Daily Blogs : peyote bracelet

Experiment with Caddis Weave: Free Bracelet Project

Michelle M. — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 10:34:00 GMT

5 Unusual Stitches Every once in awhile, I come across a new beading stitch. Some of these are actually very old stitches (the "it's new to me" category), while others are variations of familiar stitches like herringbone or peyote. A few may be completely...(read more)

From Seed Bead Circle to Spiral Peyote

Michelle M. — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:09:00 GMT

I have a good friend who buys only the exact number of beads that she needs for a project. Leftovers drive her crazy. I drive her crazy, too—how can I buy beads and have no idea what I'm going to do with them? But I've been beading long enough to know that an idea will eventually come and the last thing you want is to have the idea without having the perfect beads at hand....(read more)

4 Ways to Finish Flat Peyote Stitch

Michelle M. — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 12:45:00 GMT

One of the most common questions I receive (other than “What’s for dinner?”) is “How do I finish a flat peyote-stitched bracelet so I can wear it?”...(read more)

Meet the New Beadwork Editor Plus Five Free Peyote Patterns

Michelle M. — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 12:17:00 GMT

Meet the new editor of Beadwork, Melinda Barta. An interview by editorial director Marlene Blessing....(read more)

How to Bezel Cabochons and Answers to Other Reader Questions

Michelle M. — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:11:00 GMT

Beading Daily readers are full of questions! I was reminded of this when editor Michelle Mach sent me dozens of your questions this month, ranging anywhere from “How do I hang an 18mm heart pendant? Jump rings don’t seem to work.” (use a pinch or prong bail instead) to “How do I remove a crimp cover without ruining the crimp?” (very carefully, with sharp, pointed wire cutters . . . and yes, you will ruin the cover). There were also comments, including one cajoling me into training for an Iron Man after all!...(read more)

Free Seed Bead and Crystal Peyote Bracelet Project

Michelle M. — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 11:52:00 GMT

If it's been your dream to see your project published, but have felt nervous about the submission process, you'll find inspiration in Lynn Davy's story. One of her first submissions was to the "Bead Boy" reader challenge in Beadwork magazine two years ago. She might never have worked up the courage to submit, except her 8-year-old son created and submitted his own project to the magazine first! ...(read more)

Odd-Count vs Even-Count Peyote: What's the Difference?

Michelle M. — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 10:38:00 GMT

What’s the big deal about flat odd-count vs flat even-count peyote stitch? As I see it, the hubbub pretty much boils down to this: even-count is simple; odd-count is complicated. How can one thing be so diametrically opposed to itself? Easy/hard; clear/confusing; straightforward/perplexing? After just returning from a week’s road trip through South Dakota with a couple of hormone-demented teenagers, I know such things are possible. ...(read more)

Free Colorful Peyote Bracelet Pattern, Plus Designer Interview

Michelle M. — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 10:24:00 GMT

I met beader/knitter/cartoonist/all-around-creative-person Julie Ann Smith when she emailed me in response to one of the Beading Daily newsletters and asked me to take a look at some of her work. I was blown away by her bright, cheery designs! (Be sure to check out one of her peyote bracelets, The Illusion, at the bottom of this newsletter.) Julie Ann has a tremendous amount of energy and has a good sense of priorities (beading tops laundry every time!)....(read more)

Teresa Sullivan's Freeform Peyote Figures

Michelle M. — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 13:35:00 GMT

An Interview with Teresa Sullivan

I met Teresa Sullivan at Bead Expo Portland where she was teaching two classes, including one titled "Monster Mash" which promised to "unleash the secrets of sculptural peyote stitch" by creating fun faces with seed beads. At the show, I was not only impressed by the finished piece Teresa wore, but the way she used her beadwork to tell a specific story. Teresa's work has been exhibitied internationally (most recently in Japan), published in 500 Beaded Objects, and has been seen on the Portland, Oregon television program AM Northwest. Terersa has generously offered to answer your questions about her work and help you make that leap into the world of freestanding beaded figures. Please post your questions and comments for her on the website.

Michelle: On your website, you describe yourself as storyteller. What made you decide to tell stories using beads rather than another medium? How did you begin?

