Peyote Bead Stitching for Beginners

A variety of patterns can be made with peyote stitch

This guide explains peyote stitch, the materials needed, common variations for all skill levels, and includes links to tutorials, recommended supplies, and project ideas.

What is Peyote Stitch

Peyote stitch is one of the most popular beadwork stitches for beginners. It creates an interconnected beaded fabric that can be soft and cloth-like or firm and sculptural, depending on material choice, tension, and the variation of the stitch used. It combines a predictable, staggered bead layout with the ability to be used in many different projects. 

Peyote stitch design with letters and symbols

Peyote stitch works well with many bead sizes and types. As each stitch is added, it is easy to see where the next bead belongs, fitting into the space between beads from the previous row, which helps you catch mistakes early and understand how the design is coming together.

Peyote stitch grows with you as your skills develop, since it has many variations. It can be stitched as a flat stitch, a tubular rope stitch, a flat circular stitch, freeform or used to make flat or three dimensional shapes. It combines easily with other stitches, like square stitch and herringbone, as well as edging techniques like picot or fringe. Peyote stitch is not just a starting point, but a technique many beaders return to again and again as their designs become more advanced.

Peyote stitch is commonly taught as a first beadwork stitch, much like brick stitch. The two stitches can look similar at first. Both use the same half-bead offset layout. In flat peyote stitch, beads are worked side to side in horizontal rows, while in brick stitch, beads are stacked vertically from an edge. Because they share the same offset layout, patterns designed for one stitch can often be used with the other by turning the design to the side.

Materials for Peyote Stitch

Peyote beading materials

Peyote stitch uses a small set of core supplies. The items below are recommended for getting started. Tutorials and patterns typically recommend bead sizes and materials needed for that project. Name-brand seed beads such as Miyuki and Toho produce the most consistent results due to their uniform sizing. You can use round or cylinder beads, but to start, using beads of one type is recommended.

aterial	Why it matter
Size 8 seed beads	Larger beads make it easier to see the stitch structure when learning
Size 11 seed beads	Most peyote patterns are written for this size
Beading needle size 10	Slightly thicker and easier to handle for beginners
Beading needle size 12	Useful for tighter tension and smaller beads
FireLine beading thread	Strong and durable for peyote stitch
WildFire beading thread	Softer feel with good strength
Thread burner	Seals synthetic thread ends cleanly
Beading mat	Prevents beads from rolling while you work
Bead Weaving Graph Paper	Create patterns for Peyote stitch

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Types of Peyote Stitch

There are several different types of peyote stitch. Variations are created in a few main ways: by changing the number of beads in a row, such as even count or odd count peyote; by stitching multiple beads at once, as in two-drop and multi-drop peyote; by joining the beadwork to form tubular or circular shapes; by adding increase or decrease to the stitch in diagonal peyote or by changing bead types and sizes, as seen in Cellini spiral and freeform peyote. Each variation produces a distinctive look and is commonly used for different types of projects and skill levels.

Flat Peyote Stitches

Flat peyote is stitched back and forth in rows to create a flexible, flat fabric. Flat peyote is commonly used to make wide cuff or slinky bracelets, patterned rings, pendants, amulet bags, decorative panels, hat bands, and other flat pieces that can be worn on their own or built into larger projects.

Even Count Peyote

Even count peyote

Even count peyote is the most straightforward flat peyote variation. Each row contains an even number of beads, which creates a consistent pattern and makes turning at the end of rows simple. Because there is no special step-up or turn-around maneuver, this is often the first peyote stitch beginners learn.

One design consideration with even count peyote is that it does not naturally create a true center line across the width of the beadwork. This can make perfectly symmetrical or mirrored designs harder to achieve without adjusting the pattern. In practice, many designers work around this through color placement, borders, or intentional asymmetry, and even count peyote remains one of the most versatile and widely used peyote stitches.

Flat peyote ends are joined to create a tube bead

Even count peyote can also be used to create tubular forms by stitching a flat strip and joining the first and last rows together. Because the bead alignment matches, the edges can be zipped together cleanly. While this produces a tube, the construction is different from tubular peyote, which is worked continuously in the round.

Odd Count Peyote

Odd count peyote is a flat peyote variation worked with an odd number of beads in each row. The bead placement and overall structure are the same as even count peyote, but the row turn is handled differently. This structural difference allows odd count peyote to create a true center line across the width of the beadwork, making it well suited for symmetrical, mirrored, or centered designs.

Odd count peyote is used to create a centered design

While the turn at the end of each row can feel less intuitive at first, it becomes routine with practice, and the stitch is not significantly more difficult once the technique is learned. Don't let this extra step stop you from giving it a try!

