Folded leaf earrings are an elegant jewellery style which combines a traditional beading technique with modern design. We used the classic Peyote stich to make these earrings - a beading technique we have presented in a number of Smyks blog posts because it offers a so many options to shape beads into complex patterns and figures. In the following blog post, you will learn step by step how to make these beautiful leaf-like pendants, which can be used as jewellery pendants for earrings and necklaces, as well as window decorations and Christmas tree ornaments.
Peyote Folded Leaf in Blue and Gold
We used the following jewellery components to make these earrings:
Delica beads, size #11, gold-plated
2 closed jumprings, 4mm, gold-plasted sterling silver
1 pair of earwires with spiral and ball, gold-plated sterling silver
FireLine, 6LB, black, approx. 2x2m
Cut approx. 2m FireLine to size. String a bead in a different colour (this is the stop bead, it will be removed later on) ... and sew back through the bead in order to form a loop. Tighten the thread. The thread end should be approx. 10cm long.
String 8 blue and 8 golden beads.
Sew back through all the blue beads (in order to form a loop) ...
... then through all the golden beads...
... and after that through the first 2 blue beads again.
String 1 blue bead ... skip one bead and sew through the next one.
Repeat these steps: String 1 bead ... skip one bead ... and sew through the next one.
Reapeat these steps one more time.
Now you string 1 blue and 1 golden bead ... and sew through the first golden bead.
String 1 golden bead ... skip one bead ... and sew through the next one.
Sew on the next golden bead in the same way.
Repeat these steps.
Sew through 2 blue beads (see picture). Every time you have finished one round, you sew through 2 beads in order to prepare the following round.
String 1 blue bead ... skip one bead (the one placed further down)... and sew through the next blue bead.
The next blue bead is sewn on in the same way. Fill out all the "gaps" with 1 bead.
Repeat ...
String 1 blue and 1 golden bead ... and sew through the next bead (a golden one).
Sew on a golden bead in the same way.
Repeat ...
Repeat one more time ...
Sew through 2 blue beads (see picture). Now you start a new round.
Tighten the thread so your piece of needlework folds in on itself. Now you have a blue and a golden side. Continue filling the "gaps" with 1 bead each. On each side you add 3 beads in total.
String 2 beads at a time (a blue and a golden one) at the top ... and sew through 2 beats at the bottom every time you start a new round.
Continue like this until you have sewn 13 rounds.
Now you change direction. Sew through the next 2 beads ...
... and continue through the rest of the beads ... so the thread comes out of the blue bead at the top.
Sew through the golden bead beside of it.
Add 3 golden beads (see picture).
String 1 golden and 1 blue bead ... and sew through the blue bead on the opposite side ... and sew back (see picture).
Add the next 3 blue beads...
... and sew through the first 2 golden beads. This is the start of a new round.
Sew on the next 3 golden beads. String 2 beads and sew through the blue bead beside the golden bead the thread is coming out of.
Sew on the next 3 blue beads ... and continue through the 2 golden beads on the opposite side to prepare the next round.
Now, the the rows of beads start to form a V.
Continue sewing until you have finished 27 rounds.
This is how the blue side of your piece of needlework looks like.
Now you change direction again. Sew through all the golden beads ...
... so the thread comes out of the last golden bead.
The you sew through the blue bead next to it. 
This is now the top of the pendant ... which means that you add 2 beads at this end in each round. In this way, you change direction.
Sew 14 rounds. After that, the blue side of your piece of needlework looks like this ...
... and the golden side looks like this.
Twist your piece of work so it is shaped as in the picture. Now you sew the two sides together.
Sew through the first blue bead on the opposite side (see picture).
Then you sew through the 2. bead which sticks out on the other side.
The two sides fit together, like a zipper that is zipped.
(Close-up of the same picture).
Continue sewing the blue sides together by sewing alternately through 1 bead on one side and 1 bead on the other side (the beads which stick out. Now the blue side is sewn together and the thread comes out of a blue bead at the edge.
Turn your piece of needlework ... and sew through the golden bead placed directly opposite. Now you sew the golden side together in the same way.
Remove the stop bead. The two thread ends are now coming out of the same bead. Sew up the thread ends (by sewing through random beads) ... and cut off the excess thread.
You can fasten a closed ring at the top of the pendant ... either with a new thead or while you are sewing the pendant.
Peyote Folded Leaf - small version
We used the following components to make this earring:
Delica beads, size #11, curry iridescent
Delica beads, size #11, gold-plated
2 closed jumprings, 4mm, gold-plasted sterling silver
1 pair of earwires with spiral and ball, gold-plated sterling silver
FireLine, 6LB, black, approx. 2x2m
The sewing technique is the same as in the first example. But this version of the leaf is slightly shorter and narrower.
In this example, we start differently - without a stop bead.
String 4 beads ... 2 curry yellow and 2 golden ones ... and tie a double knot. The thread end should be approx, 8cm long.
Tighten the thread ... and sew through the 2 curry yellow beads.
String 4 curry yellow beads + 4 golden beads ... and sew through the 2 yellow beads (see picture).
String 1 golden + 1 curry yellow bead ... and sew through the curry yellow bead next to it.
Sew 2 curry yellow beads on... Skip the next 2 beads and pass the needle through the next golden bead (see picture).
Sew on 2 golden beads and finish the round by sewing through the last 2 golden beads.
One more time ... sew on 2 more beads ... in the same way as in the first example.
Sew on 2 new curry yellow beads. Then you pass the needle through the golden bead directly opposite. Continue in the same way.
The first part consists of 9 rounds... 19 rounds... 10 rounds (see picture).
It is sewn together as described in the first example. Finally, you sew up the thread ends.
Peyote Folded Leaf - small version
We used the following components to make this earring:
Delica beads, size #11, dark khaki
Delica beads, size #11, dark olive
2 closed jumprings, 4mm, gold-plasted sterling silver
1 pair of earwires with spiral and ball, gold-plated sterling silver
FireLine, 6LB, black, approx. 2x2m
This version is the same size as example 2. The sewing process is the same as well.
We will publicly show your name and comment on this website. Your email is to ensure that the author of this post can get back to you. We promise to keep your data safe and secure.