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The (Not So) Humble Peyote Stitch Beaded Bead

Jul 19, 2011 by Jennifer VanBenschoten

How easy is this? Make a small piece of peyote stitch beadwork. Make sure the ends mesh with each other and then zip it up. You have just created what might be the most versatile piece of beadwork known to humankind: the peyote stitch beaded bead. You can make an easy beaded bracelet by stringing a few peyote stitch beaded beads with some pretty gemstone beads, but there are so many other things you can do with them!

Peyote stitch beaded beads make the best earrings. They're lightweight, quick and easy to make, and look great when you string them with a couple of crystals and metal accent beads. For this pair, I made a fancy diagonal striped pattern on the peyote stitch beaded bead, and I chose a couple of leftover Swarovski crystal bicones from my stash that matched the colors in the beaded bead.
Take your peyote stitch beaded beads a step further and make them the focal points in a necklace. For this piece, I used some glammed-up 14k gold Delicas and added a couple of little loops with some Swarovski crystal rounds. Vintage glass diamond beads in between each beaded bead also added a little bit of color.
Then you can make your peyote stitch beaded beads the focal point of a necklace. I had this gorgeous handmade ceramic focal bead from Lisa Peters Art and a matching strand of top-drilled freshwater pearls. I made a couple of peyote stitch beaded beads, added a second band of peyote stitch around each beaded bead, and then strung a few pearls from each peyote stitch band. Two of these beaded beads made a perfect centerpiece for a sparkling necklace!
If you don't want your beaded beads to be the focal point of your jewelry piece, you can also use them to make matching toggle bars for your favorite peyote stitched beaded cuff bracelets. Use the same beads that you used in the bracelet (or necklace) and you'll have the perfect handmade clasp for your newest beaded jewelry creation!

What's your favorite way to use peyote stitch beaded beads? Leave a comment here on the blog and tell us! Or better yet, post a picture in the Reader Photo Gallery of your favorite peyote stitch beaded bead creation!

If you love beaded beads, make sure you check out the August/September issue of Beadwork magazine and see what else these amazing little pieces of peyote stitch can do! Better yet, subscribe to Beadwork magazine today and don't miss a single issue!

Bead Happy,

Jennifer

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Comments

 
sharihew wrote
on Jul 20, 2011 10:24 AM

Is there a pattern for the diagonal striped beaded earrings? I am a new beader and inspite of it looking easy it isn't for me. Thanks, Shari

FLkntr wrote
on Jul 20, 2011 10:38 AM

Many times peyote beads collapse.  A solution is to cut a length of plastic drinking straw inside.  If the straw is too large, slash it along the length, collapse it slightly, insert it and allow it to expand. After the insertion,  additional beads such as crystals can be added at either end.  Avoid straws which are bright in color under light colored peyote beads or the color may show through.

Nancy  Weiler of The Villages. FL

ljsickle wrote
on Jul 20, 2011 10:44 AM

I love getting these emails - they are so fun to read with great ideas and loads of inspiration.  My only problem is that the photos you include are so small and there is no way that I've found to enlarge them -  you can't really see what they are.  The entire content of the email fills 1/3 of the screen.

ljsickle wrote
on Jul 20, 2011 10:44 AM

I love getting these emails - they are so fun to read with great ideas and loads of inspiration.  My only problem is that the photos you include are so small and there is no way that I've found to enlarge them -  you can't really see what they are.  The entire content of the email fills 1/3 of the screen.

ljsickle wrote
on Jul 20, 2011 10:44 AM

I love getting these emails - they are so fun to read with great ideas and loads of inspiration.  My only problem is that the photos you include are so small and there is no way that I've found to enlarge them -  you can't really see what they are.  The entire content of the email fills 1/3 of the screen.

ljsickle wrote
on Jul 20, 2011 10:47 AM

I would love to get a better look at the photos in your emails.  They are so small that most of the detail is lost.  Is there a way to enlarge the photos?

Tuxsquirt wrote
on Jul 20, 2011 11:32 AM

Hi,

Can you send out or e-mail me how to do your earrings.  I'm new at seed beading.  gmlarsen@csupomona.edu

Thank you

Tuxsquirt wrote
on Jul 20, 2011 11:33 AM

Hi is there a pattern for your striped beaded earrings.  I'm new to seed beading

Gail gmlarsen@csupomona.edu

Jennifer VanBenschoten wrote
on Jul 20, 2011 1:23 PM

Thanks for all the great comments! There is a pattern for those earrings, on the About.com website (my previous gig). You can find the link here:

beadwork.about.com/.../Spiral-Peyote-Tube-Earrings-Free-Beading-Pattern.htm

They are very easy to make and you can change up the colors any way you'd like! Happy beading!

mmgoodwin47 wrote
on Jul 20, 2011 1:26 PM

@ ljsickle If you are using Internet Explorer - in the corner there is a little magnifying glass with a + sign in it and probably a 100% sign next to it. Click on the drop down arrow just to the right. I am looking at the picture at 150% and it helps a lot.

I third or fourth the request for the diagonal pattern in circular peyote. I have just started doint this stitch.

sunnyb1945 wrote
on Jul 20, 2011 1:51 PM

Whenever I make a toggle for a wider bracelet I do not like the way it flops or slides around.  I would like a firmer fit.  Any suggestions?

Norah2 wrote
on Jul 20, 2011 4:54 PM

Peyote stitch is  my favorite now.  I use it as bezels around rivolis and as beaded tube beads, but also in the Cellini spiral which I love!

KathysScraps wrote
on Jul 21, 2011 5:50 AM

Thank you for this pattern, love the earrings.

To make them firmer, try using wax on your thread and stitch through the bead pattern a couple of times.

YvetteF3 wrote
on Jul 21, 2011 6:32 AM

I also use the straw trick like Nancy  Weiler described. It certainly makes the beads stiffer. I designed my own tube bead in a flag pattern and made earrings that I call my Flagpole Earrings. I will see if I can upload a picture in the gallery.

BarbaraH@105 wrote
on Jul 21, 2011 2:44 PM

I love these peyote tube beads.  I use them as fillers, focals and toggles.  Most instructions suggest using delica beads but i like the texture that results from using Japanese seed beads.  

DeniseF@12 wrote
on Jul 23, 2011 6:07 PM

I love a solid peyote bracelet and i'm making ong right now for a friend who's sick in Kansas. I hope she enjoy what wow facter I'm going to bring this bracelet.

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