Teresa: When I was a kid, I drew pictures almost constantly. I created cartoons and graphic novels before I knew what a graphic novel was. As a bass player in my 20s, I made posters for my band, using collage and experimenting with lettering styles.

I later began making ceramic beads and stringing jewelry.  I also developed a fascination with trade beads, which I still love. Then when a friend loaned me a pair of earrings by Joyce Scott, I flipped. I felt as if I was wearing the coolest cartoons on my ears! Something clicked into place; the use of beads as a graphic medium really grabbed me.

The structural challenges presented by using beads rather than pencil or paint are intriguing to me. I'm a methodical artist anyway, so the slow pace of the work gives me time to think and, I admit, to obsess.

Michelle: What are the special challenges of working with a 3D piece? Any tips or general rules about doing freeform work? What advice would you give the intermediate or advanced beader who wants to try this, but isn't sure how to start?

Teresa: Anyone who has ever made a hollow tube, in any stitch such as peyote, ndbele/herringbone, or even netting, has done 3D work. If you begin with that and introduce techniques like increasing and decreasing, you can direct the work to express specific forms. Increasing means stringing more beads in a spot than you normally would, and decreasing is stringing less (or no) beads in a spot than you normally would.

Figural work involves combining a bowl shape (a belly) with a tube (a leg or torso), and making a tube turn a corner (elbow or knee). Some of the things you have to do are intuitive. I make lots of micro-decisions as I work, evaluating the amount of space I'm about to fill with beads, according to the need to widen or narrow the space or keep it the same.

Figures, of course, can mean animals, aliens, and imaginary creatures. I encourage you to use the "whim of iron", as Garth Johnson puts it, and celebrate your passion, no matter how personal, trivial, or out of step it may seem.

With freeform work, the slow pace of the work is an asset. Start with a plain strip of peyote stitch not more than an inch wide, and let restlessness motivate you to mess with it. Put beads where they "don't belong". Try things even if they look terrible at first---it may start to make visual sense if you keep at it. If you like it, it's a go. If not, try something else. It's a gamble to spend time on something that may not work, but it's essential to developing your own voice as an artist.

The use of color has a big effect on freeform work. If you have a lot of texture in a piece (a repeating motif, using lots of different stitches, or several sizes of beads, for example), watch the use of color carefully. Compare a richly textured piece made with tons of colors (even ones that look great together) with a piece made with one or a few similar colors. There's a seesaw principle at work; experiment with color and texture and decide where they balance out.

Michelle: Do you have favorite stitches or a favorite combination of stitches that you often use in your work? What makes these your favorites?

Teresa: I love peyote stitch best. It has the most versatility in the type of sculptural work I do. Netting, which I think of as a cousin to peyote stitch, is a close second. I use netting as a platform for further beadwork, and it makes great flames because it conveys movement. Ndbele/herringbone and right-angle weave are great too. Ndbele has such a great pattern and it's easy to increase; decreasing with it produces a great nipple-like texture. Right-angle weave is as equally suited to freeform work as to solid structures. It can be as sinuous as fabric or as rigid as wood, depending on how you use it.

Michelle: What are you currently working on?

Teresa: I'm making rings with a back-and-forth curly weave, collaborating with a student of mine who also does great metal work. I've started a big necklace having to do with hunger and food distribution, and I'm about to start working on a commissioned piece, a brooch commemorating a wedding anniversary.

Thanks, Teresa! Be sure to check out more of Teresa's work and her upcoming schedule at www.teresasullivanstudio.com.

Teresa has offered to answer any questions you may have about her work or sculptural beadwork in general. Please post any questions for her on the website. Thanks!

NEW Free Peyote Stitch Pattern eBook: Our first free beadweaving pattern e-booklet features 5 peyote stitch projects, plus two full pages of step-by-step illustrated instructions on even- and odd-count peyote, and a sheet of peyote stitch graph paper for creating original jewelry designs. Download Peyote Stitch Projects with BeadingDaily: 5 Free Peyote Stitch Patterns

Bead Star Voting: Have you voted yet? Help select the winners of the Bead Star competition by June 18th. I did a quick look and some entries are tied for first place in their category. Your vote could be the deciding one! Vote Now.

Choose the Bead Star Winners: Vote Now!

