Beadschool Tutorial - Techniques: Odd Count Peyote Stitch

This Beadschool tutorial is about Odd Count Peyote Stitch. The clue is in the name - you are working in rows of an odd number of beads. Flat, odd count Peyote stitch (just like even count) is great for making little bracelets, book marks, wall-hangings, pictures, beaded book covers, etc. It's really simple and you can quickly master it, which is really important as Peyote is a fabulously versatile stitch, useful in so many different aspects of beadweaving. Once you've mastered the technique you can easily work in patterns and there will be videos coming soon to show you how. As you pick up an odd number of beads for Odd Count Peyote Stitch, you will have a central bead in the row, so if you have a symmetrical design you would like to put into Peyote it works beautifully (video coming up next). You can put lovely patterns into even count Peyote as long as they aren't symmetrical.
The difference in working on Odd Count Peyote as opposed to Even Count Peyote is that at one end of a row of you will have an "Even Count turn" but at the other end you will have to make an "Odd Count turn". This happens because at the Odd Count turn end there will be no available "Turret" bead to secure the last bead you are putting into the row, hence you have to be able to follow a wiggly pathway or make the shortcut turn in order to bring the thread out correctly orientated to start the new row. In this video I show you both the 'wiggly' Odd Count turn and the 'shortcut' Odd Count turn. Learn them both and add to your beading artillery!
In this video I'm wearing:
Isabella necklace in the Dorado colourway (beadschool.co.u....
I'll be teaching the Isabella design at:
The Bead & Button Show in June 2013.
Link to book the class: www.beadandbutt....
The Great British Bead Show in May 2013.
Link to book the class: www.beadworkers...
Isabella Kits will be available in Dorado, Topaz, Bermuda Blue, Aqua and Peridot - for more information follow the link to the Isabella page in my Gallery.
Kiku ring.
Emilie bracelet: Made with Swarovski bi-cone crystals and Miyuki seed beads. I will also be teaching this at the Bead & Button Show, 2013.
Link to book the class: www.beadandbutt...
Link to my website: beadschool.co.uk
Find me on Facebook: Beadschool Mel - / beadschool.mel
Link to my Bead Blog and list of suppliers: beadschool.co.u...
Materials used:
Nymo thread Size D - Stitchncraft
Size 12 needle - Stitchncraft
Matsuno Size 8 seed beads - GJ Beads

[@Knittyneeds]

Greetings from France 🥰 Congratulations 🏆❤️. Well done Professor Melanie. You are sooooo beautiful and a lovely smile too. So cute watching you beading with your left hand. How come you threaded that needle with such "elegance". I blink ten times before attempting to thread the needle and finally get my needle threader. My preference in odd count is passing the needle under the thread 😂 In the first method there were many "forgetful" steps for my old rusty brain, wondered what I was doing wrong 😭. Tried the second and it was great. Thanks for sharing caring and making me SMILE 🥰🌹♥️👍👍👍

[@chilwthme]

Thank you for making the odd count stitch seem so easy.....I have avoided it in the past but will now have to try it!!!! Thank you!!!!

[@vls266]

I have always avoided the odd count peyote patterns due to the turn. I think I might have to give them a try after learning this great tip. Thanks

[@ndyobasi]

Thank you. Am new in bead weaving and I learnt it in two attempts. Am surprised at myself and you made it possible. Thank you

[@tammyadams7965]

Thank you so much for posting this. I've been trying for a week to "get it" and your demonstration was what it took for me to understand this stitch. Now it is so easy! Thank you!! :)

[@beadymel]

+Tammy Adams That's great Tammy, I'm so pleased to have helped. X

[@chadbittenbender8202]

I would never have thought to use the under thread technique in the odd count.. wonderful short cut. I'm interested in learning diagonal peyote stitch as well.

[@beadymel]

That's what I like to hear! Now you can make all sorts of pieces which have symmetry around a central point. Have fun!

[@pinklaura1961]

This is a fantastic tutorial. Thank you!!

