I love peyote triangles so have made many over the years. I have several peyote triangle patterns listed in my Etsy shop as well as several free peyote triangle tutorials on this blog and on my YouTube channel. I have even made a ring dish with little beaded feet out of peyote triangles! I don’t think however, I have ever shown how to read a peyote triangle pattern so, today’s tutorial is how to read a peyote triangle pattern.
This is a YouTube tutorial so I will link the video below. During this video I show what a peyote triangle pattern looks like, how to read the word chart and how to use that knowledge to bead a pair of peyote triangle earrings. I even show how to add your earring wires and weave in the ends of thread.
What Is A Peyote Triangle
I just thought I would briefly cover what exactly a peyote triangle is. If you are a beader, then you may have heard of peyote stitch. It is often referred to as being an odd or even count of flat peyote. Both odd and even count peyote produce lengths of flat beading where the beads all lay horizontal to each other, interlocking between each row. The beading is started at one end of the piece and finishes at the opposite end once the desired length has been achieved.
Peyote triangles however, begin in the centre of the triangle and the beading is done in a circular pattern, working each side of the triangle, one row at a time, before moving on to add another row of beads. At each point of the triangle two beads are picked up. This is what causes the shape to form into a triangle. These two beads sit in a herringbone formation running up towards each of the three points in the triangle.
Peyote triangles are a lot of fun. All manner of patterns, pictures and shapes can be made in them so you can use them in whatever way suits your needs. You may prefer modern geometric designs or cute animals – the choice is yours and all possible (I should know, I have a variety of animal patterns in my Etsy shop!). You can use peyote triangles to make jewellery as well as decorative pieces.
Tools and Supplies
For this pattern I have used Size 11 Delica beads in:
- Opaque Chocolate (DB734)
- Opaque Pumpkin (DB653)
- Teal Iris (DB027)
- Transparent Gold (DB42)
I have also used:
- Miyuki beading thread
- A beading needle
- Gold plated wire guardians
- Gold plated earring wires
The full pattern is provided in the video tutorial so you can bead along with me if you wish.
If you are choosing your own colour scheme then try playing around with different bead finishes because a flash of shine against matte beads can make all the difference in a pattern like this.
I have deliberately chosen Autumnal coloured beads as the weather in England is slowly turning but this would look great in blue, pink and silver, various shades of purple and silver or warm summer oranges and gold.
How To Read A Peyote Bead Pattern Turorial
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Hannah x
The Artisan Duck 
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