All beading started somewhere, whether it came from the design
of old English lace, or the Millifiori from Italy. Beadwork
started and grew into a most regarded form of art. In North
America Peyote beading is used as a wrap stitch to adorn ceremonial
instruments and tools of Medicine Men. Some of these tools were
and still are made from gourds. Thus some people refer to Peyote
as the “Gourd” stitch. In the last 20 years, this
versatile stitch has transformed into art consisting of the
wrap stitch, to flat, free form, and sculptured Peyote. Once
you have mastered this stitch, you will be beading more than
just gourds and using it as the foundation for other beading
projects. In this project you are going to do just that. Peyote
is the perfect foundation for a bead netted gourd. Bead netting
has been around as long as there have been beads. From Africa
to Mexico bead netting is a part of cultural decoration. The
style you will learn today is horizontal bead netting, an easy
but elegant way to bead around the circumference of an object.
Let’s get started!
You will need:
A gourd with neck any size
Size 11/0 seed beads
Size 4 mm rounds to match seed beads
Size 12 beading needle
B Nymo thread
Bees wax
Paint or stain
To view photo instructions for the Peyote stitch you can refer
to Feb 3rd 2005 issue of The Gourdzette in the archive section
of the newsletter or Click
Here for quick reference.
Paint or stain your gourd any color, or leave it natural.
Basic Peyote stitch:
The following is the contemporary style of Peyote. Cut a length
of thread about 1 yard long. Run it through the bees wax to
remove any stretch from the thread. Place the waxed thread on
the needle and double the thread. Pick up enough beads to form
a circle around the neck of the gourd. You want the two end
beads to just touch each other not overlap. Then lay the strung
beads on the table and slide them to about 3 inches from the
tail end, now run the needle through all of the beads again.
This will form a circle.
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Leave the opening large enough to slip over the top of the
gourd neck. Pull the two ends of the thread to tighten the circle
of beads around the gourd neck. Run the needle back through
all of the beads again, exiting the bead with the tail thread.
This will make a good foundation row (It is all right if the
beads move, they will become stationary after the first row
is sewn on.). Holding onto the gourd, with the tail end of the
thread under your thumb, pick up one bead, skip one bead and
run needle into the very next bead. Continue this around the
gourd until the last bead pickup. At the last bead you will
do what is called a “step down”. Pick up a bead
and run your needle through the last bead on the foundation
row and the first bead strung on row 1. This places your needle
to start row 2. You will do this at the end of each row.
Foundation and row #1
Step down
You
can peyote as many rows as you like around the neck of your
gourd. For the netting you will pick up an odd number of beads.
(For example a 3, 5, 9 bead pick up). Your bead count will depend
on the size of the gourd.
Here is the basic netting instructions using a 5 bead pick
up. Work off of the last Peyote row. You will pick up 2 seed
beads, 1 3 mm round, and 2 more seed beads. Counting the Peyote
rows on the diagonal, skip one row and run needle through the
bead on the next row.
Pick
up the bead count again, skip a row and run needle through the
bead in the next row. Repeat this around the gourd. If you find
that you have an extra row just skip over it. On the last bead
pick up you will do a step down by running the needle through
the first bead you started from, the two seed beads and 3 mm
round of the first netting. The 3 mm round is now referred to
as the Point Bead.
From
here you will work off of the point beads. Usually it will be
the same bead count for each row, the shape and size of any
given gourd will determine your bead count. If you find that
any row will not lay flat against the surface of your gourd,
remove the beads and use a lesser bead count. On the gourd shown,
the second netting row was reduced from a 5-bead pickup to a
3-bead pickup. When reducing the number of beads make sure you
always have a point bead, then continue around the row. Your
step down will be through the point bead of the previous row,
the seed and point bead of the row you just sewed on.
As your gourd gets wider towards the bottom you may have to
pickup more beads such as a 9-bead pickup. Use your best judgment.
When
you have beaded approximately half of the gourd you will add
loop dangles. Working off of the beads on either side of the
point bead pick up as many seed beads as you desire, a 3 mm
round, and the same number of seed beads for the other side.
Proceed to run the needle through the all of the beads on the
other side of the point bead, down through the beads in the
next netting section. Repeat around the row. When you have finished,
weave your needle up into your work and cut off the thread.
Take advantage of the fantastic prices on gourds from California
Gourds, and then visit my website for details on Beadwright's
beaded gourd contest. It's a great opportunity to show off what
you have learned about beading!
Also feel free to contact me for any beading questions at my
e-mail address by clicking
here!
Authors Biography
Nicole Campanella has been beading, teaching, and selling her
beadwork for over 30 years. She launched her Beadwright business
in 1987 and began publishing her work in 1994. A gallery of
her artwork and various beading supplies, including free patterns,
are available at www.nicolecampanella.com
Thank you for your project submission, Nicole!!!
For a great deal on some "gourds with necks",
check out the Bottle Boxes for your beaded gourd projects!!!
Click
here to for more information on the Bottle Boxes!
We welcome your articles and projects submission
for The Gourdzette! Share your knowledge and favorite craft
ideas with other gourders! We would love to hear from you and
so would thousands of other gourd enthu
