How to make simple knits feel unique

A few weeks ago, a knitter sitting next to me at my local knitting club in Prague was working on the Mellow Mood Top. She was holding a fine sequin thread together with Sandnes Garn Line, and I couldn’t stop glancing over at it.

The stockinette had this soft shimmer, not disco-ball sparkle, just a gentle glow that shifted whenever the fabric moved. It looked incredibly elegant.

There are so many beautiful summer tops with intricate lace details, but most of them aren't exactly beginner friendly (although I'm working on a solution 😊).

I'd already shared the Nuance Tee with its mesh yoke, and I'd been thinking about other ways to add visual interest without adding complexity.

Decorative threads turned out to be exactly that. You simply hold them together with your yarn and knit normally. No new techniques to learn.

I've been experimenting with two from Rico Design, and they've really changed how I look at basic stockinette and simple lace.

 

🪩 Make It Perlchen

This thread carries tiny glass beads spaced quite far apart, so they appear here and there like small pieces of jewelry hidden inside the knitting. 

I especially love the Olivin shade. The beads are colorful and playful without feeling like too much. You can gently nudge them to sit on the right side of the fabric so they stay visible and comfortable against the skin.

I'm planning to use Perlchen only for the lace sleeves of the top I'm currently designing, just enough to catch the light at the edges.

 

✨ Make It Blümchen

This is the sequin version, and the one that started it all for me at knitting club. The sequins are tiny, with a soft, low-key shine. They naturally land on both sides of the fabric, but because they're so fine, the inside still feels smooth.

I also want to point you toward a lovely example by @twolittlecitygirls on Instagram. She added Blümchen only to the mesh section of the Nuance Tee yoke, and the effect was subtle but really pretty.

➜ A few things I've learned

• It usually looks best with a similar yarn color, but don't limit yourself. Experimenting is half the fun.
• You can use the decorative thread throughout the entire garment or save it for specific details like lace parts.
• Knit a swatch first. You'll want to see how the texture feels and make sure your gauge isn't affected.
• If you're new to knitting or working with an unfamiliar yarn, I’d save the decorative thread for a future project. Unraveling and separating two held-together threads can become quite frustrating while you’re still getting comfortable with the basics.
• If you choose larger beads or sequins, make sure they stay on the outside of the fabric so the garment remains comfortable to wear.

 

🛍️ Finding these threads

Rico products are often stocked in local yarn shops in larger cities. A quick search will usually show you nearby sellers first.

For online ordering, Wool Warehouse (UK) ship worldwide, and Magic Scissors (ES) carries both of these plus other creative threads.

Or look for something similar. Any decorative thread with approximately 225 to 375 meters per 25 g cone will generally be fine enough not to change your gauge.

 

💡 Inspiration

Search "Make It Perlchen Rico" or "Make It Blümchen Rico" on Instagram for photos and reels, and browse finished projects on Ravelry for both the beaded and sequin versions.

 

❤️ I hope this Esenote was useful and inspiring.

Warm regards,

Julia Piro

Knitwear Designer & Esenotes Curator