Tutorial: Golden Tapestry Netted Cuff Bracelet

Netting is one of my favorite beading techniques because it is simple, medidative, and creates such beautiful collars. The method of connecting beads together in nets has been around for thousands of years, and was even used by the Ancient Egyptians - chances are you've seen photographs of the beautiful faience bead 'gown'. Netting in some form can be found in the beadwork of many cultures, sometimes with elaborate patterns and lovely layers. Though it does have some basic structural limitations, the spacing of the beads allows for many variations in netting, including the addition of accents in many sizes.

This super easy 'tapestry' cuff project was inspired by the Geometric bead box from Blueberry Cove Beads. This has been my all time favorite bead collection so far this year. When I pulled out all of the lovely beads in the inspiration box, I was struck by how wonderful each of the individual pieces was. The shapes and colors are each unique and beautiful in their own way, but when combined they create a gorgeous tapestry.

The harmony of combining beads together is one of the things that makes it such a rewarding art form, and this project is a great example of the way that you can easily mix together elements that might not seem matched at first sight.

Blueberry Cove Geometric Bead Box

Some of my favorite pieces from this set include the pretty purple mother of pearl coins, and the orange cat's eye cubes. Individually the beads are wonderul, and though they are different in every way, I knew that I could mix them together to make a gorgeous piece of jewelry. I added tiny gold hexagon beads to the palette from the Geometric box, and some green glass rounds and drops from the Rainforest bead box as well. Transparent topaz seed beads and purple crystals from my stash rounded out the palette perfectly.

If you don't have similar materials in your stash, try combining some of your favorite accents together. The pattern will work with just about anything 6mm and smaller - just be sure to leave room for the size and shape of each bead that you add: the coins in the project are used as a focal since they can overlap each other nicely along a single row, but the other beads sit snugly side by side. Once the netting is complete, the beadwork will have a wonderfully chunky texture. If you like your bracelets extra slinky, use waxed beading thread in place of the Fireline.

Materials:

10 yards 6lb test Fireline (crystal)
5 grams size 11/o seed beads (transparent topaz)
6 x 10mm mother of pearl coins (purple)
6 x 6mm glass drops (green)
18 x 5mm glass cubes (orange)
16 x 6mm glass rounds (green)
16 x 3mm crystal bicones (purple)
24 x 3mm hexagon beads (gold)


1. Attach a stop bead to a comfortable length of Fireline, leaving a 6 inch (15 cm) tail. Pick up 6 seed beads, and slide them down to the end. Pick up 1 seed bead, and begin stitching an even-count peyote panel. Continue working until your panel is 19 beads wide. Weave in and trim both threads. Create a second 6 x 19 peyote stitch panel and weave in the threads.

2. Attach a stop bead to a new length of Fireline, and weave into one of the peyote strips, exiting from a corner up-bead. Pick up 4 seed beads, and 1 hexagon bead. Continue stringing accents with 4 seed beads between each: add 1 drop, 1 hex, 1 cube, 1 hex, 1 drop, 1 hex, 1 coin, 1 hex, 1 drop, 1 hex, 1 cube, 1 hex, 1 drop, 1 hex. Finish with 4 seed beads.

3. Stitch up into a corner up-bead on the second peyote strip, and weave up through the following bead. Pass back down through the adjacent bead and the following bead to exit the panel. Pull snug.

4. Flip the beadwork. Pick up 4 seed beads, and stitch up through the last hex bead added in the previous row.

5. Pick up 4 seed beads, 1 cube, and 4 seed beads. Stitch up through the next hex bead of the previous row.

6. Continue adding accents with 4 seed beads to either side, passing through the hex beads to secure them: add 1 round, 1 cube, 1 coin, 1 cube, 1 round, and 1 cube.

7. To complete the row, pick up 4 seed beads.Stitch into the 3rd bead of the peyote strip, leaving one bead between each of the netting rows. Stitch through the following bead in the strip, and then turn as in step 3 to begin the next row.

8. Pick up 4 seed beads, 1 crystal, and 4 seed beads. Stitch through the last cube bead added in the previous row. Continue adding crystals for the entire row, passing through each of the accents beads. Finish by stitching into the 3rd bead of the peyote panel and turning the thread as usual.

