Gail Nettles

Archive for the ‘Beading Tutorial’ Category

OK, since you folks have requested it, here's a freeform peyote bracelet tutorial.  This is day one, where we make the basic bracelet.

Before I start, I'm assuming that you know how to do the regular peyote stitch, as it's the basis of this bracelet.  If you don't, check out the basic peyote tutorial video.

One other item of note.  This is more of a structured freeform peyote bracelet.  By that I mean I am not going as freeform as I would normally do (with holes, netting, etc.).  Instead, this is a middle ground between a normal peyote stitch and a full-blown freeform.  In other words, if you've always been a structured person, this will let you let loose a tiny bit. 

Materials Needed

I'm not going to give you exacts, because freeform peyote isn't an exact science.  Instead, gather up the following in whatever amounts are suitable for you:

• Size 8 seed or tube beads, single color.
• Size 11 seed or tube beads, two or three colors.
• Six beads or crystals, from 5mm through 8mm.  Various colors to coordinate with the seed beads.
• Thread; I used 6-lb Fireline, in the grey color.
• Needle, size 10 or 12.
• Clasp of your choice.

Step 1:  The Base Bracelet

Make the base bracelet out of the peyote stitch, using the size 8 seed beads.  I made mine 6 beads wide by about 6.75 inches long.  You can make yours as long as needed, minus the size of your clasp.  Here's the photo of the base bracelet.

Freeform Peyote Bracelet Tutorial, the Base (Click to Enlarge)

Note:  Don't worry if your bracelet isn't arrow-straight.  Because this is freeform, it doesn't matter.

Step 2:  Add the Beads or Crystals

Next, I decided where I wanted my crystals.  Since I have been talking about vintage beads, I decided to use three of them in this bracelet.

I placed the beads with the smallest towards the bracelet ends, and the largest in the middle.  I spaced them out so they were more-less even.  Here's how it looks now.

Freeform Peyote Bracelet Tutorial, Step 2 (Click to Enlarge)

Don't worry about thread showing at the ends of the beads; it will end up being hidden in the next set of steps.

I encourage you to not use evenly matched beads/crystals in this step.  If you noticed, I have one large bead, two medium, two slightly smaller mediums and one small cyrstal.  It's part of being freeform!

Step 3:  The Basic Freeform Peyote Stitching

OK, now comes the fun part!  It's kind of hard to explain this part since it's freeform, but here's how I basically did it.  The freeform part was done with the size 11 seed beads.

Come up from a hole next to the crystal and string however many beads needed to just about loop around the crystal; the seed bead loop should lay just slightly to the back of the crystal.  Bring the needle down through the size 8 bead, then back up through the one right next to it.

String on two seed beads, then begin a peyote stitch across the loop, back towards the original direction.  Once you reach the end, bring the needle down through a size 8 bead, then back up through the next.  String 2 seed beads and peyote your way back across again.

Once you've made a peyote ring across the back of the crystal. string maybe 8 or so seed beads and lay it across the base bracelet.  Go down through a size 8, back up through the next one.  Add 2 seed beads and peyote back the way you came.  When you get to the end, turn atound and peyote back down.

Thread your needle through the size 8 beads, until you come up through the bead next to the next crystal and repeat.

It's one of those times that a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's what I have up to this point:

Freeform Peyote Bracelet Tutorial, Adding the Freeform (Click to Enlarge)

As you can see, I've made a loop around the crystals, and down across the base bracelet, which I have then added the peyote stitch.

Well, that's it for today.  I'm going to embellish this bracelet further in the next post.  If you like what you have up to this point, put the clasp on it and call it good!  But if you'd like to go a little further, stop on by for the next set of steps.  I should have them up in a day or so, once I decide how fancy I want to get! 

Meanwhile, here are some pretty eye-candy pieces of vintage costume jewelry that you might like looking at.

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The ndebele stitch is one that I've been wanting to learn, but I just haven't gotten around to.  Well, I got my chance to try it out this morning, thanks to one of the video tutorials I watched last night.  And I decided to start with tubular ndebele.

You know what?  It's fun!  And once you get three rows done, it's pretty easy.  Actually, the hardest part of learning was that I decided to try the tubular ndebele stitch using size 11 beads instead of my usual size 8.  (And here's the reason -- I'm fast running out of size 8s!)

Ndebele Stitch

Also known as the herringbone stitch, this starts out with a ladder stitch as the base.  I don't know about you, but a ladder stitch with size 11 seed beads is a little challenging; I might have had an easier time had I used Delicas, but I didn't want to use Delicas for a learning experiment.

While there's no real claim that the Ndebele people in Africa came up with this stitch, it is something widely recognized as being central to their beading culture.  And although herringbone may describe it better from our point of view, I think using the African name is more appropriate.

So, I am working on my tubular ndebele, and trying to decide how long I want to make it.  I have an idea for a bracelet, but I haven't quite decided.

If you haven't tried this beading stitch, either flat or tubular, I encourage you to try it.  Below are two links to learning this beading; one for flat, one for tubular.  Be aware, it's at the Bead & Button website, so you'll need to register to see it (but registration is free).

Tubular Ndebele Stitch Tutorial

Flat Ndebele Stitch Tutorial

In part two of this peyote bracelet tutorial, you'll see how to finish off the bracelet you made in part one of the peyote stitch beading tutorial.  Part one, of course, was how to do the basic peyote stitch.

As I mentioned previously, my Mermaid's Garden bracelet has its basis in peyote.  Now I go the more organic, freeform route for that bracelet.  Still, before you experiment with freeform, you really do need to know how to accomplish the basic peyote stitch beading.

I hope you enjoy part two of this peyote stitch tutorial.  I know it's one of my favorite stitches.  This tutorial will let you understand better my next bracelet that relies on the basic peyote stitch beading for its base.

Peyote Bracelet Tutorial, Part 2

Remember, this is the continuation of the bracelet.  If you missed the beginning, please go back to the peyote bracelet tutorial part 1 to understand how you construct the bracelet.

Enjoy!

Here's a peyote bracelet tutorial for your viewing pleasure, to explain how to do peyote stitch beading.  Since my Mermaid's Garden bracelet was based on the peyote stitch, it's only fair that I give you instructions on how to do basic peyote.  (Now my Mermaid's Garden is a freeform version, but before you do freeform, you need to know how to do regular peyote stitch beading.)

I originally had a video on this post that was someone else doing a peyote tutorial, but I finally made it to the 21st century and learned to make videos.  I made it in two parts, so you'll still get the same number of videos.

So, without (much) further ado, here's how you accomplish the even-count peyote stitch.  In this tutorial, I used matte size 8 seed beads, just to make it easier to see.  (Shiny beads are tougher to use in a video, when you need to see what's happening.)

Supplies Needed for the Peyote Bracelet

If you want to follow along and make the bracelet, you'll need size 8 seed beads, thread (I like Fireline), a needle and a clasp.  Oh and a few size 11 seed beads for the clasp area.

And not to worry, I have part 2 of this peyote bracelet tutorial video so you can learn how to finish your bracelet, once you've watched part 1.