Two-Drop Peyote

2-drop peyote adds design options and is faster to stitch

Two-drop peyote is a flat peyote variation where you pick up and stitch two beads at a time instead of one. The stitch follows the same peyote offset from row to row, but the beads are added in pairs, with each pair functioning as a single stitch. Because each stitch adds more beads, two-drop peyote works up faster than single-bead peyote when creating an item of the same overall size.

When planning or counting a two-drop peyote pattern, each pair of beads is treated as one stitch rather than as individual beads. This is especially important when determining whether a row is even or odd count. The paired structure can make certain patterns easier to design, with greater flexibility for lines, curves, and larger shapes.

Three-Drop Peyote

3-drop peyote

Three-drop peyote stitches groups of three beads together in each step. Like two-drop peyote, the grouped beads function as a single stitch, By adding more beads with each stitch, three-drop peyote builds width very quickly and is faster than both single-bead and two-drop peyote when working to the same finished size.

Single-bead, two-drop, and three-drop peyote can also be mixed within the same design. Larger drop sizes are often used where width or pattern needs to build quickly, while single-bead peyote works well for edges, transitions, and finer detail. Combining drop sizes adds visual interest and increases design options.

Tubular Peyote Stitches

Tubular peyote rope

Tubular peyote is worked continuously around to form a hollow tube. The finished beadwork is flexible and supple, making it well suited for ropes, straps, and other elements that need movement.

Peyote tube beads (top) and tubular peyote beads (bottom)

Tubular peyote differs is different than a tube made by stitching flat peyote and joining the edges together since the beads run in different directions. Zipped flat peyote tubes are stiffer and are more commonly used for short beads, spacers, and structural components like bails. Tubular peyote, besides being used for beaded ropes, is used to create bezels around stones, where the flexible tube structure allows the beadwork to conform closely to the shape of a cabochon.

Tubular peyote is either even count or odd count, depending on the number of beads in the starting ring.

Even count tubular peyote

Tubular peyote with bead fringe earrings

• Starts with an even number of beadst
• Each round ends with a step-up stitch
• Creates clearly defined rounds
• Finishes with an even edge
• Often easier connect to other beaded components

Odd count tubular peyote

Tubular peyote spiral bead bracelets

• Starts with an odd number of beads
• No step-up is needed between rounds
• The beadwork is a continuous spiral
• Ends are uneven and often finished with a cap or end treatment

Additional Peyote Variations

Beyond flat and tubular peyote are additional variations that introduce shifts in direction, bead size, or pattern logic to create more movement, texture, or dimensional form.

Diagonal Peyote

Diagonal peyote beaded strap

Diagonal peyote is a form of flat peyote that shifts the direction of the beadwork so the rows travel at an angle rather than straight across. The stitch itself does not change, but increases and decreases are used to redirect the beadwork. This variation is used to create angled bands, geometric shapes, and components that turn or taper.

Cellini Spiral

Cellini spiral bead

Cellini spiral is a sculptural peyote variation created by working tubular peyote with beads of different sizes. The changing bead sizes force the beadwork to ruffle and twist, forming a natural spiral. Cellini is commonly used for bold ropes, statement beads, and highly textural designs rather than flat or aligned beadwork.

Circular Peyote

Circular peyote shapes

Circular peyote is a flat peyote variation that is worked outward from a ring of beads rather than back and forth in rows. The design begins with a circle of beads, and each round builds on the previous one by picking up one or more beads and stitching through the next available bead. As the beadwork grows, the stitch forms a flat disc that expands evenly from the center. The shape is determined by the starting number of beads and how many beads are added in each stitch.

Circular peyote is commonly used for earrings, pendants, and small focal components.

Freeform Peyote

Freeform peyote removes strict patterning in favor of organic growth. Beads of different sizes, shapes, and colors are added intuitively, allowing the beadwork to expand, curve, or branch naturally. Freeform peyote emphasizes exploration and texture over repetition or symmetry.

Peyote stitch is one of the most adaptable stitches in beadwork. Understanding how the variations relate to one another makes it easier to choose the right form for a project and to move between techniques without learning an entirely new stitch.

Additional Resources

These helpful articles can help you select materials and understand beading basics.

Resource	What It Helps With	When You’ll Need It
Tools and Materials to Get Started	Identifying what materials you need to get started	To get started with beading
Choosing thread for peyote	Picking the right thread for bead size and tension	Early projects and pattern work
Selecting beads for peyote	Cylinder vs round beads and consistency	Before starting a project
Needles and basic tools	Needle sizes and helpful tools	Getting set up or upgrading
Beading Pattern Software	Using your computer to design patterns	To create your own bead patterns

This page is updated as new peyote stitch tutorials, projects and resource information are added.