With the peyote stitch you can make nice bracelets with different patterns. This is possible with delicas, which give you a smooth surface, but this is also possible with rocailles, which have a more playful effect. Below we’ve explained it with detailed steps.
START) Start by stringing a ‘stop’-bead and bring it to the end of the thread, leaving about 8 inches of thread tale. A stop bead is a bead that you string through twice, to keep it locked in the same spot. This bead prevents other beads sliding off the thread, while you are beading.
STEP 1) After this, string the number of beads that you want for the width of your bracelet. In this example it will become 8 beads wide, so that’s the number we will start with.
STEP 2) Pick-up a new bead (bead 9) and thread it back through the second-last bead (bead 7) of the previous row. The goal is to get the added bead (bead 9) exactly above the last bead of the previous row (bead 8). Sometimes the bead is tilted, you can then help with your fingers to bring it in the correct position.
STEP 3) String one bead (bead 10) onto your thread, skip 1 bead (bead 6) and string through the next bead (bead 5). Pull the thread and this will place bead 10 above the bead 6. Repeat this step 2 more times with bead 11 (which comes above the bead 4) and bead 12 (which comes above the bead 2) until you reach the end of your row.
STEP 4) In this step you go the opposite way again. Pick-up one bead (bead 13) and string throughbead 12. When you pull the thread (in horizontal direction) bead 13 will be placed exactly above bead 1. Pick up bead 14 and string through bead 11. Repeat until you have reached the end of your row.
STEP 5) Continue like this, with alternating the direction with every row.
TIPS FOR PEYOTE STITCH:
– When reading patterns, the first line is always the longest. This is because these are the first 2 rows that you thread at the same time. This sounds confusing, but if you look back at steps 1 and 2, you will see that in the first row some beads gets higher and other beads lower, when you continue. The beads that are lower is row 1, the beads that are higher is row 2.
– The first row is also the most difficult, because the beads are still a bit loose there. But as soon as you continue with the next rows, it will come together nicely.
– When you want to make a pattern, it is possible that in your first row the beads of the 1st row and 2nd row become switched, while beading. This makes your pattern incorrect. You can prevent this by beading the first 3 rows in a random color and only then start your pattern. You can easily remove these 3 rows as soon as you have enough rows finished.
– When you choose to use Fireline wire, it becomes more compact and firm. If you want to keep it really smooth and flexible, you can choose Miyuki or KO beading thread.