Michelle M. — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:18:00 GMT

I got the inside scoop on the contest from Danielle Fox, editor of Bead Star. "We were blown away by the number of entries into our contest—we received over 1,500 eligible submissions! You can imagine, then, how hard it was for me and the other editors to select only 180 of them (twenty in each of the nine categories). It was so much fun to look through all the entries, and what we’ve come up with, I believe, is the best of the best, the crème de la crème. Now it’s time to pass the fun—and the responsibility—on to you, our Beading Daily family! YOU will pick the next bead stars!" ...(read more)

Tips for New Beadweavers

Michelle M. — Wed, 07 May 2008 06:09:00 GMT

Beading Daily reader Christine K. wrote, "I am a brand-new beginner now attempting to learn the off-loom stitches. Although I am generally skilled with crafts that use one's hands (e.g., I can both crochet and knit), my learning of beading stitches is SLOW. My major question now is: what is the main difference between right-angle weave stitch and peyote stitch? Also, when I try to work in peyote stitch, I find it difficult to make the beads lay correctly. After figuring out the main difference between peyote stitch and right-angle stitch, is the "trick" to making the beads lay correctly to just relax and continue to thread the beads as required by peyote/right-angle stitch?"

When I read this one I had to smile. I pictured my first run-in with peyote stitch: The first few rows looked like a tangled fisherman's net. And doing right-angle weave felt like driving down the wrong side of the road. It's amazing any of us beaders get past those first brushes with needle and thread!

How to "See" Beadwork

First off, I'll make a suggestion about how to "see" beadwork. This one's kind of subtle, but was helpful for me. Keep in mind that in beadweaving the focus is on the bead placement, not the thread path. The thread path is key, of course, but it's invisible and should stay that way. While knitting and crochet are all about the fuzz, beading is about the firmness of the glass. It's a more planar technique. So when you're beading, if you can imagine your job is to build the beads into a certain formation--your thread acting as the magical cement--then you might more easily imagine locking the beads into place. Seeing the beadwork as a sort of Lego exercise will help you understand where your need to put up the next wall or window. That may sound a little David Carradine, Grasshopper, but there it is.


Peyote Stitch	Right-Angle Weave

Photos from The Beader's Companion by Judith Durant and Jean Campbell

Peyote Stitch vs Right-Angle Weave

In regard to peyote stitch vs right-angle weave, keep in mind that the shapes of these two stitches are very different. Peyote stitch produces a beaded fabric that looks like a brick wall; the beads sit side-by-side. Right-angle weave makes a fabric that looks like a series of little crosses; the beads sit at right angles to one another. The thread paths of these stitches are very different, too--in peyote stitch the path moves straight back and forth across the work; in right-angle weave the path moves back and forth, but by one little circle at a time.

Some basic stitch tips:

Counting Rows. When you string the first strand of beads for an even-count flat peyote-stitched project, keep in mind that these beads will make up your first two rows. Peyote stitch rows are counted on the diagonal, not along the side of the work. For right-angle weave, you can count the rows by counting the outside edge beads. Note that each little circle of beads that makes up the row is called a "unit" in most printed instructions.

Subsequent Rows. The third row in peyote stitch is a bear. If you can get past the third row, you're sailing. I've seen lots of clever techniques to make that third row, including passing another needle through the odd-numbered beads to separate them from the second-row ones. This will automatically reveal which are the "up beads" to work the third row. I've also seen someone put a little dab of Wite-Out on every-other bead to distinguish the rows and then scrape the stuff off after the work is established. You could also start the work by creating several false rows in alternating bead colors to differentiate them. Then, once you're rolling on the proper beads, remove those first couple false rows by sliding them off the tail thread.

For the second right-angle weave row, I think it helps to take a T pin or toothpick and poke it through the center of each first-row unit. This makes the work fall into formation, revealing the up beads very clearly.

Tension. Thread tension is really important for all the off-loom stitches. It's best to keep it tight as possible from the get-go, again making your job of forcing those little glass lovelies into formation. It may help to use a tension bead to start off (just remember to remove it!). I don't like extra steps, so I just use my fingers to keep the thread tight on those first few rows. If I keep the beads of the first several rows pinched tightly between my thumb and forefinger, it usually does the trick to keep the beads in place until I'm able to yank hard on the thread to tighten the beads into position.

