Every week I share what I have been working on. Come take a look at what's on my bead board this week.

I had to take a break from my big project. Let's just say I had an unfortunate series of events happen which made me have to take a step back. I think I have the logistics of it figured out now, so I'll probably start working on it again soon. 

In the mean time, I've been working on some long earring for myself. I haven't made a pair of these in years and I almost forgot how much I love them. So now I'm making a pair for myself in every color combo. I really love how I can make a pair in just an hour or so. Nothing like instant gratification. 

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​I have a confession to make. I have way too many scissors. I don't know about you, but I love buying scissors. There is just something about getting a new scissors and using it for the first time. I have a problem and I know it. I own so many scissors and they each have their specific thing I use them for. If I see a cool new pair (or pretty pair) of scissors, I'm probably going to buy them. 

This article includes affiliate links from Etsy. That just means that I get a little fee if you click on the link or purchase something and no additional cost to you. That little fee helps me keep writing these articles. All my opinions are my own. I am featuring these products because I love them.

I won't show you my whole collection. It's quite large, but I will share with you the ones that I keep in my bead box all of the time. The ones that are with me every day. The ones I use the most.

So let's dig in.

​This pair is the one I've had the longest. I have no idea when or where I got this pair of titanium scissors. It use to have a little cover, but that broke long long ago. It has been abused for many years and I mostly use it to cut loose threads and itchy tags out of clothes. I first bought it to use with my beading, but it has since been retired from that (though there are times where I can't find another scissors and I use it to cut beading thread). 

​This one I bought because it's pretty. I know that was a pretty lousy excuse to buy a scissors, but like I said before, I have a bit of a problem. It's cheap and not the best around, but it has it's uses. And also look at how colorful it is 

Here is one I bought about a year ago, not really a scissors, but it cuts thread, so it counts. This one seems to have a bit of a learning curve to use because the first few times I could not get it to work. I just made a mess of things. But I'm happy to report that I have gotten the hang of using it and it does come in handy at times. The best part is this one you can take on a plane without worrying if it will be confiscated. So if you travel a lot, this is a big perk

​This pair right here is one of my favorites for trimming around my bead embroidery. It is uber sharp and the tip is so tiny (and also super sharp) you can get into any tight space. I went through a few different scissors before I found this one. It's amazing on how close I can get to my embroidery. If you do any type of embroidery or even quilting, this is an amazing scissors.

Now if you are like me, you probably cut a lot of fishing line for bead work. You know what fishing line does to scissors. I use to use a pair of kid scissors and they worked just fine. But they still dulled over time and I was really looking for something a bit smaller. I found two that I really have been digging on

First is this little pair of blue handled ones. They are specifically made for fishing line and have a serrated edge. They are well made, small, and cut like a dream. They also were super cheap. I think they cost me around 2 dollars, which is about what you'd pay for a pair of kids scissors. I high recommend these guys. 

​My second most used scissors is this pair right here. I love these so much. They are also made for fishing and have a serrated edge. Since they are made for fishing, they hold up to repeated cutting of fishing line. They are also really small and, my favorite part, you can lock the blade. What a great feature. They even come with a retractable clip, so if you are always loosing your scissors, you can slip them on and they are always right there. I really love this pair. I use this pair almost everyday. They have never met a thread they couldn't handle. This is my top rated scissors. 

​And of course, if we talk about scissors, we should probably talk about thread burners. I have a few of these, but of course I absolutely love this one made by Berkley for fishing (all the best tools are made for fishing). Why do I love this one? Well like all the scissors we talked about, it's made to be abused. It's made to be used in wet, dirty conditions. It's made to be tossed in a tackle box. So that means it's going to hold up really well. And my favorite thing about this one is the retracting tip. Which means you can use it one handed. No dropping everything so you can take the cap off to use it. It comes with reusable tips and take two AAA batteries (I use rechargeable ones). This is a highly recommended item for any beader. 

If you notice I do seem to gravitate towards things made for fishing (fireline, scissors, burners, etc). It's just going to be made to withstand more abuse and things made for fishing are usually a lot cheaper in price. So if you are looking to save a bit of money, they are a perfect investment.

