Stitch instructions: Written.

Beads: 40 g size 8/0 seed beads.

Other materials: Supplemental thread for carrying the beads: 35(40,45) yards.

From the pattern description: This hat is a flapper style, inspired by the movie “Agatha” with Vanessa Redgrave. Women in the 20’s and 30’s wore these lovely cloche hats. Laura envisioned one with a beaded band … which started us on the way to creating this hat design. A second inspiration was a biography of Bella Abzug, a politican who did a lot for women’s issues. Bella was famous for always wearing a hat; hence Bella’s Beads.

The design has a beaded roll brim followed by plain knitting, then a beaded band emphasized in purl stitches. Two versions for the crown are given - one with beaded purl circles (left), and the other with beaded garter spokes (right). For the beaded areas, you will be manipulating two strands of yarn, one with and one without beads. This is a simple way to introduce the beads as needed into the knitting.

There are two versions included in the pattern:

• Beaded Purl Circles
• Beaded Garter Spokes

Click to download a free preview of the pattern cover page

The lower 2 sample models show how nice Bella’s Beads looks when made in a smooth yarn, too! (commissioned by Laura Andersson and knitted by Rachel Wilson):

• Beaded Garter Spokes (pink) in Lorna’s Laces Shepherd worsted weight yarn, color Old Rose.
• Beaded Purl Circles (red/blue variegated) in 2 strands of Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock fingering weight yarn, color Mixed Berries. Instead of using a separate supplemental thread, the beads were carried on one strand of the sock yarn.