NEW Free Peyote Stitch Pattern eBook: Our first free beadweaving pattern e-book features 5 peyote stitch projects, plus two full pages of step-by-step illustrated instructions on even- and odd-count peyote, and a sheet of peyote stitch graph paper for creating original jewelry designs. Download Peyote Stitch Projects with BeadingDaily: 5 Free Peyote Stitch Patterns

Jean Campbell writes about beading and life every Wednesday on Beading Daily. If you have comments or questions for Jean, please post them on the website. Thanks!

Beginner Project: Peyote Stackable Rings

Editor — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

On Wednesday, Jean Campbell talked about not wearing her beaded rings until she was inspired by artist Frida Kahlo who apparently lived by the jewelry motto "more is better"! I confess do not wear my beaded rings either. (I'm sensing the start of a support group here . . . Beaders Without Rings.) Instead, I keep my rings in a little paper box by my office phone because they are fun to play with during those dreaded telemarketer calls. I don't know why I don't wear them. What I do know is that they are fun to make. Even if you decide later that you don't want to wear your rings either (or you just want to join the Beaders Without Rings support group and eat my homemade brownies), you still might want to try one for fun.

A Great Beginner Project

For me, a great beginner project is not just one that is easy in terms of actual steps, but also one that can be completed in a relatively short period of time. I think an hour or two at most is perfect, which is why I never understood the push in knitting to make scarves beginner projects!

Each peyote stitch band is composed of two rows. By wearing more than one ring on your finger, you give the illusion of wearing a ring with a wider band. You also have the option of switching the order of the rings any time you please, giving you a whole new look with minimal effort. The instructions show you how to make a two color band like the rings shown here. However, once you get the basic technique, you'll be able to create your own unique variations.

Free Project: Peyote Stackable Rings by Cathi Tessier

A Word about FireLine

This ring project uses FireLine, which is a thermally produced fishing line that is popular with beaders.

FireLine one of those things you'll either love or hate. (I happen to love it, myself.) One of the benefits of using FireLine is that it's easy to hold onto and so stiff that you may be able to use it without a needle for some projects. This is one of the features I especially like since I tend to drop my needles into the sofa cushions!

I asked Leslie Rogalski, editor of Step by Step Beads, for a few hints about using FireLine. Leslie notes that it is "suitable for almost anything" and comes in different weights. For projects that don't need to bear weight (like earrings), Leslie uses 4 lb. For projects needing power to hold beads together as in bracelets or bails, she uses 8 lb, which she also uses in her rings.

Here's what else you need to know about FireLine:

It has virtually no stretch.
It works well for stiffer beadwork or designs with crystals. (Leslie recommends using it doubled and in projects where the FireLine exits the bead holes straight, so that the edges of the crystals do not have a chance of abrading the thread.)
It does dull scissor blades, so designate a pair of scissors to use for cutting.
It may leave black marks on your fingers, but those wash off easily.

Next Wednesday Jean Campbell will have some additional tips about using FireLine and similar products like PowerPro and Dandy Line. In the meantime, feel free to post your comments and questions on the website. Do you love FireLine? Hate it? Never used it?

Glass Bead Design Challenge

Have you submitted your challenge entry yet? Design a necklace, bracelet, or pair of earrings with any type of glass beads (including lampwork, Czech pressed glass, or crystals) and you could win a cool new beading book or this beautiful starfish lampwork pendant by Stephanie Sersich. Deadline is Sunday, March 2, 2008. Enter the Glass Bead Challenge.

Michelle Mach shares free beading projects and tips every Friday on Beading Daily. If you have comments or questions for Michelle (including suggestions for future free projects), please share them on the website. Thanks!

Peyote-Stitch Barrette with Picot Edging

Editor — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Creating the Flower Girl Barrette

Writers are often advised to imagine their ideal reader and write for that person. A recent Beadwork challenge proved to me that this advice could be adapted for jewelry designers as well.