So those are just a few of my scissors (that's right, I didn't even share my whole collection). What is your favorite scissors? Have you tried any of the ones I have? Do you have something you cannot live without? I'd love to hear from you. Leave a comment below and let me know about your favorite scissors. 

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Every week I share what I have been working on. Come take a look at what's on my bead board this week. 

I've made a little bit more progress on my secret project. The base is all done and I've started working on all the extras. 

I didn't get a lot of time to work on this project last week, but I'm hoping to get more time this week. Check in next week to see how much progress I actually make.  And if you'd like to see even more progress shots, check out my Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. ​

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Every week I'll be sharing what is on my beadbaord. Get an inside look at the projects that I'm working on right now. Feel free to share with me the projects you are working on. 

This week I'm working on a new project. A big one. It's a little bit of a secret right now, but I'm sharing everything, step by step, with you. I am making pretty slow progress because I am fitting in beading in-between my very busy summer schedule (ugh, busy summer schedules).  

I'll be sharing my progress every Monday, so make sure to check back next week to see what I accomplished. And if you'd like to see even more progress shots, check out my Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. 

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Today's tutorial is a little different, but it's based on a question I get all the time. "How do I read this pattern?" Which means today I'm going to go over how to read that pesky peyote word chart that came with your pattern. I will be talking about how to read the graph in the next tutorial, so if that's more your cup of tea, it's coming soon.

​This article includes affiliate links from Etsy. That just means that I get a little fee if you click on the link or purchase something and no additional cost to you. That little fee helps me keep writing these articles. All my opinions are my own. I am featuring these products because I love them.

In this tutorial, I am going to be focusing on even count peyote stitch, but will be covering other stitches in future tutorials. Let's get started.

So maybe you are new to beading or maybe you are just new to patterns. I know I learned how to do basic stitches before I ever figured out how to read a pattern. I remember my first few attempts at following a pattern. It didn't go well. I don't think it helped that I decided the first pattern I would try would be a large tapestry. Looking back I see now that it really wasn't the best choice for my first attempt. 

To save you that frustration, I'm going to walk you through how to read that pattern and get you started on peyote project.

This tutorial is for beaders that already know how to do even count peyote stitch. If you are looking for a basic peyote tutorial, please see my tutorial here. 

And if you are looking for some awesome patterns, just stop by my Etsy shop and check out all my patterns. I suggest a simple pen wrap or small bracelet to get started with. Something that won't be too overwhelming. Well, that's enough self promotion, let's get on to the tutorial. 

As always there is both a video and a written tutorial because I know that everyone learns a little bit different. If videos aren't your thing, just scroll down to see the written tutorial. 

Here is the little pattern we are going to follow today. Just a simple even count peyote project. I have used a different color for each row, this way you can visualize the word chart easier. 

Before we jump in, let's talk about the different ways a word chart can be written. There are two ways a word chart​ can start. The chart can combine both rows 1 and 2 together or the chart can start with just row 1 (this is done with a starter strip and we will talk more about starter strips in a later tutorial). Today we will focus on the word chart that combines both rows 1 and 2. 

Let's take a look at the word chart. This is how the word charts in my patterns look. They may look a little different with other designers patterns, but the way they are read is the same. 

Let's beak down all the parts.

Row Number is which row you are working on

The L and R are the direction you are working in. 

I normally ignore this on a pattern because this will depend on how you hold your beadwork when you are working. I tend to flip my beadwork so I'm always working right to left. 

Next are the real important parts of you pattern. The number of beads, which are show as a number within parentheses in my patterns. And The bead color, which is represented by an uppercase letter in my patterns. 

Different designers represent bead color in a variety of ways. They can be an uppercase letter, like in mine, or they can be represented by a symbol or number or something else. Each designer might do it a bit different.

So how do you know what the designer uses? That will be represented by a legend like the one above. It might have more or less information, but it will give you all the information you need to know about how the word chart, as well as the graph, works. 

So in our example today, you can see that pink is represented with the capital A and there are 3 beads, of that color, in this pattern. 

So looking back at our word chart, we can see that our first row (our combined row of one and two) are white (I) and blue (B). 

Row 1 is white
Row 2 is blue

Here is what it would look like on your thread. 

