Most bezelling techniques call for even-count tubular peyote. It also takes less thought and planning if you want to make symmetrical decreases and/or increases and you use even-count peyote. Let's load up our needles and give even-count tubular peyote a try.
1. Start with a comfortable length of thread. Wax or condition your thread as needed. Thread your needle.
I don't use a stopper bead. I keep the tail wrapped around the index finger on my nondominant hand to keep the beads from falling off as I'm getting started.
2. String on 8 beads in alternating colors (notice that the colors alternate all the way around the circle). Move the beads to within about 6 inches of the tail end of the thread. Stitch through all 8 beads again to form a circle (i.e., go through the beads again from the tail end). Take your needle through one more bead so that the tail and the working threads are exiting the same bead but in opposite directions. See the photo below.
2. Begin peyote stitch
(remember that peyote stitch is pick up a bead, skip a bead, pass
through the next bead). My color pattern is that I'm picking up the same
color bead as the bead I'm skipping. In the photo below, I've made four
stitches with four black beads, stitching through the silver beads. I'm back to the beginning of the circle, i.e., the tail and working threads are coming out of the same bead in opposite directions again.
In the photo above, there are three rows of peyote (click here for a refresher on how to count rows of peyote). There are now up-beads (black) and down-beads (silver), right? Here's the catch the even-count tubular peyote: you have to reposition your needle to be able to stitch the next row.
There are several stitches and/or patterns that require you to reposition your needle. In peyote stitch, the act of repositioning is called a "step-up" or "step-down." This just means that you need to move your needle into the next up-bead (for a step-up) or the next down-bead (for a step-down).
Check out this next photo to see where the next stitch is supposed to be.
3. End row 3 by stepping up, i.e., by passing your needle through the next up-bead. See the photo below.
In even-count tubular peyote, there is always a step-up at the end of every row. In the photo below, I'm ready to stitch row 4 (with four silver beads).
4. In the next photo, I'm finishing up row 4 by adding the fourth silver bead (which stitches into a black bead) and stepping up through the next up-bead, which is a silver bead (and the first bead added in row 4).
Notice also that I've got the tube on a stick (in this case a knitting needle--what a surprise). Sometimes it's easier to get your tube started if you stitch around something. Just be certain to use something that won't interfere with your tension (don't use a stick that's too fat).
In the photo above, I'm ending row 4 (with the step-up), and row 5 will be stitched with black beads.
Most intermediate or advanced peyote patterns and classes require that you have a good understanding of even-count tubular peyote and/or of the step-up and step-down. In my intro classes, students use two colors of beads so they can more easily see the stitches and dissect the process. Give it a try, and then give it a try in a single color until you're able to consistently see the step-up.
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