Defining Peyote Stitch
Peyote Stitch, also known as Gourd Stitch, is a wonderfully versatile off loom bead weaving stitch. It is perfect for creating flat work as well as structural shapes.
The many variations of Peyote are based on the same thread path, in which offset rows of beads nestle together as you work.
Peyote stitch may be worked with either an even or an odd number of beads per row. Both even and odd count peyote pieces can be woven as flat strips, in a flat round shape, or as a tube. Tubular peyote is used to make pouches or to decorate objects such as bottles or fan handles.
In Peyote techniques, you will always pick up all the beads for the first two rows of beads in the initial set-up.
As you stitch back through the first time, the new beads added push the Row 1 and 2 beads into the offset position and create the 3rd row of bead work.
Variations of Peyote Stitch
- Flat Even Count Peyote
- Flat Odd Count Peyote
- Fast Peyote
- 2 and 3 Drop Peyote
- Diagonal Peyote
- Stitch in a Ditch
- Circular Peyote
- Tubular Peyote
- Peyote Bezel
- Dutch Spiral
- Cellini Spiral and Flat Cellini
Since Peyote Techniques require picking up several beads at the start, the use of a Stop Bead is very important. This is especially true for the Flat Peyote Stitch techniques.
Flat Peyote Stitches
Flat Even Count Peyote
2 colors of same size Delica Beads
Stop Bead
Size 10 or 11 Beading Needle
1/2 Wingspan of Beading Thread
Flat Even Count Peyote is one of the most widely used off loom bead weaving stitches. It is used to create intricate patterns in Flat bead work where you have no center line in the design.
This technique is commonly used to make patterned cuff bracelets.
Flat Odd Count Peyote
Flat Even Count Peyote is also one of the widely used off loom bead weaving stitches. It is used to create intricate patterns in Flat bead work where you do have a center line in the design.
Odd Count Peyote begins by picking up an odd number of beads and has an odd number of beads in every other row.
2 colors of same size Delica Beads
Stop Bead
Size 10 or 11 Beading Needle
1/2 Wingspan of Beading Thread
It is worked almost exactly like Even Count Peyote, except for the turnaround at the end of each odd count row.
Congratulations, you now know how to do two techniques of Flat Peyote.
But I am not done yet, there are some ways to work much faster with these two stitches.
In the next post, I will teach you all about Fast Peyote, which the number of rows much quicker. I will also teach you how to do Multiple Drop methods, which you can use to grow the width of each row quicker.
If you need additional help with Flat Peyote, I have the Bead Weaving Basics – Flat Peyote Stitch PDF – 3 Techniques – Even Count, Odd Count and Circular Peyote.
available for a few dollars in The Alluring Bead Boutique Shop. Check out all my Technique Guides, with Step by Step photos and written instructions.