I wanted to design a piece that would reflect my homeland in beads rather than using the traditional cable work - but without being St. Patrick’s Day-gimmicky!

The colours that kept coming to me were the creamy whites and soft greens of the delicate Belleek pottery, which is made in Northern Ireland, and famous all over the world.

This sweater is available in children’s sizes from preemie baby to age 16, and features a beaded shamrock border and a Celtic knot work motif, also picked out in beads.

It is knit from the bottom up in one piece, with tailored set-in sleeves that are fashioned using a short row technique, and the stitches are picked up at the armhole and worked down to the hemmed picot-edged cuff.

The decorative eyelets at the neckline allow for a ribbon to be threaded through and tied in a bow for a finishing touch.

SIZE
Preemie (NB, 6 Mos, 12 Mos, 2T, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16)
Actual chest: 13 (15, 17, 18, 21, 23, 25, 27, 28.5, 30, 31.5, 32.5) inches
Shown in 28.5 inch size, with 2 inches of ease.
Modelled by Niamh, aged 11.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Chest: 15 (17, 19, 20, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30.5, 32, 33.5, 34.5) inches
Length: 8.75 (10, 10.75, 11.5, 12.5, 13.5, 16, 18.5, 20, 21, 21.5, 22) inches

DIFFICULTY
Intermediate - techniques used: beaded knitting, reading charts, knitting in the round, picking up stitches, short rows, 3-needle bind off

MATERIALS
Lion Brand Wool Ease Worsted (80% acrylic/20% wool; 162yds/146m per 2.5oz/70g skein); colour: White Multi, 301; 1 (2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 4, 5, 5, 6, 7, 7) skeins, or approximately 150 (220, 290, 360, 430, 500, 580, 720, 800, 980, 1120, 1260) yds of worsted weight yarn of your choice

281 (308, 335, 362, 389, 389, 416, 443, 470, 524, 551, 524) 3/0 Toho round seed beads; colour: silver lined peridot, 27

1 24” US 5 (3.75 mm) circular knitting needle

1 24” US 7 (4.5 mm) circular knitting needle

1 set US 5 (3.75 mm) double pointed needles

1 set US 7 (4.5 mm) double pointed needles

Row counter

Stitch markers

Stitch holders (or spare yarn for holding sts)

1 yard 3/8 inch ribbon in colour of your choice

GAUGE
20 sts/28 rows = 4” in stockinette stitch