Free Project:
Flower Girl Barrette
by Michelle Mach

For the February/March Beadwork challenge, four of us were given a handful of resin flowers and leaves from Dee's Place. While I was fascinated by these pastel flowers--especially by how easily they fit into one another--I was initially stumped on how to use them. I finally decided to imagine my ideal customer and design something for her. Once I came up with "flower girl at her cousin's wedding," the design came together quickly. (The fact that I don't know any 9-year-old girls and had never been a flower girl myself didn't even seem to slow me down!)

Using peyote-stitch, I created a base with size 8 iridescent white beads. The larger size of bead works up quickly--an important consideration seeing how much work for weddings takes place at the last minute! I chose to use Tacky Tape to adhere the beads to the barrette. You could also attach it with thread. (In my "flower girl" scenario, I was afraid that thread might not be strong enough!)

Adventures in Picot Edging

I knew right away that I would need some kind of edging on the barrette to cover the exposed threads on the sides. It took some experimenting to figure out what worked best. I had the perfect color of Delicas in my stash, but when I used them for the edging, I didn't like the awkward angles they formed. I decided to use beads that were rounded to emphasize the curves of the edging. I also tried size 11s and making larger netted loops for the edging, but that seemed too fussy. (Imagine a scaled-down version of the netting in the Netted Cabochon Necklace by Glenda Payseno.)

Ironically, the beads I ended up using--the tiny plastic pearls--were among the first beads I ever bought. They had been hanging around my stash for years and years. The more experienced I became at beading, the more I hated seeing those beads in my stash. What a waste of money! What was I thinking when I bought those? I resisted trying them for this project--I think they were my third or fourth choice--and yet, when I saw how they formed that first curve, I knew they were the perfect fit for this project. So, lesson learned: every bead has a purpose, even if it takes you years to figure out what that is!

Other Design Ideas

I was surprised when I visited Dee's Place that these flowers also come in white. You could make an all-white bridal version of this project, adding ribbons, tulle, pearls, and crystals. Or skip the flowers and try making a plain beaded barrette. Instead of peyote stitch, try a version using brick stitch or square stitch. The February/March 2008 Beadwork issue features the other projects made with these resin flowers: a simple wireworked ring, a gold chain bracelet with flower and bead dangles, and floral fringed magnets.

Update: Using Thread Instead of Tacky Tape

After this newsletter originally ran, I receive an email from jewelry designer Kelli Peduzzi of Pure Bliss Jewelry, letting me know that she'd successfully used thread to secure beadwork to the base of barettes and "over time and use, it is more likely that the metal barette base itself will weaken before the thread does, if the thread has been firmly and properly secured. At least this has been my experience."

Here are Kelli's instructions and tips:

"Use the thread emerging from the end of the beadwork to stitch that end of the beadwork through the hole at one end of the barrette, making as many passes through hole and up through beadwork as is needed so that the end of the beadwork isn't slipping. Then work your way along the length of the beadwork following the threadpath of each row, passing under the top of the barrette with each row, and snugging the thread tight. Be very careful not to pass under the snap bar of the barrette, or you will stitch your barrette closed! (It may help to open the bar in order to avoid this.) Once you have proceeded along the length of the barrette with these tight loops of thread, stitch through the other hole at the other end like you did the first hole, until good and tight. Trim thread and secure with glue or nail polish. The barrette should be give you years of wear. I think thread is preferable to thin wire as it's less likely to catch in hair and less likely to become brittle and break."

Wedding Jewelry, Anyone? I'm collecting photos of beautiful wedding jewelry by Beading Daily readers to put in an online gallery so we can all be inspired by the creativity on this list! If you have a photo to share, please send me the link to your blog or website by January 28. (If you don't have photos online, but still wish to share photos, email me and I'll let you know where to send them.) Thanks!

Michelle Mach is the editor of Beading Daily. She is enjoying all the wedding jewelry photos that have been sent so far!

Peyote-Stitch Magic Wand

Editor — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 16:00:00 GMT

Peyote Stitch Magic Wand

This week's featured project, Star-Topped Magic Wand by Sylvia Becker, is from a sold-out issue of Beadwork magazine. Here's why I chose this holiday project for Beading Daily:

Inspiration. I like projects that serve as a jumping off point for my own creations. If you'd rather not make a beaded wand, you can use this project as the basis for peyote-stitched Christmas ornaments. Or 4th of July coasters. Or make tiny versions for earrings. Or use the stars to embellish a denim jacket. Or something else entirely!
Peyote stitch! Whether you think it's easy or not, peyote stitch is the most popular offloom technique.
Beaded holiday decor. Some beaders like to occasionally create non-jewelry projects, especially for the holidays. (Be sure to take the home decor poll if you want to see more non-jewelry projects--or not.)