The red bead is our stop bead and then working left to right we strung one blue (B), one white (I), one blue (B), one white (I), one blue (B), and one white (I). 

Now we have our first two rows completed, so let's make sure to cross off rows 1&2 on your pattern so you don't loose your place. You can see how I keep my place while beading here. 

Now that we have row 1 and row 2 on our thread, we're going to start row 3. 

In our example row three is 3 yellow beads (represented by the letter J in our word chart). 

Now hold up, you say. I thought this was an even count pattern, why are there three beads in each one of these rows? The last time I checked 3 is an odd number. You made a mistake. 

I know this can be confusing, I know I was confused the first time I saw this. Think of each one of these rows as "half rows". The beads are going to go in-between the beads of the previous row, so we won't be adding the the full 6 beads in this example, we'll be added "half" of the row or 3 beads. 

You also want to keep in mind that though the patterns says (3) J, we won't be adding all three beads at one. If we did that, we would get a loop of bead at the end of our row. 

This is kind of the tricky part about reading a word chart. You have to wrap your head around the fact that you have to count out the beads as you add them and they don't all go together. 

If you have trouble thinking about this, or if you are working on a large complex piece, you can always lay out the row of beads before you start. That way you just have to pick them up in order and not keep track of them in your head. They even make amazing bead boards that hold your little beads in neat little rows for you. Like this one HERE. ​

This is how it will look once you add those three yellow beads. 

See how each row 3 bead (yellow beads) goes between the row 2 beads (blue beads). 

Word charts always mess with my head because you added rows one and two, but the first bead you add (a blue bead in this example) is row 2 not row 1 and you end with a row 1 bead (a white bead in this example). I always have to remind myself that my thread will come out of row 1 and I will be added row  3 on top of row 1 and in-between row 2. That half step up always throws me off. 

Okay, so now it's time to add our forth row, which will be 3 green beads (represented by F in this example). We will add them just like we did row three. 

Here is what it looks like when you've added the forth row (three green beads). 

​You would just continue adding rows this way until you get to the end of the pattern. 

And that is how you read an even count peyote word chart. 

The toughest part in my opinion is getting started with that combined first row. Once you get past that and get your third row added, it's pretty easy sailing. 

So what did you think? Was there something I missed? Did this help get you started on that new pattern you just picked up? Let me know below in the comments what you thought of this tutorial. ​

Is there a tutorial that you really want me to do? Let me know in the comments. I'd love to hear from you.

Looking for more beady tutorials?
​Even Count Flat Peyote Stitch - Click Here
Ladder Stitch - Click Here
Brick Stitch - Click Here
Square Stitch - Coming Soon
Two Drop Even Count Flat Peyote Stitch - Coming Soon
Odd Count Flat Peyote Stitch - Coming Soon
And many more!

​Other Helpful Goodies

​Want to know how I keep track of where I am in a pattern? Click here to read about my method for staying on track.

What are my favorite beads to use for peyote? I love me some Delica cylinder beads. There are a number of awesome choices HERE. 

What are my favorite needles? Check out these great Tulip needles. They are some of the best needles out there. Click HERE for more info

Holy cow, I haven't written an article since my birthday, I guess I took the month of May off for some reason. To be honest, May is pretty busy time for me personally. My birthday falls at the very end of April. And then it's my FIL's birthday. And then it's Mother's Day. And then it's my husbands birthday (this year was his fortieth). And then before I know it, it's Memorial Day. In all of that, is the start of the summer semester in the lab, which means all of our summer students start. The month of May is just nonstop for me. So of course I let the article writing slide. I know, not cool. But I'll be better, I promise. 

I am even working on some new tutorials, so keep an eye out for those! And if there is a tutorial you'd like to see, let me know in the comments.

But for now, I have some new exciting patterns to share with you! YAY!

So I have been working on a plethora of new patterns. And one of those new patterns are my new lighter covers. I have had quite a few requests for these, but I wasn't sure if it was something I wanted to do. But after a good friend requested one of my new maze design, I couldn't tell her no. 

So that was the first one I worked on. It was a fun pattern to make. I love making these mazes, so making this one was no different. And yes, that is a workable maze that has a start and a finish. 

