Travel back in time with this Victorian design and enjoy the continuity of the beaded knitting tradition.

In search of origins of Latvian beaded wrist warmers, or mauci, I came across two beaded cuff patterns published in England at the end of the 19th century. The earliest samples of Latvian beaded cuffs are dated around the same time. Both mauci and Victorian beaded cuffs use the same bead placement technique - pre-strung beads on garter stitch base. I am not sure how this technique travelled across the world or where it originated but it surely has a long standing attraction fascinating knitters over a hundred years later.

This pattern is an adaptation of a 1890s cuff pattern published in Weldon’s Practical Knitter No. 49, Vol V, 12th series. I have reworked the original pattern by adding a chart and instructions for using beads of two colours. I have also made some alterations to the cuff construction. The original pattern calls for silk or Andalusian yarn, which is similar to lightweight fingering wool. The modelled cuffs use merino wool in fingering weight. The beads are Czech Preciosa and Gutermann rocailles in Size 9. The cuffs can also be made with crochet cotton with similar yardage 50g ca 225m/ 241yds.

The cuffs are knit in two parts: the beaded garter stitch section, which is knit flat, and the ribbing, knit in the round. The garter stitch section is worked sideways with beads pre-threaded onto the yarn and inserted between stitches. This section is seamed and the scalloped edge is decorated with beads. 2 x 2 ribbing is then added picking up stitches along the straight edge. The length of the ribbing can be adjusted to your taste.

The pattern is both written and charted and there are video tutorials for

• provisional cast on
• grafting
• bead stringing
• bead knitting
• crocheting a beaded edge

SIZE
One size to fit an average female hand.

YARN
Fingering weight yarn. I used about 43g of Linie 347 Bristol, 100% merino, 50g = 230m / 251.5yds.

BEADS
Czech Preciosa seed beads Size 9, in two colours. Some other bead options include Gutermann, Japanese Toho, Dyna Mites, Delicas.

Colour a 480 beads
Colour b 540 beads
144 beads for decorating cuff edges

TOOLS
a set of 8”/20 cm US 00/1.75 mm DPNs or/and
1 pair US 00/1.75 mm 32”/80cm circulars
1 long beading needle & thread
1 yarn needle
a sewing needle or 1.75mm crochet hook

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You may notice a bead placement mistake in some photos of the blue cuffs. I only spotted it after I had finished the cuffs and so it stayed. Please follow the chart and bead placement instructions given in the pattern.