Stars Upon Thars

Circular Peyote Hexagon Stars by Jeri Riggs

Lately I’ve been enamored of beadwork again, and decided to design an interlocking star pendant, about the size of a US nickel, inspired by my niece’s upcoming Bat Mitzvah, and coinciding with the 75^th anniversary of liberation of Auschwitz, Holocaust Remembrance Day. May we Never Forget….

Star #1: Double Interwoven Star.

This star is created by the technique of flat circular peyote stitch, and begins in the center with 3 beads. Then beads are added in rounds, and the corners are formed by adding 2, 1, or 0 beads on subsequent rounds. Adding 2 beads in a space I call a “double”. On the following round, you come out between the double beads to add the single bead on top. The next round, you pass through the single bead . Otherwise beads are added one at a time.  I create two stars (one with 11 rounds and one with 10 rounds) and sew them together at the edges to make one pendant. You can attach a jump ring to make it a pendant, or make a bunch of them for a bracelet or necklace.

Materials: fireline beading thread, Delica beads.  size 12 sharps ( beading needles).

First half:

A=purple  beads, DBi35 (3 beads)

B=Aqua Db658  ( 12 beads )

C=Royal Ab, Db 165 (51 beads)

D= Red Db 602 ( 51 beads)

E=Gold Db 31 ( 54 beads)

Round 1: String 3A in a circle, and pass thru a second time. Tie securely.

Working counterclockwise, and going up 2 beads at the end of each round work:

Round 2: Add 6 beads in the round:  (Double B in next space), 3x

Round 3: Add 6 B in the round, one at a time.

Round 4: Add 12 beads in the round, (alternating Double C, Double D) 3x.

Round 5: Add 12 beads, one at a time: ( C,C,D,D,) three times. Note you will come out of the middle of a color C double from the row below, so add same color at tip, and same color in next valley.

Round 6: Add 12: (C,C,D,D) 3x

Round 7: Add 18 beads:[ (C double C ) (D,double D) ] 3 times. The doubles sit above previous doubles on round 4.

Round 8: Add18: ( C,C,C, then D,D,D,) 3 times

Round 9: Add 18: ( C,C, E, D,D,E) 3x

Round 10 Add 24: ( double C,E,E , Double D, E, E ) 3x

Round 11: Add 24 [( C, E, E,E ) ( D,E,E,E) ] 3x.

Make another disc up to round 10, the weave them together so the edges line up and the single color beads from round 11 are shared between both sides. This interlocks nicely as peyote stitch alternates high and low beads on the straight sides of the hexagons.

 You can, of course, use different colors for different effects! Beads are difficult to photograph....