Expert: Nanetta Bananto - 7/19/2008

Question
hy, i am making my boyfriend a "Billy Jack" hat and it has a beaded hat band.  i don't much about beading.  how should it go about it?  it is 11 beads thick and they are side by side.  any help, please, i have no idea how to go about this and i cant seem to find anything online that will help.  thankyou very much, Candi Clark

Answer
Dear Candi -

If you are new to beading, I suggest trying the peyote weave.  If the beads are side by side in the example you have seen, they are probably woven on a loom.  So it won't look exactly that way.  

Peyote weave takes no special equipment.  But the supplies are important.  I am assuming you are going to use seed beads.  

Get:
nymo beading thread size 00, #12 beading needle (I prefer John James, English beading needles), a lighter and Bead Heaven bead conditioner.  


Work with a doubled thread, begin with about 12" of thread.  

Follow the tutorial in the link.  These are great instructions. There is a bit of history and tabs for supplies and patterns.  

http://beadwork.about.com/library/weekly/aa071497.htm

Good Luck with your project.   Nanetta