Brickstitch and Peyote Parrot

Would you like to use two different bead weaving techniques? Christelle from Clapiottes et Loupiotte makes it possible.

First of all, here's the diagram to follow

Step 1:

This weave requires two weaving techniques: brick-stich and peyote.

Start with brickstitch along the line indicated by the black arrow in the diagram above.

Step 2:

Continue to the bird's beak.

Be careful to choose one right side and one wrong side of the work, and stick to them right to the end. Threads are always ironed into the obverse side of the work.

Exposed threads remain behind, and will be cut and (en)glued at the end of weaving, during assembly.

Step 3:

Take up a new thread and start again with brickstitch weaving to make the parrot's back and feathers, line by line, following the diagram.

You'll notice that the parrot's base is straight, and that you can easily thread a "missing" bead between each bead: this is the peyote weave.

Step 4:

To begin peyote weaving, first iron the thread into a few beads on the reverse side of the work and then begin peyote weaving, following the diagram.

Here's the result, after several rows

Step 5:

It so happens that, as in the previous photo, you have to put a last bead at the end of the row, but no bead to iron in. No problem! here are the intermediate steps to follow:

1. Thread your last bead,
2. Turn the work over,
3. iron the needle in a triangle so that the thread comes out through the last bead you've just threaded (nothing shows). You can continue weaving.

Here's a pictorial explanation of these three intermediate steps (when the parrot is upside down, you're on the reverse side of the work).

You can then reintegrate every other bead for peyote weaving.

Step 6:

A few rows later, you've continued with the lower body of the parrot.

An example of reduction: leave the bead alone and weave directly into the bead of the row below:

A few rows later, the result is as follows:

Step 7:

The peyote weave is finished.

Finish the parrot's tail (left side) with brickstitch, as this weaving method stiffens the work (peyote weaving is softer).

Using the brickstitch technique, weave your way up the tail to finish this side, leaving only the legs to finish.

Step 8:

For the paws: position yourself in the brown bead (you've previously ironed in a few beads with the thread) to finish the last 5 rows of the work with brickstitch.

Now that your weaving is complete, you can cut the few threads sticking out behind and glue.