Building A Beaded Bezel: Page 1

Supply List

For the bezel shown , Delica beads were used for the main part of the bezel & size 15 Japanese seed beads for shaping.
There are several beading threads in my supply stash! Silamide was used for this bezel. Other good choices include Fireline 6 lb test, Power Pro 10 lb test & SoNo.
You will need something to put your beads in (or on)! A ceramic watercolor dish is shown & is a good choice. A small piece of Vellux blanket makes a great surface to work from also.
Beading needles
Sharp scissors

There are severa; methods for building a beaded bezel around a cabochon. This is the method I prefer, especially with a freeform cab.

This beaded bezel woven in flat peyote consists of five rows of Delicas (2 black, 2 purple & 1 blue); lus 3 rows of size 15 seed beads (2 rows of turquoise & 1 row of chartreuse. The size 15 seed beads draw in the bezel to hold the cabochon in place.

The traditional method for starting peyote uses a 3 row base. The method used here uses a 4 row base, wich helps prevent the twisting that is a problem with the traditional method.

The illustration above shows a section of the 4 row base. Another advantage of using this starting method for peyote is that you don't need to know the length. Just keep adding beads until your strip is long enough to fit around the bezel.

Fig. 1: Place a stopper bead about 6 inches from the end of a 1 1/2 to 2 yard length of beading thread. Pick up beads 1, 2 & 3; then needle back through bead 1 again.

Fig. 2: Pick up beads 4 & 5; then needle back through beads 1,2 & 3 as shown.

Fig. 3: Pick up bead 6 (the first bead of row four) & needle through bead 4.

Fig. 4: Pick up beads 7, 8 & 9. Needle back through beads 7, 5 & 4 as shown.

Fig. 5: Pick up bead 10 & needle through bead 8 again as shown.

Fig. 6: Continue adding 3 beads at a time (1 bead of rows one, two & three) followed by a bead of row four as shown until the strip will fit snugly around the cabochon.

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