9. Add 4 seed beads, passing through the last crystal added. Pick up 4 seed beads, 1 round bead, and 4 seed beads. Pass through the next crystal in the previous row.

10. Continue adding accent beads, using the opposite color/shape as the previous row, and a coin in the center. Finish the row and turn. In the following row, add all hexagon beads. Repeat the pattern until you have 5 rows with accents, 3 rows of hexagons, and 2 rows of crystals as shown.

Turn and exit from the last bead of the peyote panel to begin the final row.

11. Add 4 seed beads and pass through the last hexagon bead added in the previous row. Add 4 seed beads, 1 cube, and 4 seed beads. In the next stitch, add seeds beads and a glass drop. Continue adding the remaining accent beads, and finish the row with 4 seed beads. Weave in your threads and trim.

12. Weave across the peyote panel and exit from the fouth bead on the outside edge. Pick up 21 seed beads. Pass back through the first 3 beads again and into the 5th bead of the peyote panel. Pull snug.

Check the fit of the loop on one of your remaining glass rounds. It should be just big enough to slip over the bead smoothly. Adjust the number of beads in the loop if necessary, then continue weaving.

13. Weave through the peyote panel and exit from the edge, leaving a 2-bead space from the previous loop. Add a second loop with the same number of beads. Repeat to add two more loops, then weave in and trim the thread.

14. On the opposite edge of the cuff, position a new thread 4 beads from the end as before. Pick up 3 seed beads, 1 round, and 2 seed beads. Skipping the last seed bead added, pass back through all of the beads again, and into the 5th bead of the peyote panel. Pull snug.

Repeat this step to add 3 more toggles, leaving a 2-bead space between each. Weave in any remaining thread and trim.

This pattern will create a bracelet that is 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) long. To increase the length of your design, you can add additional seed beads to the nets - working with 5 seed beads per stitch instead of 4 will add about 1 inch (15 cm).

Mortira

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Square Stitch Patchwork Cuff Tutorial

No matter how elaborate beadwork stitches become, or how many holes are added to seed beads, sometimes only simplicity will do. For this month’s project I wanted to do something that was super easy but with a bold look – a project that would be a fun way to play with color but also provide some meditative beadwork.

This square stitch cuff is a great way to practice one of beadweaving’s simplest techniques. Square stitch is very handy if you like the look of loomwork but don’t want to go to all the trouble of setting up a loom and then weaving in your warp threads. Once you've mastered the basics, the pattern possibilities are endless. You can easily create your own unique patterns using graph paper and colored pencils.

To make this cuff you’ll need some size D beading thread of your choice, a clasp or button, and about 30 (total) grams of seed beads in at least 8 colors. I recommend using Japanese round seed beads (preferably of similar make and finish) to get a nice, even bracelet. The boxiness of Japanese rounds is a great match for the patchwork pattern. Have fun choosing your palette. I went with a handful of similar shades in different finishes, but you could also use a chromatic palette with black and white, ROYGBIV +1, or whatever colors you have on hand.

1. Attach a stop bead to a comfortable length of thread, leaving a 12 inch tail. Pick up 4 each of your first 4 seed bead colors (A, B, C, D) and slide them down to the end. Flip the work so that the stop bead is pointing away from you.

2. Pick up 1 color D bead. Stitch down through the last bead added in step one, and carefully pull the thread snug so that the new bead clicks into place beside it. Stitch up through the new bead again and pull snug.

3. Pick up 1 color D bead. Stitch down through the next color D bead in the first row and pull snug to click the new bead into place. Stitch up through the new bead and pull snug.

4. Continue adding one bead at a time with square stitch, matching the color of bead picked up to the bead you will stitch it to in the previous row.

5. To start the next row, flip the beadwork and pick up 1 color A bead. Stitch down through the last bead added in the previous row, and up through the new bead again.

6. Continue adding beads with square stitch until you have 4 rows in the A, B, C, D color pattern, creating a ‘set’ of 4 colored blocks. In the fifth row, add 4 new colors and add 3 more rows to create a second set of blocks in the new colors.

7. Continue weaving with square stitch, adding thread as needed, until the cuff is about 1 cm short of the desired length. To get the random look for my cuff, I staggered the colors after the first 2 sets. In the second set, I used three new colors, and one color from the previous set. I repeated this method for the remaining sets of blocks.

