Learning to make jewelry involves various different techniques that you will learn as you progress, learning how to make a button bracelet doesn’t take much skill. It is when you are starting to make more complicated pieces of jewelry that you need to increase your skills and methods of jewelry design. Knowing your jewelry making tools, their proper usage and how to maintain them will give you an advantage to becoming a better jeweler and make very intricate jewelry pieces.
The peyote stitch is an easy and enjoyable bead stitch to learn. Beginner beaders to advanced fall in love with the peyote stitch because of its versatility, flexiblity and beauty. The peyote stitch almost feels like fabric and can be use to make chokers, beaded purses… and endless bead designs.
Supplies:
40? (60cm) Nylon beading thread
Beading needle
Size 11 seed beadsHow To Bead A Peyote Stitch…
Step 1. Thread on a top bead
Step 2. Thread on 7 more
Step3. Thread another bead and then thread your needle through the 3rd bead from the end. Pull the thread so that the new bead sits on top of the 8th bead of the first row.
Step 4. Thread another bead and then thread your needle through the 4th bead from the end of the first row.
Step 5. Repeat Step 4, 2 more times, weaving the thread through every other bead on the first row. You will end the second row with the thread going through the stop bead. (your first bead). You should have added 4 new beads.
Step 6. Now, lets continue with a third row…
Thread another bead and then thread your needle through the first bead on the second row. Pull the thread so that the new bead sits on top of the stop bead
Step 7. Thread another bead and then thread your needle through the next bead on the second row.
Step 8. Continue like this until you have 4 new beads threaded for the third row.
Keep going! The peyote stitch takes a bit of practice at first. The trick is to keep the thread tension tight, and still allow the weave to lay flat. Practice with larger seed beads at first to get the hang of the stitch. Once you learn the peyote stitch, you will be hooked! Bead long strips of seed beads to make a choker!
Once you have learned this technique there are many others that you can become good at. The more time and effort you put into how to improve craftsmanship the quicker you will become known as a jewelry professional. The simpler jewelry items will not bring you a huge profit. If you are looking for jewelry making to become a profitable, full time business you have to invest some time into acquiring more knowledge. There are many places online that you can find tutorials, from simple beading to more complicated metal jewelry designs, that will improve your skills and techniques.
Happy Beading!
Jennifer Thoden shares her love of beads and creativity with beginner beaders and jewelry designers. Her love of color and unique design shows in her bead patterns. Find her bead patterns and tutorials at http://www.beadpatternsonline.com
