COVER STORY

PEYOTE STITCH / RIGHT-ANGLE WEAVE / NETTING

Honeycomb
bangle
Reminiscent of a time gone by, this
elegant bangle uses simple techniques
for dramatic results
Whether wearing
a single bangle or designed by Cynthia Rutledge
several stacked, this
intricate design
will complement
any outfit.

© 2011 Kalmbach Publishing Co. This material may not be reproduced in any form
36 Bead&Button | www.BeadAndButton.com
without permission from the publisher. www.BeadAndButton.com
Peyote stitch provides a base for an easy transition to
netting, which creates the beautiful edges of this bangle.
Faceted glass rondelles fill the center and are held in place
with a path of seed beads worked in right-angle weave,
giving the top of the bangle the look of a honeycomb.
Carefully measure before you begin
stitching to ensure a proper fit. Cut a
1⁄2 x 81⁄2-in. (1.3 x 21.6 cm) strip of
cardstock. Wrap the strip around the
widest part of your hand, and make a
mark where it overlaps. Cut the strip
at the mark to make a bangle pattern.
stepbystep
Peyote base
[1] Thread a needle on each end of 2 yd.
(1.8 m) of conditioned thread (Basics,
p. 90). Pick up enough 110 cylinder
beads in a number divisible by four to
equal the length of your pattern, then
center them on the thread. My bracelet
began with 152 cylinders. With one
needle, work a row of flat even-count
peyote stitch (Basics) using cylinders
until you reach the first cylinder strung.
[2] Lay the peyote strip on the pattern,
and adjust the length as needed. To
remove cylinders, undo the last two
peyote stitches completed with one
needle, and remove four cylinders from
the other needle. To add cylinders, pick
up four cylinders with one needle, and
work two peyote stitches with the other.
[3] Tape the ends of the pattern together,
and slide it over your hand again to
double check the fit. Wrap the peyote
strip around the pattern. With each
needle, sew through the first three
beads to form a ring (figure 1). Alternat-
ing needles for each round, work four
rounds of tubular peyote stitch (Basics)
on each side of the ring for a total of 11
rounds. End both threads (Basics).
Netting
[1] Center 3 yd. (2.7 m) of thread in the
peyote base, so that both ends of the
thread are exiting an edge cylinder on
opposite sides of the base. Wind one
thread around a bobbin or piece of
cardboard to keep it out of the way
while you work.
materials
bangle 71⁄4 in. (18.4 cm) inside
circumference
• 34–42 6 x 9 mm faceted
rondelles
• 68–84 3 mm crystal or glass pearls
[2] Pick up three 150 seed beads, and • 4–7 g 110 cylinder beads
sew through the next three cylinders • 3–4 g 110 seed beads
(figure 2). Repeat to complete the round, • 4–5 g 150 seed beads
and step up through the first two 150s • beading thread, size D, conditioned
in the first stitch. with Thread Heaven or beeswax
[3] Work a round of netting (Basics) by • beading needles, #12
picking up a 150, a 3 mm pearl, and a • bobbin or cardboard
150 and sewing through the center 150 • cardstock
in the next stitch of the previous round • tape
(figure 3). Repeat to complete the round.
Retrace the thread path to reinforce this For the colors used in this project,
round, and step up through the first see our Resource Guide at
pearl. BeadAndButton.com/resources.
[4] Work a round of netting by picking
up three 110 seed beads and sewing
through the next pearl in the previous
round (figure 4). Repeat to complete the
round, and end the thread.
[5] Remove the bobbin or cardboard
from the other thread, making sure the FIGURE 1
netted stitches on this edge will corre-
spond to the netted stitches on the
opposite edge. If they don’t, sew
through the beadwork to exit a corre-
sponding edge cylinder, then repeat
steps 2–4.
[6] On 2 yd. (1.8 m) of doubled thread, FIGURE 2
pick up the same number of 6 x 9 mm
rondelles as the number of pearls along
one edge. Wrap the rondelles around the
bangle, and tie them into a ring with a
square knot (Basics). You may need to
leave a little slack between the beads,
making sure each rondelle is centered
between two pearls on each edge. Sew
through the ring of rondelles again,
tying half-hitch knots (Basics) as you FIGURE 3
go, then end the thread.
DESIGNER’S NOTE:
Depending on the manufacturer,
cylinder beads, seed beads,
and rondelles can vary in size.
Go to BeadAndButton.com/
resources for the brands used
in the bangles.
FIGURE 4
www.BeadAndButton.com | April 2011 37
 This bangle works up
b e easily thanks to Cynthia’s
expert planning.

f Rutledge
a d
c g
FIGURE 5
[7] Add 2 yd. (1.8 m) of thread (Basics)
along one edge, exiting three 110s added
in step 4. Pick up nine 150s, and sew
through the corresponding three 110s on
the opposite edge (figure 5, a–b). Repeat
(b–c). Sew through the next pearl and
three 110s along the edge (c–d).
[8] Pick up nine 150s, and sew through
the three corresponding 110s along the
opposite edge (d–e). Pick up two 150s,
and sew through the five center 150s
added in the previous step (e–f). Pick up
two 150s, and sew through the three
110s your thread exited at the start of
this step, the next pearl, and the next
three 110s along the edge (f–g).
[9] Repeat step 8 around the bangle,
until you reach the last stitch.
[10] Pick up two 150s, and sew through
the five center 150s added in the first
stitch. Pick up two 150s, and sew through
the three corresponding 110s along the
opposite edge. Pick up two 150s, and sew
through the five center 150s added in the
last stitch. Pick up two 150s, and sew
through the three 110s your thread exited
at the start of this step. End the thread. w
Cynthia
has been
sharing the
art of beading
for 18 years.
Her focus is using off-loom bead-
weaving stitches to create jewelry
designs that have a contemporary
yet timeless elegance. Cynthia
incorporates historical perspective
in most of her designs, transporting
the viewer to 14th–18th century
Europe and the Mediterranean.
She teaches around the U.S. and
internationally. Contact Cynthia at
(909) 338-0296, e-mail her at
info@cynthiarutledge.net, or visit
her website, cynthiarutledge.net to
view more of her designs.

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