And one of the greatest things about this type of pattern is that it is so much more versatile than just a lighter cover. You can use it on top of boxes. You can use it to make an amulet bag. You can frame it and display it on the wall. 

They are small enough that you can work one up in a day or two, so that give you that instant gratification that we all love (look, I love big projects, but I also love something I can make in a few hours). They are perfect for that person that is not into big jewelry, so a large cuff wouldn't work for them. Make them one of these beauties. 

And I'm making them in more and more designs, so there are plenty of styles to pick from. 

I am still working on some ideas to keep them from slipping on the lighter. I'm thinking about putting a row of beads or two on the inside at the bottom. That might work. And when I come up with my solution, I'll make sure to post a tutorial on how I did it. 

So what do you think of these new patterns? Love it. Hate it. Somewhere in between. I'd love to hear your opinion on this new venture of mine. Or maybe you have some pointers for me because you're an old pro at something like this. Go ahead and leave me a little comment below and let me know! 

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It's my birthday week and I'm celebrating with a sale! Every pattern in my shop is 30% off! Stock up on your favorites today! 

But hurry this sale is only good until Friday, April 30, 2021.

Want to get beady updates sent right to your inbox? Maybe you'd be interested in a 25% off coupon? Sign up for my email newsletter today and get all that and more! ​

I have been doing a bunch of tutorials over the last few weeks, so I thought we could mix it up a bit today. You can check out my tutorials HERE, HERE, and HERE if you are interested. But let's get back to the topic at hand. It is my birthday month, so I’ve been eyeing up Etsy and all it’s goodies. You know, for some super sneaky suggestions I’ll make to hubby (and by sneaky, I mean I’ll just show him what I want, haha). 

This article includes affiliate links from Etsy. That just means that I get a little fee if you click on the link or purchase something and no additional cost to you. That little fee helps me keep writing these articles. All my opinions are my own. I am featuring these products because I love them.

So what have I been longing over on Etsy? Oh so many things, but I had to narrow it down a bit. It was hard because there are so many amazing things on Etsy. So let’s take a look at my top faves right now.

Cute Origami T-rex Dinosaur Necklace - LertViZutte

​First off we have this adorable necklace. This little guy is on every list I make because I love him so much. I bought one for my friend when she finished her PhD, and she loved it. It was so well made and just a perfect little necklace. So I keep hinting that I would sure love one of these guys (especially with my love of SUE). Maybe I’ll just grab one for myself this year. I think I’m worth it. 

Loch Ness Monster necklace - DriftLand

​I also am really loving this guy. Oh my look at him. I would absolutely love this guy. First off I have this weird thing about glass. If something is glass, I must have it. The amount of glass things I own is obsurde, but I’m getting off topic here. Who wouldn’t love a little Nessy? That little face is adorable. This is definitely high up on my list of desires. 

All Natural Handmade Soap | Sunny Citrus - LaliloStudio

​Next I’ve been on the hunt for some amazing citrus soap. I bought some years ago and I loved how fresh it smelled, now I want to fill my showers with more of that. This soap looks like it would fit the bill. I’m all for a luxurios soap for relaxing in the tub (if that actually ever happens). I know this soap is very high up on my list of birthday wants. 

Sweet Sugar Skull statement earrings - Alternatyva

​I have also been pining over everything from this designer. I love everything they have in their shop. I really love the Sugar Skull earrings. They also have a matching ring, so you know, it would make a perfect set for someone’s birthday (hint, hint hubby). Everything in this shop is beautiful so everything would make an amazing gift. 

Bead tray organizer in bead mat - BijouDeRe

​I, of course, have some beaders goodies on my list. I’m always looking for a good bead organizer. I have quite a few and I love them all. Aaaand they are all full because I always have a million projects going. This organizer looks great. It has a lot of little sections for those super colorful projects and I love that each section is labeled with a letter so you never forget what color is what. This is very high up on my list. 

Nightmare Before Christmas Peyote Star Pattern - Digital Download - Hookintothebeat

​I also have an absolutely amazing pattern on my list. Look at this very cool Nightmare Before Christmas beaded star! I love NBC and I love beading, so it’s a perfect match. I have both of the SW patterns from this great designer and they are really fantastic. So I know this one will be just as amazing. 