[@jazz2012]

OMG, having spent the best part of 2 days trying to perfect odd count peyote by looking at diagram after diagram I was becoming desperate. I am making a bracelet with six small tubes of blue and silver size 11 Toho treasures, each with a different pattern. I was about to give up when I found you and in 1 hour I had done 2 out of the 6 tubes needed. It's so simple when you have it explained so perfectly and that's what you have done. You saved my sanity and stopped my husband being afraid to ask, "How's it going?" without having a missile thrown at him. Thank you so much Melanie. You explain everything so well. I do have a different way of starting the 1st 2 rows when using 2 colours and small beads but it works for me and coupled with your brilliant demo of adding the bead on alternate rows I get my tubes finished in no time at all. WooHoo!!

[@beadymel]

HI Gail, I'm so pleased the video helped. Your bracelet design sounds lovely - now you can really enjoy making it. Have fun.

[@annaintili1777]

Thanks so much for sharing. I love you work. This has become a new passion, I'm enjoying everything om learning. Blessings from Pennsylvania, USA

[@beadymel]

It's a pleasure indeed to be able to help. If you make it to Bead & Button 2015, come and see me!

[@monicaortiz827]

Glad I decided to watch your video to learn this technique. Very clear instructions along with tip, love it! Now I will get my materials and start once I view the next video. New Subbie!!! Thank you!!!

[@beadymel]

Hey Monica, Really glad to hear it. My pleasure.

[@shannonryan435]

For some reason I can do all the weaves but Peyote 👀🔮🔮✋🙀🙀😭😭 I started with Raw, Craw,Praw, and have moved learning the different stitches, but Peyote seems to be hard for me....This Tutorial video and I finally understand it!! I can't just memorize steps, I have to understand what it is happening and how it works, you've beautifully demonstrated how to do stitch, while showing what was happening!! Tysvm 😅😅

[@beadymel]

It's certainly worth mastering and adding to your 'beading artillery'!

[@gathelparker2338]

They make it look so simple I think I like the odd count it is supper cool.

[@canangedik2185]

Teşekkür ederim

[@Madge778]

I want to learn how to make some cute earrings for Christmas and not sure how to make something like santa with a payote stitch without making it a square. What video would you suggest.

[@CraftnMomma]

Can you use beads that arent exactly perfectly sized?

[@beadymel]

Hi Charlotte, Yes you can, but don't expect perfectly smooth results. Uneven beads may be great for embroidery, but not if you want to make a precision piece. It's fine to practise with them though. But you can make a perfectly acceptable piece with them - they'll produce a bit of a rustic look. You could always add to the peyote strip along the edges with a pretty, dangly fringe :)

[@CraftnMomma]

I just finished a piece just to try tge technique because I didnt want to waste my delicas on something i.didnt plan to actually use. I can tell I will definately.get a better look with better beads. Any suggestions on what I can use other than delicas since they are so expensive?

[@beadymel]

Charlotte Burnside You can use ordinary seed beads. I've made many pieces with size 11, 15 and Czech Charlotte 15 seed beads using peyote. In some ways I love the soft roundness of the seed beads much more than the harsh cylindrical Delicas. But they all have their function an I wouldn't be without any of them. Do try seed beads as they'll work up beautifully in peyote.

[@CraftnMomma]

Thanks so much!

[@beadymel]

Charlotte Burnside My pleasure!

[@palmerjohnson1454]

Does anyone know how to do odd count 2 drop peyote turns? I'm sure it's just like 1 drop but I just can't get it!

[@beadymel]

Palmer Johnson It really is exactly the same as 1-drop. You just have to visualise the 2 beads you are adding each time, as 1. It works the same way for both the methods. Traditional method: Look at around 3:48 where I've picked up 1 to make the turn (you would have picked up 2), then I pass through 3 beads, but you would pass through 6 (3 sets of 2 beads). Then you would turn and pass through the 2 beads above where you emerged (in the opposite direction), then the 2 beads offset slightly below, then finally the 2 end beads, so you emerge at the end of the strip. Then you can turn and pass through the 2 newly set beads, ready to continue. Short Cut method: Look from 7:43 onwards. Simply pick up the last 2 beads for the row and pass the needle under the thread as I do in the video, then back down through the 2 new beads in the opposite direction, ready to work the new row. Hope this helps.

[@yaoibyet]

What size and kind filament or thread used?

[@beadymel]

Hi Jandy, On that occasion I was using Nymo thread (D). Normally I use Fireline 4lb.

[@maluvelis]

Por favor en castellano , no sirve en inglés, gracias