Before starting each set, I selected one bead each from the colors that I wanted to use, and placed them next to the beadwork so that I could map out their placement beforehand. No two blocks of the same color touch at the sides or corners, and I tried to avoid letting similar colors touch at the sides, top, or bottom. For example, topaz never touches red-lined topaz, and metallic blue never touches black-lined blue or metallic green.

8. To finish the cuff with a button or toggle, weave back through the second-to-last row to anchor the thread, then pass through the first 6 beads of the third row.

9. Pick up 5 seed beads to match the block that your thread is exiting. String on your clasp, and add 5 beads to match the next block in the set. Enter the beadwork, passing through the last 6 beads of the row and pull snug. Weave back through the clasp at least once more to add strength, then secure any remaining thread in the beadwork and trim.

10. Remove the stop bead from the original thread and repeat step 9 to position the thread four rows back. Add a loop of seed beads just big enough to wrap around your button or toggle. Use two colors to match the corresponding blocks.

The cuff looks fabulous as is, but there’s plenty of room for embellishing. Try sewing heishi beads to the center of blocks at random or in a pattern. You can also add a trim to the bridge threads at the cuff edges.

Happy beading!

Mortira

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Peyote Stitch Master Class: Two Drop Peyote

For our very first beading Master Class, we’re going to explore the essential and often frustrating peyote stitch. This technique is one of the most common in beadwork, with many applications and variations; it is also one of the most difficult to learn. The first few rows of peyote stitch are tricky to control on a first or even tenth attempt. New beaders often complain of uneven stitches, curving beadwork, tangling threads, and all kinds of aggravations.

The key to mastering any beadwork stitch is muscle memory. With enough practice, the moves and steps become second-nature, allowing you to achieve better results over time. In order to practice peyote stitch and gain that ‘groove’ for how the stitches work, it is best to skip the frustration of those first few rows and go straight to the skip-a-bead-add-a-bead flow. Working peyote stitch off of a strip of right angle weave, or with a Quick Start Card is one way to do this. I like two-drop peyote because you still get the benefit of practicing the first rows of peyote stitch, but in a much more cooperative format.

Working with multiple beads per stitch - rather than the one bead per stitch of traditional peyote - creates a stronger base that holds together much better, and is easier to grip. This helps to prevent any twisting of the beads while you work, giving you a cleaner start. Once you’ve made a few samples or projects with two-drop peyote, you’ll have some valuable insight into how the technique feels, making your future attempts and traditional peyote stitch that much stronger.

Failed First Attempts and Peyote Stitch

I’ve used 8/o seed beads for the basic instructions below, but I highly recommend using 11/o seed beads for your first few tries. The extra space in 8/o seed beads doesn’t grip the thread as snugly, which can make it difficult to control the beadwork as you build. Japanese or Czech seed beads will both work – the added bonus of two-drop peyote is that slight changes in bead shape are automatically corrected and supported by the surrounding beads – one more reason that it’s a great technique for beginners.

Like most peyote stitch variations, you’ll need to string the first 2 rows. The real work begins once you start to stitch on the third row. This technically isn’t relevant unless you’re working with a pattern so don’t worry if it sounds confusing; it is important to remember that with basic (even count) peyote, the first beads that you pick up must be an even number. For two-drop peyote, they must also be divisible by 4, since each stitch is two beads, and there must be an even number of pairs in those first 2 ‘rows’. We’ll start with an easy 12 beads – use this basic technique to stitch a few practice panels of any length you like. This is a great opportunity to test out any new bead colors in your stash, or start a swatch collection to help with color selection in future projects.

Basic Two-drop Peyote Stitch:

1. Attach a stop bead to a comfortable length of beading thread, leaving at least a 6 inch (15 cm) tail. Pick up 12 seed beads and slide them down to the stop bead. Flip the work so that the stop bead is facing away from you, and the working thread is facing towards you.

2. Grip the last 4 beads added and the start of the working thread firmly with your off hand, allowing a bit of space to needle through. Pick up 2 seed beads. Skipping the last 2 beads picked up (the two beads closest to you) stitch up through the next 2 beads in the strand and gently pull snug. The new beads should click into place below the beads that you’ve just stitched through.

