Circular Chevron Stitch Tutorial

(Please click on the images on the left for larger views.)

It's easiest to learn this stitch if you use three distinct colors of beads. After a little practice, you can try adding or subtracting colors and using different color combinations. You can also alter the degree of laceyness by adding or subtracting beads in each round.

The example beadwork in this tutorial is stitched with size 11/0 Miyuki round seed beads in the following colors:

• Opaque chartreuse, 11-0416 (A)
• Opaque green, 11-0411 (B)
• Opaque mauve, 11-0410 (C)

After preparing your needle and thread, pick up 6A and slide them to about eight inches from the end of the thread.  Use a square knot to tie these beads into a ring. Pass through the first A again and pull the thread taut.

Perform the following steps to stitch the first "outer loop" in the first round of circular chevron stitch:

• Pick up 4B, 2C, 1A, 2C, and 3B, and slide them down against the center ring.

• Pass back through the first B and through the next A in the ring, and pull the thread taut.

Now stitch the first "inner loop," which is a shorter strand of beads that connects to the first outer loop: Pick up 3B, pass through the fifth B that you picked up in the outer loop, and pull the thread taut.

Begin the next outer loop by picking up 2C, 1A, 2C, and 3B. Pass back through the first B that you picked up in the previous inner loop, and through the next A in the center ring. Pull the thread taut.

Complete the second inner loop in the first round by picking up 3B and passing back through the outermost B in the previous outer loop, as shown.

Continue stitching outer and inner loops around the entire center ring of beads, until you reach the place for the very last outer and inner loops. (Note that because there are six beads in the center ring, you will have a final total of six outer loops; if you come up with a different number, go back and check your work for inadvertent increases or decreases.)

To stitch the last (sixth) outer loop, pick up 2C, 1A, and 2C, but do not pick up another 3B like you did in previous loops. Instead, pass down through the outermost B in the first outer loop in the round. Then, pick up 2B, and pass down through the first B in the previous inner loop, as shown. Pull the thread taut.

Some projects call for a single round of circular chevron stitch. When this is the case, you can stop and weave-in to end your thread.

If you want to stitch a second round, step-up by weaving through the beadwork. Use the path shown in the upper left diagram in the image on the left (please click to enlarge).

Pick up all of the beads for another outer loop, and pass through the first B that you picked up and through the next 2C in the previous round. Pull the thread taut.

To stitch the first inner loop in this round, use the same method that you used to stitch inner loops in the first round.

Pick up all of the beads for the next outer loop, and then pass back through the first B in the previous inner loop and through the next 2C in the previous round. Pull the thread taut.

Continue this process to stitch all but the last outer and inner loops in the second round. (For this round, your final total number of outer loops should be 12, because you stitched two pairs of loops on top of every single pair of loops in the first round.)

To complete the second round, use the same technique that you used to complete the first round (Step 6).

Most projects call for no more than two rounds of circular chevron stitch. If you stop here, weave-in to end your thread. If you'd like to add more rounds, step-up and continue adding evenly-spaced outer and inner loops, just as you did for the second round.

The example shown in Step 1 of this tutorial has three rounds. If you look closely, you may be able to see that the third round begins to slightly ruffle. If you were to add more rounds, you would need to experiment with subtracting a bead or two from future outer loops, at equal intervals, in order to keep the beadwork flat. Alternatively, you can add more extreme ruffles by increasing the number of beads in each outer loop.