What Is Peyote Stitch?

Peyote stitch is the most popular off-loom way to weave beads into flat fabric. Beads sit in an offset, brick-like layout: each new bead rests between two beads of the row below it, and the thread zig-zags through them. The result is a firm, flexible fabric with no loom, a smooth surface, and a grid that works well for pictures, lettering and geometric designs.

How flat even-count peyote works

Even-count flat peyote is the version to learn first. You string an even number of beads (say 12), and those beads become the first two rows at once: every second bead sits "up" and the beads between them sit "down". From there you work one bead at a time. Pick up a bead, skip the next bead on the previous row, and pass the needle through the one after it. The bead you added drops into the gap you skipped, and the beads you did not skip stay as the "up" beads for the next row.

At the end of each row you turn: pass the needle through the end bead of the row you just made, then the next one down, and start the next row. With an even count, the turn is always the same and you never need to think about it. That is why most beginner bracelets are even-count.

What you need

• Beads: cylinder beads such as Miyuki Delica 11/0 give the flattest, most even fabric. Round 11/0 seed beads also work, but the surface is a little more textured.
• Thread: a size suited to the bead hole (nylon beading thread or a fused thread are common choices), about an arm’s length at a time.
• Needle: a beading needle that fits through the bead hole several times. Size 12 is a common choice for 11/0 beads.
• A stop bead or tension clip to keep the first beads from sliding off.
• A chart that shows the color of every bead, which is where pattern software earns its keep.

The other versions

• Odd-count peyote gives you an odd number of beads across, which means a center column and a perfectly symmetrical design. The price is a special turn at the end of every second row; several methods exist (the figure-eight turn is a common one), and beginners usually find them the hardest part of the stitch.
• Tubular peyote wraps the same stitch into a tube around a form such as a dowel or pen. It makes seamless beaded beads, pen wraps and vessel covers. The tube is worked in rounds, so you finish each round by stepping up through the first bead of the round.
• Gourd stitch is worked in rounds like tubular peyote, with increases and decreases that shape rounded vessels.
• Drop counts (2-drop, 3-drop and up) treat several beads as one stitch unit. The piece grows faster, but each unit is bigger, so the design has less fine detail.

How peyote looks in a pattern

A peyote chart draws the beads staggered, because that is how they sit in the weave. Read the rows in the order you stitch them, and remember that the first two rows are strung together. In Krazy Stitcher, flat peyote and tubular peyote are separate stitch types, each with its own grid, so the chart on screen matches the way the beads will actually sit. The counts and finished-size tools then tell you how many beads of each color you need and roughly how large the piece will be.

A worked example

Suppose you want a cuff 20 beads wide in 11/0 Delica beads. In Krazy Stitcher’s bead table an 11/0 Delica is 1.6 mm wide, so 20 beads is about 32 mm (1.3 in) across, plus half a bead for the stagger. To make each row 20 beads wide you string 40 beads for rows 1 and 2 together, then add one bead per stitch until the cuff is long enough to wrap your wrist. The Size tool shows the exact finished size, and the Counts tool lists every color with its quantity, so you can buy beads before you start.

Common mistakes

• Pulling too tight. Peyote should be firm, not stiff. Tight thread makes the fabric curl and wears through the bead holes.
• Losing count at the turn. If a row ends up with one bead too many or too few, find the last row where the count was right and unpick back to it.
• Skipping the wrong bead. After each added bead you pass through the next “up” bead, not the one beside it. If the rows stop interlocking cleanly or the edge looks ragged, you have probably gone through the wrong bead; unpick to the last good row.
• Starting with too long a thread. A long thread tangles; a short one runs out mid-row. About an arm’s length is a good compromise, then weave in a new thread.
• Not testing a small swatch. Ten rows tell you whether your bead, thread and tension work together before you commit to a long design.

If you want to compare peyote with its close relative, read Brick Stitch Basics, and for help choosing beads see Choosing the Right Bead Size.