Peyote Garden Necklace

I love tiny glass seed beads. They come in so many colors, finishes and sizes. So, I decided to make a necklace with peyote stitched seed beads, and glass flower and leaf beads. Peyote stitch is a technique that forms a weaving of the tiny beads. The possible combination of beads, colors and patterns is infinite, limited only by your imagination. Instructions for doing peyote stitch bead work can be found at the following link. http://www.firemountaingems.com/beading_howtos/beading_projects.asp?docid=822W&doccat=video%20tutorials&sact=search. Another good resource is Bead and Button magazine, and this is a link to their peyote instructions. http://beadandbutton.com/en/How%20To/Basics/Peyote%20Stitch.aspx.

Step 1: Choosing materials

The first thing I do is get out all possible beads for the project I am starting.

Step 2: Final selection

These are the beads I decided to use for this necklace.

Step 3: Pattern design

Now I draw my design. I am using a special graph paper designed for the proportions of the seed beads and the way the beads line up in peyote stitch. I am using 4 bead colors, so I use three distinctly different colored pencils and white to color my design.

Step 4: Equipment and materials

This is a bead work tray with the selected beads. A small scissor, beading needles, and nymo thread will be needed.

Step 5: Peyote stitch band

I made an 8 bead wide strip a little longer than 21". I did the flower pattern for 7", then just plain blue for 7", then back to the flower pattern for the last 7" ( in this case, 1/3 ) of the necklace. I slide the needle through the last 4 beads to secure them temporarily.

Step 6: Attach flowers and leaves

This is how I attached the flowers and leaves to the peyote band. Bring a threaded needle out through the front of the seed bead where you want to put a flower. Thread on a glass flower bead from the back to the front of the flower, then a seed bead for the flower center. Sew back through the front of the flower, exiting the bead and gently pulling the flower close to the peyote band. Sew through a seed bead near the flower and gently snug the flower to the band. Sew through adjacent seed beads to bring needle to position of next flower or leaf.

Step 7: Flowers and leaves added to band

This is how the first half of the flowers and leaves looks. Notice the fold in the peyote band. The other half of the flowers and leaves will be on the opposite side of the band as the first.

Step 8: All flowers and leaves on band

This is how it will look with all glass flower and leaf beads attached. I left the threaded needle attached at the ends so the length of the necklace can be adjusted at this point. Experiment with how the necklace will hang from your neck and make one end or the other longer so clasp will fall at center back. Adjust the length and finish the thread by weaving it into the beads.

Step 9: Tools to attach clasp

These are the tools you will need to finish the necklace. Round nose pliers and wire clipper.

Step 10: Attach clasp and ring

Now we have to attach the clasp. Seed beads are small, and have thread in them, so fine wire is needed to fit through the holes. The only fine wire I had were head pins, so I had to cut off the heads after sliding the wires into the last row of 4 beads. A clasp and 3 jump rings are needed to finish the necklace. Using a round nose jewelry pliers, I made loop at each end of the wires, curving outward. The loops are brought together and a clasp is attached using a jump ring. The other end is finished the same way using a jump ring for the clasp to catch. Make sure you put the clasp on the side of your dominant hand, so you can easily use it. I have a good friend who is left-handed. When I make her jewelry I always put the clasp on the left.