​So those are my top birthday picks. All amazing and would all make great gifts for anyone you know that’s special to you (I wonder if my husbands even reads my blog? He should.). What are some of your favorites on Etsy? I’d love to see what you are pining over. Leave a comment below with your favorites. 

Want to get beady updates sent right to your inbox? Maybe you'd be interested in a 25% off coupon? Sign up for my email newsletter today and get all that and more! ​

I have started making tutorial videos and instructions for different bead stitches. A few weeks ago, I went over Even Count Peyote Stitch and if you're interested, you can see it here. And then last week I went over Ladder Stitch. This week we are going to go over brick stitch. So if you've ever wanted to learn how to do brick stitch, check it out below. 

This article includes affiliate links from Etsy. That just means that I get a little fee if you click on the link or purchase something and no additional cost to you. That little fee helps me keep writing these articles. All my opinions are my own. I am featuring these products because I love them. ​

Just like before, there is a video and written instructions, so however you like to learn, there is an option. 

This is only my third video, so it's not perfect, but I'm getting better with everyone that I do. I am also working on setting up a YouTube channel for my videos, so that should be a thing within the month. 

So let's get started!

When starting brick stitch, you need a good base. That base is made using ladder stitch, check out my last tutorial on how to create a good ladder stitch base here. 

As always, I'll be using these great melty beads (perler beads) so that you can see every step clearly. I'll also be using a large needle and some heavy duty thread. These are not only great for me to demonstrate different stitches to you, but they are great for people who are new to beading. So if you're worried about using those tiny little beads, that's okay, start with these and it will be smooth sailing.

Let's get started. First we'll thread our needle. For brick stitch, you do not need to use a stop bead. We are going to construction a bottom by weaving in and out of the beads. This will create a strong foundation for our beadwork. This is done by creating a row of Ladder Stitch. You can see the tutorial here. 

​In this example I used 5 beads for my ladder stitch base. See Photo 01

Once you have your first row of ladder stitch finished, we will start on row two. Row two is where we will start our brick stitch.

Pick up two beads for row two. In this example I used blue as my second row and these beads will be #6 and #7. See Photo 02

Move your beads up to the base row.  See Photo 03 

You are now going to take your needle and go UNDER the thread between beads #4 and #5. See Photo 04

Make sure to not go through your thread. This will weaken your thread and it will also make it very difficult to undo any beadwork (fingers crossed we don't ever have to do that). 

Pull the thread all the way through until beads #6 and #7 are snug up against your base row. 

Now to get your beads to sit snuggly in place, you want to go up through bead #7. Pull your thread tight and you are ready to add the next bead. See photo 05
​
You might notice that bead #6 will hang over the edge, that is what we want. This stitch will look like peyote turned on it's side. 

Each new row will be started using two beads like this.

Your thread will now becoming out of the top of bead #7 in the second row (blue in this example). See Photo 06

You are not ready to add the rest of row #2. The rest of the row will be added one bead at a time. 

Pick up one bead (this will be bead #8). See photo 07

You will now go through the thread between beads #3 and #4. See photo 08

Pull the thread tight and bead #8 should fall into place next to bead #7 

Bead Tip
Each bead added will be in-between the bead below it. This is why it is called Brick stitch because it looks like the alternating bricks in a brick wall. 

You will then go up through bead #8 to secure the bead in place. See photo 09

Pull your thread tight. You are now ready to add your next bead. 

Continue adding one bead at a time like above.

Pick up a bead, go through the thread between the bottom two beads, then go back up through the bead you just added. 

Continue this until you get to the end of your row. 

You will notice that when you get to the end of this row, your last bead (bead #10 in this example) will be indented a bit. This is what you want. Each row will be offset to one side compared to the one below it. 

To add the third row, it will be yellow in this example, you will pick up two beads again. See Photo 11

This is how you will start every new row, with two beads. Those beads will hang over the beadwork below it.

Go under the thread between beads #10 and #9. See photo 12

Pull your thread tight. 

When you pull your thread tight, your beads will line up next to each other. Bead #11 will hang over the row below it. 

