Circular peyote stitch tutorial
:: Circular Peyote Stitch Tutorial ::
Circular peyote stitch is a very useful beadweaving technique to learn as it can be used to cover objects that have a circular base such as this needlecase:
Circular peyote stitch can be used to create flat circular pieces of beadwork such as beaded doilies as well as making jewellery components like pendants that can be embellished.
Circular peyote stitch is in fact quite simple once you become familiar with the technique. It is a good idea to use 2 colours to practice with in the first instance. This allows you to see where each row begins and ends.
Here I will show you how to create circular peyote with a 3 bead start but you can begin with whatever number of bead you wish. Using more beads will just mean a larger opening at the centre.
I have included hand-drawn diagrams next to the photos to provide extra clarity:
Step 1
photo 1 
fig. 1
Begin your circular peyote by threading 3 beads and joing them in a circle. This completes your first row.
Step 2
photo 2 
fig. 2
Take the second colour of your beads and begin your second row of circular peyote by threading on 1 bead and then taking the thread through the first available bead from th first row. Thread a second bead and go through the next bead on the first row and finally a third bead taking the thread through the final bead on the first row.
You have almost completed your second row of circular peyote stitch but you now need to ’step-up’ to begin the third row. This is done by taking the thread back through the first stitch of the second row. Your thread is now in the correct position to begin the third row.
Step 3
photo 3 
fig. 3
The third row begins with the original colour and follows the same logic as row 2 except that you add 2 beads in each gap instead of 1.
To step up to start row 4 take the thread through the first 2 beads added as in the diagram.
Step 4
photo 4 
fig. 4
Returning to your second colour bead now add 1 bead between each gap and each pair of beads added on the previous row.
This is a ‘flattening row’ - if you kept increasing without creating such a row your circular peyote would buckle up and not remain flat.
Step 5
photo 5 
fig. 5
For the fifth row return to adding 2 beads in each gap created on the previous row.
Step 6
photo 6 
fig. 6
Continue in with the circular peyote stitch in this manner alternating increasing rows with flattening rows until you reach the diameter required.
Don’t forget to ’step-up’ each time you complete a row.
To make different effects you can experiment with different combinations of increases.
If you wish to cover a form such as a needlecase simply continue the peyote stitch without the increasing rows. Your beadwork will begin to extend upwards to create a tube and you are then effectively using tubular peyote stitch as well!
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