Tutorial: Creating Tapered Ends (to Even Count Peyote)

Sometimes you may wish to use a clasp or find ing that is smaller than the width of your beadwork and you might not want a rectangular end.  This tutorial will show you how to taper your ends as shown in my St Piran's bracelet.In even count peyote, the taper will be slightly assymetrical.

In the diagram below, the thread exits the beadwork as shown by the pink thread.  The first bead to add is highlighted in yellow but in order to stitch to that bead, you need the thread to exit the bead highlighted red.

The turn resembles the figure of eight turn used in some methods of odd count peyote stitch.  Stitch into the red bead from the edge of the beadwork.  Stitch through beads to make the figure of eight as shown, but instead of stitching out of the bead highlighted green, stitch out through the bead highlighted in red so you don't finish the figure of eight. 

When you make a turn within your beadwork rather than at the edge, the thread sits between columns and can become trapped on the surface of your beadwork.  This is because it makes a little tiny kink when it makes a turn which is slightly thicker.  Make sure you pull it through completely.  If the tension is such that the thread is being gripped by the edges of the beads, you can bend your beadwork slightly along the length, between the columns.  It won't bend much but it doesn't need to in order to give you a little less resistance to pulling your thread through.

Now you can stitch through and add the yellow bead.

Add the rest of the row.

In order to add the bead now highlighted yellow, you need to do another turn.  The turn begins similar to the figure of eight but instead of coming back through three columns to the edge of the beadwork, come back two, make another turn then stitch through to add the first bead of the next row highlighted in yellow.

The reason I stitch as few columns together is that it can tightened the width of the beadwork as you go along.  It can be very tempting to go all the way to the edge every time and then zip along the tapered edge to add the next new bead at the start of a row.  This can result in a curling taper rather than a flat one.

I also like to go back into the beadwork for turns rather than keeping the thread near the end.  It anchors the taper throughout the beadwork so any pulling caused by the clasp is more evenly spread rather than just at one or two points.  

Add the new row until you reach the end of the taper.

Turn again to begin adding the next row. Exit the last bead added on the previous row and pick up the first bead of the next row highlighted yellow.

Stitch through to the tapered edge to complete the row.

From here, keep making turns in the same way, until you have reduced the width to the required point.  The diagram below shows a full taper which creates a triangular end.  The point will not sit centrally, it will be half a bead out.  The side that you began from (on the left of the diagrams), will be slightly longer.

Once the last bead has been added that you require, make the first turn between the columns then keep following the diagonal to the far edge of the beadwork.  You should exit the beadwork a few rows back from the tapered edge.  Turn into the row below and then finish your thread in your normal way.  It is best to begin an entirely new thread for adding any clasp.