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Tutorials· 7 min read

Peyote stitch for absolute beginners

Even-count peyote is the first stitch we teach in Swansea. Here is the whole method, one bead at a time, with the mistakes everyone makes (and how to fix them).

Illustration of a peyote stitch bead chart with a pink and cream zigzag pattern

Peyote stitch is the backbone of modern beadwork. Once your fingers know it, bracelets, pendants, earrings and little pictures all open up. The good news: it is only one movement, repeated. The less good news: the first three rows feel like wrestling an octopus. Everyone feels that. Keep going.

What you need

  • Cylinder beads (Miyuki Delica or Toho Treasures) in size 11/0 — they lock together neatly, which makes learning much easier than with round seed beads.
  • A size 10 or 12 beading needle.
  • Thread: a nylon beading thread or a fine braided line. Pre-stretch nylon by pulling a length between your hands.
  • A bead mat or a folded tea towel so beads do not roll.
  • Good light. Daylight from a window is ideal.
Illustration of a peyote stitch bead chart with a pink and cream zigzag pattern
In peyote the beads sit like bricks turned on their side — each new bead nestles between two beads of the previous row.

Rows one and two (the hard bit)

  1. Thread your needle and add a stop bead: pass through a spare bead twice, leaving a 20 cm tail. It only keeps beads from sliding off.
  2. Pick up an even number of beads — say 10. These become rows 1 and 2 together.
  3. Pick up bead 11. Skip the last bead you added (bead 10) and pass the needle through bead 9. Pull gently. Bead 11 sits on top of bead 10.
  4. Pick up another bead, skip one, pass through the next. Repeat to the end. You have just made row 3, and the zigzag shape appears.

If your beads form a long wobbly snake instead of a zigzag, nothing is wrong — the tension sorts itself out by row five. Hold the work between thumb and finger and keep the thread snug but not tight.

Every row after that

Pick up a bead, pass through the next "up" bead (the one sticking out), pull snug. That is the whole stitch. Turn the work at the end of each row so you are always stitching in the same direction.

Reading a chart

Charts in our designer show every bead in its real position, offset by half a bead between columns. Read the row-by-row list from the printable version: "3 pink, 2 white, 1 gold" means pick those beads in that order. You can also tick off rows with a sticky note.

Common problems

  • Thread shows between beads — your tension is loose. Pull after every bead, not every few.
  • The edge is uneven — count your up beads at each end; you probably skipped two.
  • Running out of thread — stop with 15 cm left, weave the end through earlier rows, and start a new thread the same way. No knots needed with cylinder beads.

Ready to try a pattern? Open the community gallery

  • #peyote
  • #beginners
  • #tutorial

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