Les Petits Bracelets

Les Petits Bracelets by Rachel Brown

What is Being Made

Les Petits Bracelets is a knitted jewelry design featuring delicate bracelets crafted in three sizes: Small, Medium, and Large. These bracelets are designed to fit a 7-inch wrist and measure approximately 6 to 7 inches in length depending on the size chosen. The finished bracelets range from 0.75 inches to 2 inches in width, creating elegant, wearable accessories that showcase intricate lace patterning.

Techniques Used

This intermediate-level knitting pattern employs several key techniques to create the finished bracelet design. The pattern begins with a long tail cast on, a foundational technique that provides a secure and elastic edge suitable for jewelry pieces. Garter stitch is used strategically at the beginning and end of the bracelet, creating a textured border that frames the central design element.

The most prominent technique featured in Les Petits Bracelets is lace knitting, which forms the visual centerpiece of the design. Lace patterns are created through the strategic use of yarn overs and decreases, producing openwork sections that add visual interest and delicacy to the finished piece. The pattern incorporates multiple chart options—Chart 1, Chart 2, and Chart 3—allowing knitters to select different lace patterns based on their chosen size.

A buttonhole is incorporated into the design, positioned strategically within the bracelet structure. The buttonhole is created using a bind-off technique, with stitches cast on in the following row to close the opening. This functional element allows the bracelet to fasten securely around the wrist using small buttons as closures.

Stitches Used

• Knit stitch (k): The fundamental stitch used throughout the pattern, particularly in the garter stitch sections that frame the bracelet
• Garter stitch: Created by knitting every row, this textured stitch provides structure at the beginning (2 rows) and end (6 rows) of the bracelet
• Yarn overs and decreases: These stitches form the foundation of the lace patterns featured in Charts 1, 2, and 3, creating the openwork design elements
• Bind off: Used to close stitches at the end of the bracelet and to create the buttonhole opening
• Cast on: Used over the buttonhole to restore stitches after the bind-off section

Materials and Specifications

Les Petits Bracelets is designed to be worked in fingering weight yarn, also referred to as 4-ply yarn. The yardage requirements vary by size: the Small bracelet requires approximately 15 yards, the Medium requires 20 yards, and the Large requires 30 yards. This modest yardage makes the pattern ideal for using yarn scraps or small quantities of premium yarns.

The pattern calls for US 1/2.25 mm needles, or the size needed to achieve the specified gauge. Needle size selection is crucial for obtaining proper tension and ensuring the finished bracelet has the correct dimensions and drape.

Notions required include small buttons for fastening: 1 button for the Small size and 2 buttons each for the Medium and Large sizes. These buttons serve as both functional closures and decorative elements on the finished bracelets.

Gauge and Sizing

Achieving the correct gauge is essential for this pattern. The specified gauges after blocking are: Small—12 stitches per 1 inch in pattern; Medium—13.5 stitches per 1 inch in pattern; and Large—12.5 stitches per 1 inch in pattern. Gauge is measured over the lace pattern sections after the finished bracelet has been blocked.

Cast-on stitch counts reflect the different sizes: Small begins with 9 stitches, Medium with 13 stitches, and Large with 19 stitches. The buttonhole row varies by size to maintain proportional spacing within each width category.