Carrier Bead Bracelet — Beading PDF Tutorial | Odd Count Peyote & Carrier Beads

Glass carrier beads wrapped in miniature peyote — a bracelet that's textural, bold, and completely your own.

Carrier beads are the star here — chunky two-hole glass beads that become tiny wearable canvases once you wrap them in odd-count peyote. Each bead gets its own beaded jacket using Delicas in three colours, then they're strung together with 5mm pearls into a bracelet with real presence. The pattern works for both large and small carrier beads, includes 10 predefined colour patterns to get you started, and gives you two closure options: a toggle loop or a peyote strap with press stud. It's the kind of project that rewards you for raiding your bead stash.

This 10-page PDF includes full step-by-step instructions for beading and stringing carrier beads, plus graphs and predefined patterns for both small (5 columns × 17 rows) and large (7 columns × 20 rows) carrier beads. Two closure options are fully explained with photos.

Bead list (large carrier beads): 7–10 large glass carrier beads, 1–2g Delica beads in 3 colours, 1g size 15 seed beads, 18–24 × 5mm glass pearls or round beads.
Bead list (small carrier beads): 10–14 small glass carrier beads, 1–2g Delica beads in 3 colours, 1g size 15 seed beads, 24–30 × 5mm glass pearls or round beads.

Skill level: Intermediate — some prior knowledge of peyote stitch and stringing required.
Techniques: Odd-count peyote, carrier bead wrapping, stringing, toggle and loop closure, peyote strap.

On A String is a small Australian beading business created by Paula — a beader, teacher, and maker who believes the craft is better when it's shared. Every tool is designed from the beading table. Every tutorial is written from experience.