Peyote stitch is lovely to do, and so so addictive. By learning this stitch you could go on to make some gorgeous items, such as:
You can get 'odd count'
or 'even count' Peyote stitch patterns. Even count is easier as you just work
from side to side, whereas odd count you have to weave your thread through
every other end to get to your beginning bead again. This is a tutorial for EVEN COUNT, which
means you begin with an even amount of beads. So, let's begin......
1. Thread a needle with a meter of Beading Thread.
2. Anchor a seed bead onto the end of your thread by sewing through it
three or four times. (You will cut this off later, it will not get used within
the beadwork)
3. String on an even number of
seed Beads.
4. Leaving an approx 15cm tail between your anchor
bead and your work, add another seed bead to your needle and missing the last
bead on your thread sew BACK through the
second last one.
5. Pick up another seed bead
and again miss a bead and sew through the next one.
6. Repeat Step 5, to the end of the row. This will form a row of
‘turrets’.
7. Turn your work around and
work back in the same way, picking up a bead and sewing into each ‘turret’ to the
end.
To add a new thread....
You will no doubt need to add thread throughout your work, is it better
working with a shorter length of thread than getting in knots with long
lengths.
Do finish a thread off, simply weave through a few beads (diagonally,
take care always to go through a bead and not over it or your thread will
show), then picking up the thread inbetween two beads do a half-hitch knot
(before pulling the thread all the way through, put your needle through the
loop and pull tight). Weave through a
few more beads before trimming off.
Add a new thread in the
same way, but weave it through until you come back to the point that you need
to start at.
8. Repeat these rows until your work measures your
required length.
To follow a pattern....
A peyote stitch pattern will come to
you as a chart and will look something like this.
You need to start the same as this
tutorial, but in Step 3, you will thread onto your beading thread the beads as
shown in the first TWO ROWS of the pattern.
For example, in this particular pattern the first two rows are marked
with the letter "A" and are black.
The next row in this
particular pattern will now be Row 3, which is marked with a B and is a white
bead.
It might be useful for you to photocopy your pattern and mark off the
rows as you work. Photocopying it will
mean you do not destroy the original and you have it to work on again.
So there you go, have a play and see what you come up with.
If you would like to download this pattern in PDF format, you can find a version HERE.
