (instructions given)
• Knitting small circumferences in the round