The star begins with a circle of 90 size 11 seed beads. My sample circle measured approximately 1 3/4 inches across. The star is shaped from the outside in, decreasing at the points. The instructions assume that you have some experience using one- and two-drop peyote stitch and creating decreases. I'd love to see examples of this project by Beading Daily readers.

Peyote Stitch Tip

"A thin, single thread will produce a flexible, soft, piece that lies flat like fabric. For a stiff, freestanding piece, use thick and/or double thread. The heavier the thread, the stiffer the piece."--Beading with Peyote Stitch by Jeannette Cook and Vicki Star

Coming Wednesday: An interview with bead artist Natasha St. Michael, plus a last-minute Halloween beading idea.

Michelle Mach is the editor of Beading Daily. She worked on her challenge project over the weekend--did you finish yours? Deadline is this Friday, November 2.

And the Easiest Stitch is . . .

Editor — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 23:00:00 GMT

The votes are in! More than 780 Beading Daily readers voted on the easiest off-loom beading stitch and the easiest stitch is . . . peyote!

Here are the complete results:

bead crochet - 1%
brick stitch - 10%
daisy chain - 6%
herringbone - 7%
ladder stitch - 9%
netting - 8%
peyote stitch - 32%
right-angle weave - 6%
spiral stitch - 12%
square stitch - 6%
other* - 3%

An illustration of flat peyote stitch.
See more techniques on beadingdaily.com

*My favorite answer for "other" was "stitch I just learned." So true!

Are you surprised? I knew that peyote was the most popular stitch, but I didn't know that people thought it was the easiest one. Do you think it's popular because it's easy, or are those two things not related? Please leave a comment if you have more to say on this topic!

My Extreme Ladder Ring

I made a "Ladder Ring" that ended up being 24 inches long! I used it as a hatband for a straw hat that I like to wear when I'm working outside. If I were to do it again, I'd make a taller band with four beads in each row instead of two.

I also spotted a completed Ladder Ring on the Nutsy Coco Creations blog. She used a solid color for her edging and a range of iridescent colors for the body of the ring. I have yet to see two Ladder Rings that look exactly the same!

Five Beading Tips

I asked Beading Daily readers for advice for those new to beadweaving and received hundreds of helpful tips. Here are five of them:

"The best tip I have is to do a LOT of pieces that use just one stitch at a time so you don't get confused. Eventually you'll have a whole repertoire of stitches to work with and then you can combine, adapt and play with them to your heart's content."—Louisa Chadwick

"Make sure you have good lighting, I struggled for ages before I got a daylight lamp. Then, hey presto, it was all so much easier."—Karen Kenny

"Learning to knit or crochet beforehand gives you basic skills of working with a thread and some sort of needle and controlling the tension of the thread in a more macro scale. I think being able to control thread tension is one of the most important skills in weaving off loom. If you don't have an even tension throughout your piece, the resulting fabric will not be consistent."—Bernadette Johnson

"My advice to anyone new to off-loom beadweaving is find different directions for the same stitch. I also am a new beader and have discovered stitch pattern directions from book to book varies. Some directions may be easier to follow than others for the same stitch."—Maria

"RELAX!!!! It will come with time and relaxed practice, no matter which stitch you try first. Remember to breathe!"—Jyl Milner

I'll be sharing more tips and advice from readers in the future.

Michelle Mach is the editor of Beading Daily. She has a challenge kit from Beadwork waiting for her this weekend. No more procrastinating—time to get busy!

NEW Free Peyote Stitch Pattern Booklet: Our first free beadweaving pattern e-booklet features 5 peyote stitch projects, plus two full pages of step-by-step illustrated instructions on even- and odd-count peyote, and a sheet of peyote stitch graph paper for creating original jewelry designs. Download 5 Free Peyote Stitch Patterns