This beaded flower peyote stitch tutorial is for everyone who already has some experience with the flat peyote stitch technique.
I created this flower using primarily two colors of 11/0 seed beads. Flowers with several colors of beads are very beautiful, but If this is your first beaded flower, I recommend sticking to my instructions to avoid confusion. Once you get some experience, you will feel more confident adding more colors to the palette.
Beads and Materials
- Seed beads size 11 of two colors. In this tutorial, I refer to them as color A and color B
- Seed beads 15/0 matching colors A and B
- 8 mm glass pearl
- Beading thread/ I used Fireline 6 lb
- Beading needle size 12
- Sharp scissors or thread burner
Instructions Part 1 – The Petal
Thread a needle with 3 feet of the beading thread and place a stop bead in the center of it.
First Part of the Petal
String 5 beads of color B and 13 beads of color A
Row 2
Stitch through the fourth bead from the end going in the direction towards the stop bead
Using flat peyote stitch finish the second row
Row 3
Add two beads of color B and six beads of color A
Row 4
String four beads of color A
Stitch through the fourth bead
Finish the row by adding six beads of color A and two beads of color B
Row 5
Stitch through the last bead of the fourth row going in the direction towards the top of the petal
Add one bead of color B and seven beads of color A
Row 6
String two beads of color A and stitch through the last bead of the fifth row going toward the bottom of the petal
Add six beads of color A and one bead of color B
Row 7
Stitch the last bead of the sixth row going toward the top of the petal
Add one bead of color B and six beads of color A
Row 8
String two beads of color A and stitch through the last bead of the seventh row going toward the bottom of the petal
Add five beads of color A and one bead of color B
Row 9
Stitch the last bead of the previous row going toward the top of the petal
Add four beads of color A
Row 10
Stitch the last bead of the previous row going toward the bottom of the petal
Add three beads of color A
Optional: Hide the thread in the beadwork as shown in the video. You only need to do this if you decided to use the other end of the thread to finish the petal.
Instructions Part 2 – Connecting Petals
In this video tutorial, I show how I connected petals to each other forming a beaded flower. This connection is suitable for a flower with a small center of your choice, or for a larger beaded Rivoli like I made for the pink and red flower. I designed this connection, keeping in mind a particular center, which I am going to show in my next tutorial. So, just in case you want to follow the complete tutorial for this peyote stitch flower, you might want to connect the petals exactly how I did it.
You will need five seed beads size 15. It is better if they match the color of seed beads color B required for the Flower Petal tutorial. Why? You will see it when I move to the final set of instructions.
As a connecting thread, I used the remains of the thread of one of the petals. I specifically left these longer threads and did not weave them in. However, it is always a good idea to add a new thread to connect components. The reason for that is simple: if you would like to take these components apart later, it will be safe and easier for you to cut this thread.
You would ask, why would you want to take it apart? Well, in most cases, you wouldn’t, but only if you are an adventurous beader, and like to design, you might come up with another exciting idea while you follow my instructions (or any other tutorial). So, whether will you leave room for experiments later, or not, is entirely up to you!
Instructions Part 3 – Making Flower Center
To make a flower center you will need a Stop bead – any size of a bead to use temporarily, to begin beading. You will remove it later. I used seed bead size 8 of a different color
Step 1
Video time – 0:47
You will make the first row around the pearl.
Attach a stop bead onto the beading thread.
String your pearl bead
String 9 seed beads size 11 color A
Enter the pearl from the opposite end
String 9 seed beads size 11 color A again
Enter the pearl from the opposite end
String 1 seed bead size 11 color A
Stitch through nine seed beads
Add 1 more seed bead size 11 color A
(You have to have 20 seed beads total)
Stitch through the next seed beads
Reinforce
Remove the Stop bead
Step 2
Video Time – 2:32
Second row
Using Peyote stitch add seed beads size 11 color A
Step 3
Video Time – 3:36
You will add the third row of seed beads size 11 color A
Step up
Add seed beads size 11 color A in between beads of the previous row
Step 4
Video Time 4:28
You will add a fourth row of beads
Using peyote stitch, add seed beads size 11 color B between beads of the previous row
Step 5
Video Time 4:54
You will add the last row of beads around the pearl
Using Peyote stitch add seed beads size 15 color B in between seed beads of the previous row
Secure the thread by weaving it through the beadwork changing the direction at least three times.
Before you move on, weave in, secure, and hide the short end of the thread
Attaching Flower Center
Video Time 7:22
Thread the needle with the remaining beading thread. This is optional. You might want to use a separate piece of thread for this purpose.
At this point, you have to locate the connecting seed beads size 15 in between the petals. We will attach the center to them.
Your bead thread must exit one of the beads of row 1 (see Step 1)
Step 6
Video Time 7:39
String 1 seed bead size 11 color B
Stitch through the connecting bead
String 1 seed bead size 11 color B
Skip one and then stitch through the second bead in the same row
Then go up and stitch through the next seed bead in the second row
Then move down and stitch through the next bead in the first row
*This way I try to keep the structure of a flower solid
Repeat this four times.
In the end, don’t forget to weave in the remaining thread, secure it, and hide it. You might find it easier to weave it into one of the petals.
In the next tutorial, I will show you how to make a simple beaded bail for this pendant.
Instructions Part 4 – Pendant Bail
It is up to you if you want to create the bail before you make the flower center. I made the center first and then decided what kind of bail I would like to create.
First, I suggest you take a look at how the flower petals are connected before you start following instructions for the bail. Choose what color of 11/0 seed beads you will use for the bail. I picked seed beads in color B.
Please note, that even though this is a tutorial for the beaded flower peyote stitch design, the bail is done in the Herringbone technique.
Step 1
Video Time 0:47
Before I start making the bail, I attach and secure the thread I am going to use for beading.
I suggest using a separate piece of the thread for the bail, and not using any leftovers of threads you used for the flower pendant.
I attach the bail to the edge beads of two petals. Pick any two you like.
Count two beads from the bottom of the petals. I attach the bail to the third and fourth beads of each petal.
It will help if you visually create two pairs of beads. The first pair consists of the third edge bead of both petals. This is going to be the First Base Pair.
The second pair consists of the four edge beads of both petals. This is going to be the Second Base Pair.
Weave in the thread going through the fourth bead, then the third bead towards the center of the flower. Then stitch through the other two beads going in the direction toward the edges of the flower. Leave about 6 inches of the thread tail. You will secure and hide this end later when you finish making the bail.
Reinforce by going through the same beads again.
Step 2
Video Time 2:07
To begin, your thread should be exiting one of the beads in the Second Base Pair You will start beading the bail from this pair, and later you will attach it to the First Base pair.
Pick up two beads, and enter the second bead in the Base pair
Stitch through the first bead in the Base pair again, and then stitch through the first bead of the pair you’ve just added.
Step 3
Video Time 2:55
Pick up two beads and enter the second bead in the previous pair
Stitch through the first bead in the previous pair again, then stitch through the first bead of the same pair you’ve just added.
Step 4
Video Time 3:13
Continue adding two beads and attaching it to the previous two beads until you have 14 pairs (rows) of beads in total.
Step 5
Video Time 4:55
Stitch through the corresponding bead in the First Base pair going in the direction towards the center of the flower.
Then stitch through the second bead in the same Base Pair going in the direction towards the edges of the flower.
Now you have to stitch through all the beads of the bail on this side.
Move to the other side and stitch through all the beads to reinforce the bail and the connection.
Then weave in the ends of the thread into the petals. Make sure to change the direction several times. Secure the ends and hide the thread in the beadwork.
Happy beading!
