Good Day All
Today we are starting a brand new project.
In this masterclass, we will learn to use Circular Peyote technique to create these absolutely gorgeous Triangle Treasure components.
If you are not ready for this type of project, you can start by working through the Peyote series of Bead Weaving 101.
The class is being presented in three parts.
- Part 1 – Circular Peyote with Corners
- Part 2 – Filling in the Back with Decreasing
- Part 3 – Closing the Bezel and Setting the Crystal
By far the most difficult part of the class will be when we use decreases to close up the back piece of the bezel.
I am no expert, and you will see in the video, that the best way to get the desired look involves a little trial and error.
I would encourage you to understand this beforehand and not to let it frustrate you, if you have to do a little backtracking along the way.
Tools and Materials
Here is a list of the materials I used for this project.
I have included my affiliate links, where available, for your convenience.
Using these links, helps to support the costs of this blog and my YouTube channel.
You can use any size 11/0 cylinder beads in any two colors. You may even use just one color, if you prefer.
Any 12 millimeter point back, round stone or crystal will also work. It does not have to be Swarovski.
I am not sure how well a flat back stone or crystal would work out, since I have not tried that to date.
Part 1 - Two Triangular Pieces of Circular Peyote with Corners
In the first part of the series, we are going to create two pieces of circular peyote with three corners on each.
In the videos, I may have misspoke a few times regarding the number of rounds per each piece of bead work.
The back piece will have only six rows, with two bead increases on all six rows.
The front piece will have seven rows, with that last increase, consisting of a single bead.
The increases are stitched in the corners.
The simple truth is that either piece can have the extra row with the single increase bead at the corner. So to make it simple, use the instructions above.
Each piece will require about 2 feet of beading thread.
The thread should be stretched and conditioned, prior to threading onto the beading needle.
If you have not worked with nylon thread before, make sure to check out my new post, How to Work with Nylon Beading Threads.
Starting with the correct bead count and order is very important to a successful outcome.
This triangle shape has two equal sides and one shorter side.
Double count the beads before you tie them into a round.
Pick up the following beads in this order.
- 2 DB Gold – 7 DB Bronze
- 2 DB Gold – 9 DB Bronze
- 2 DB Gold – 9 DB Bronze
Tie the beads into a round, using two overhand knots.
Make sure the knots fall in between the first and last beads.
Pass the needle through the first DB Gold, to get into position.
The Front
The Increases at the Corner and the Peyote Sides
It is very important that the two bead increases at the corner are positioned correctly and that the thread is not twisted.
The beads, if positioned correctly should look like a Herringbone stitch. This is precisely what the stitch is.
Meaning that the two beads, should be sitting side by side, slightly angled inward at the top, with the bead holes positioned vertically.
As you probably have surmised by now, the Gold beads constitute the corner beads.
Since we are creating triangles, there are three of them to increase in each round.
To increase, we pick two DB’s Gold, and pass down through the next gold bead before we begin Peyote on that side of the shape.
Make sure that you do not accidentally pass into a bronze bead during this step.
Peyote stitch as normal through the bronze beads until you reach the next corner.
Pick a DB bronze, skip over a bead and pass through the next bead on the base row.
As you reach the next corner, you will pick up DB bronze and pass through the first DB gold.
Do your increase, by picking up two DB gold and passing down the next gold bead.
Resume Peyote stitch with the Bronze DB’s along this side of the triangle to the third corner.
Repeat the increase and work the last side of Peyote with DB’s bronze.
At the end of each round, as you add the last DB bronze, you will pass through the gold bead on the base row, as well as the first increase bead form the current round.
This closes the round and steps you up into the newest round.
Remembering back to our basic peyote lesson, we know that the beads we picked up initially make up the beads of Rows 1 and 2.
The first round of stitching, constitutes Row 3.
Repeat the steps above three more times for a total of 6 rows on each piece of bead work.
As you work each increase at the corners, you will soon notice that you have an extra Peyote stitch per side of the triangles.
Remember to use a Bronze DB, as you enter and exit each corner.
Remember to do the two bead increase using Gold DB’s at the corner and to position the beads before moving on.
The 7th Row of the Front Piece of the Bezel
After the sixth round and the step up, your working thread is exiting the first Gold bead of the first corner.
Pick up one DB Gold and pass down through the next Gold bead.
Peyote down the side using DB Bronze.
Repeat these steps until you have worked your way round the shape.
The step up, at the end of the round, is the one gold DB on the base, from the previous round.
At this point, you may want to leave the remaining working thread attached to the front side of the bead work.
You will need to cut, stretch and condition another 2 feet of thread for the back piece.
The Back
The back piece begins as identically to the first piece.
Follow all the steps above for the first six rows.
Leave your working thread attached, as we will use the remaining thread to fill in the center of the bead work in the next portion of the project.
If you plan to make the earrings, you will need two front and two back pieces of bead work.
You can either make them now or wait until you finish one Triangle Treasure before you begin the second.
It is totally up to you.
Up Next ~ Triangle Treasures Part 2
In the next portion of the project, we will learn to decrease Circular Peyote to fill in the center of the back piece.
I will admit freely, that this can be a little tricky.
Don’t be discouraged, we will get through it, with photos and video too.
In the meantime, make sure to subscribe to my Blog and Newsletter by using the forms in the sidebar or on the Contact page.