Go up through bead #12 and pull your thread tight. See photo 13

Just like before, you will add the beads one at a time for the rest of the row. So pick up one bead. See photo 13

You will then go under the thread between bead #9 and bead #8. Pull the thread tight. Go back up through bead #13. Continue this method for each bead. 

The third row (yellow) will be offset from the second row (blue), but will line up with row number 1 (white). You can see clearly now why this stitch is called brick stitch. See photo 15

Continue adding rows like this until you get to your desired length. Each row will be offset from the one below it. It will look like peyote stitch on it's side. See photo 16

You can see how brick stitch compares to peyote stitch in photo 17 (peyote swatch is turned on it's side for comparison). 

Brick stitch is much more rigid than peyote stitch, so it is great for projects that need to hold their shape. 

So that is basic brick stitch. I use this stitch a lot for pendants, pins, and earrings because it is more rigid. I will be doing a tutorial on increasing/decreasing brick stitch at a later date. I will also be doing a tutorial on reading a pattern. So stay tuned for those! 

So what did you think of this tutorial. Leave me a comment below letting me know what you thought. Did I leave out something important? Should I explain something a bit more? Would you like more photos? I'd love to hear from you! 

This week I have a short and sweet tutorial for you. Today we'll be looking at Ladder Stitch. This is a simple basic stitch that is used as the base of many other stitches. It won't take long for you to learn and then you'll be ready to tackle stitches like brick and herringbone.

Here is the video tutorial. If you are not a fan of videos, the step by step instructions can be found below. Let's learn how to do ladder stitch.

So before we begin, we need to thread our needle. Make sure that you are using a comfortable length of thread for you.

You can read more about how to determine thread length in my flat even count peyote tutorial. Click HERE to read more.

For ladder stitch, we won't be needing a stop bead. So let's jump into the stitch basics.

Pick up two beads, see photo 02

Slide those beads down your thread until your have a comfortable tail length. You'll have two beads on your thread. See Photo 03

Go back up through the first bead in the direction of the string. So you will be making a loop with your thread. See photo 04

You will now have a loop of thread around your two beads. When you pull the thread taught, your beads will line up next to each other. This is the beginning of ladder stitch. See Photo 05

Then go back down through the second bead added. See Photo 06

This will reinforce the stitch and get you ready to add the next bead.

Pull the thread tight and your beads will snap together. See Photo 07

You are now ready to add your next bead.

Pick up ONE bead this time. Slide that bead next to bead #2. See photo 08

Then go back down the previous bead (bead #2). You will be making a loop and this will hold the next bead on. See photo 09

Pull your thread tight so bead #3 snaps in next to bead #2.

Go back up through bead #3. This will reinforce the stitch and get you ready to add the next bead. See Photo 10

Pick up one bead. Slide that bead close to your row of stitched beads. See photo 11

Go back up through the previous bead (bead #3). This will create a loop that will attach bead #4 to your beadwork. See Photo 12

Pull your thread tight to snap bead #4 in next to bead #3.

Then go back down through bead #4. This will reinforce your beadwork and get you ready to add your next bead. See photo 13

Continue adding beads this way until you get to your desired length. Your beads will line up next to each other forming a "ladder".

Here is diagram of the thread path in ladder stitch. You are basically making a loop each time you add a bead.

Now that you have a feel for ladder stitch you are ready for other stitches that use ladder stitch as a base, such as brick stitch and herringbone stitch.

I will be covering brick stitch in my next tutorial and flat herringbone after that. So stay tuned for more tutorials!

Even Count Flat Peyote Stitch - Click Here
Brick Stitch - Coming Soon
Herringbone Stitch - Coming Soon
Two Drop Even Count Flat Peyote Stitch - Coming Soon
Odd Count Flat Peyote Stitch - Coming Soon
And many more!

Other Helpful Goodies
Want to know how I keep track of where I am in a pattern? Click here to read about my method for staying on track.

What are my favorite beads to use for peyote? I love me some Delica cylinder beads. There are a number of awesome choices HERE. 

What are my favorite needles? Check out these great Tulip needles. They are some of the best needles out there. Click HERE for more info