On the Bench Today - How to Bead Peyote Stitch and Design Hurdles

So I lied...I am using a feather to show how to do Peyote Stitch, because this feather also takes 26 beads.

Why is that important? because it is only divisible by sections of 2...and that stumps so many new beaders. How to make a design that works well when the design elements can only have 2 beads...? Go asymmetrical :)

(this is not an actual owl feather, it is an airbrushed Goose feather)

First though how to start peyote stitch.

When beading peyote over leather I tend to knot the end of the thread, and run it through the leather to the starting point.

Add beads...for Peyote I prefer an even number, because then I can make patterns as I go, and it makes repeating design elements possible. The size of the item to be beaded of course dictates how many beads.
Then slip the needle through the first bead to create a solid ring.

Snug this down so there are no spaces in this first row of beads, then hold your tension on the thread as you go around the second row. Where your thread comes out, pick up one new bead, then skip one in the row and go through the second. The new bead should sit on top of the bead you skipped, and be sure it sits on the working side of the beading.

You should end up with a neat little row that looks like a zipper, like this. When you reach the end of the row, step up.

Row 2 and on for the rest of the piece, fill in the blank spaces...step up at the end of the row.

Designs with 26 beads...

This is a difficult number to work with for most new beaders, because when one breaks it down you end up with sections of 2. So, we could do lines, or spiral lines...OR we could go asymmetrical and add various elements which are not repeating.

Feathers (and many other items) are all unique sizes, so you won't know how many beads you have to work with until you start. For feathers it depends on the size of the quill, and the thickness of the leather when wrapped.

I started this one with lines to show what they look like...

Yesterday I was in a fire mood (probably because it is like 10 F here). So I had the beads out, and then I found the feather was 26 beads...ugh. Soo, once I got past the lines, I just started. Thoughts going something like this...
"26 beads...fire...flames, top in the center then wrapping around...sections of 4 with a center line...leaves 3 in the back...okay that works." Creating the image in my mind, then beading it...

"The line in the back looks too blank and white...hmm, maybe some blue accents, and then into black instead of mirroring the flame."

And so the design almost forms itself...

In the end, these 26 bead designs turn out to be some of the most creative, because they force us out of the repeating patterns. So, don't be afraid of the 26 beads :) Play with designs and have fun watching them evolve. They do take a little longer to bead, but they stretch the mind a bit too :)

Thanks for reading :) I hope you enjoyed...

This is a Steemit Original, all words and photos by Elew..