For best results, maintain your hold on the beadwork, nudging it downward bit by bit as you work the rest of the row. Once all of the beads are in place, the beadwork will be sturdier – until then it is easy to lose your place or twist the beadwork, resulting in a big mess right out of the gate.

3. Pick up 2 seed beads. Skip over the next 2 bare beads in the strand (the two above those you’ve just stitched through) and stitch up through the following 2 beads. Pull snug so that the new beads click into place. Repeat once more to finish the row.

4. Flip the beadwork so that the working thread is facing you again. You should be able to recognize the beads that were added to the previous row. Often called ‘up’ beads, the last row along the edge of peyote is always raised a little higher than the beads of the previous row. It is now a little easier to see those first 2 rows that we strung – row one is green, row two is blue, and the third row that was stitched on is also green.

Pick up 2 seed beads. Stitch up through the first set of raised beads from the previous row (the last 2 beads that you added in the previous step). Pull snug so that the new beads click into place between the surrounding beads.

5. Pick up 2 beads, and stitch up through the following set of raised beads. Pull snug, then repeat once more to finish the row.

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 until your panel reaches the desired length.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, it’s time to make a practice piece to build that muscle memory and prepare for future peyote projects. If you’re ready to move beyond beading samples and swatches, this simple two-drop cuff is a great place to start. It has a built-in fringe and an easy freeform pattern that is neither dull nor distracting. You’ll need 11/o seed beads in 3 colors, 2 colors of 15/o seed beads, and a clasp of your choice. You can substitute the 15/o seed beads with additional 11/o colors if necessary.

Ocean Waves Two-Drop Peyote Cuff with Trim:

1. Attach a stop bead to a comfortable length of beading thread, leaving an 8 inch (20 cm) tail. Pick up 8 topaz 11/o seed beads, 6 blue, and 6 green. Flip the beadwork so that the stop bead is facing away from you.

2. Pick up 5 green 15/o seed beads, and 2 green 11/o. Skipping the last 2 green beads added in the first step, stitch up through the following 2 beads and pull snug so that the 2 new green beads click into place. The 15/o accents should form a small loop of fringe along the edge.

3. Pick up 2 green 11/o and stitch up through the following 2 (blue) beads. Pull snug.

4. Add 2 blue, 2 topaz, and 2 topaz to finish the row with two-drop peyote.

5. Flip the beadwork, and pick up 5 topaz 15/o, and 2 topaz 11/o beads. Stitch up through the last 2 topaz beads added in the previous row and pull snug to click the new 11/o’s in place.

6. Complete the rest of the row, adding 2 beads per stitch: topaz, blue, blue, green. On the final stitch, pass up through the last (nearest) 2 size 15/o beads on this edge.

7. Flip the beadwork. Pick up 3 green 15/o, and 2 green 11/o beads. Stitch up through the last 2 beads added in the previous row.

8. Finish the row with pairs of green, blue, topaz, and topaz.

9. Repeat steps 5-8 until the beadwork reaches the desired length for your bracelet, adding 3 15/o beads at each edge for the remainder. To get the optional freeform look, replace one bead in each 11/o pair at random with the following or previous color, to expand and contract the length of each color section. Repeat the addition 1-3 times before returning to the normal pattern. Replace colors at random intervals along the beadwork.

10. When you've completed the cuff, weave your remaining thread across the last row to secure it, then exit from a central pair, 3 or more rows back from the edge. Pick up enough blue seed beads to create a loop that will fit around your clasp or button. Stitch through the same 2 beads in the cuff again, moving in the same direction.

Weave through the loop and along the last few rows of beadwork 1-2 more times to add strength, then trim any remaining thread.

11. Remove the stop bead from the first tail thread, and repeat step 10, stringing your clasp at the center of a bead loop. Make sure that you are exiting from the same side of the cuff as the previous loop so that the components will connect.

Secure any remaining tail threads in the beadwork and trim. If you’re not yet familiar with the technique, we will fully cover adding and finishing threads in an upcoming Peyote Stitch Master Class lesson. For now, be sure to follow the natural thread path – stitching through 2 beads at a time across the width of the cuff, and turning at the edges. Cross over your tail stitches at least once for added security, then trim the thread as close to the beadwork as possible.

Happy beading!

Mortira

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