Hoola Hoop Earrings in Circular Peyote Stitch

Some days ago, I wrote the tutorial on how to make hoola hoop with Peyote Stitch.  Since then, I have stolen snatches of time to play around with possibilities and variations.  Here are but some of the results.

Hoola Hoop Earrings in Circular Peyote Stitch

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Some of the variations I indulged in included changing the number of beads, the sizes, the number of rows, and the choice of top center beads.

Pic to right is a reminder of what the sample from the Hoola Hoop tutorial looked like.


For our main Hoola Hoop earrings here, I used different size beads as well as changed my choice of top center beads.

NOTE:
This is the first time I have twin beads in my possession.  I have always kind of wondered what I would do with double holed beads.  Here I have used them as part of the 'top center beads' so that later, I can utilize the top unused hole of the twin bead in finishing the hoola hoops for the joining to the earring findings.  I will talk more on this a little further down.

TIP:
The choice and "lenght" of your top center beads can significantly affect the final form of the outcome.

By "top center beads" - I mean all the beads that will NOT be involved with the circular peyote (which forms the 3D part of the hoop).


Since we have already done the tutorial, I will just show here some final pics of the handmade circular peyote stitch Hoola Hoop Earrings and later, maybe some results of what happens when you experiment with variations.

Use of the Twin Beads as part of the 'Top Center Beads'

For some reason, I have a dislike for using the simplest method - i.e. a string of small beads, to create a loop to finish off a jewelry piece.

Here I need a "loop" of some kind for me to attach the beaded hoola hoop to my earring wires.  Just threading a string of small beads to make the loop would be the easiest solution.  But for me, that always looks so "unfinished" and even a tat untidy.

So with the spare hole left on the twin beads, I have used two size 15/0 Miyukis and a swivel to create the connection I will need for the earwires.

The small swivels are also ideal for this pair of earrings because with this beading method, you end up no back or front as both sides are identical and just as pretty.

Circular Peyote Hoola Hoop Earrings

What I Did Differently from the Hoola Hoop Tutorial:

1. TIP:
   Instead of working side 1 (i.e. decease a bead per row), reaching the bottom center row (with largest bead) and then working the other side by going backwards (increase a bead per row till you come back to the first row and 'zip' up) - I worked Side 1 as normal and then when I got to the bottom center row (with the largest bead), I threaded my way back to the first row and then worked Side 2 exactly like Side 1 (joining the sides as each row is completed) and then 'zipped up' to the large bottom row. I found that much easier and resulted in threads that showed up less.
2. Instead of working the last bottom row in larger round beads, I used 5/0 Triangle beads which gives the row more feature and character.
3. The bead sizes I used were:
   foundation & row 1: size 11/0 (Peyote foundation row immediately constitutes 2 rows)
   Row 2: 11/0
   Row 3 & 4: 10/0
   Row 5 & 6: 8/0
   Row 7: 5/0 triangle beads
4. And of course I used a drop bead as part of the 'top center beads' to give the peyote stitch hoola hoops yet another possibility and look.

Variations to the Peyote Hoola Hoop and what happens to the structure

TIP:
When you vary the elements in the peyote hoola hoops, these things are worth keeping in mind:

• The top center beads must be long enough to get a roundish curve to the hoola hoop
• when using larger beads to create the hoola hoop, you will need more rows to create sufficient "depth" so that the hoola hoop can curve.

The photo to the right shows the result of having too short a length for the 'top center beads' and insufficient rows (depth).  The structure is not roundish.  Which by the way, is not a total loss if that is the shape you are going for.

In fact, the "mistake" produced some interesting possibilities.  Instead of trying to make it circular, I squeeze the tops together and found a structure that was pleasing and held potential to be kept in mind.

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Another Shape Possibility When Playing with the Hoola Hoop

This is what you can get when your 'center top beads' are extra long.  Not only is this a new structure but if you make make the 'center top beads' even longer, you can produce a whole range of possibilites by folding down that length of 'center top beads' - which will produce a double loop, ideal for string onto corded chains.  Just saying ....