What is PWAT?

PWAT is an acronym for the hottest new stitch this year, Peyote With a Twist.

Created by Gerlinde Lenz, this stitch can be mistaken for a tubular or zipped peyote, but with closer inspection you will see that unlike the horizontal placement of the beads in tubular, PWAT creates a diagonal line of beads around the tube.  The result is a softer and flexible rope, but with enough structure to hold its shape nicely, making it comfortable to wear and more suitable for necklaces.

It does look like a crochet, but it’s WAY easier and so much more fun. You start with a rectangular patch of peyote, then bring the diagonal corners together.  Imagine the end of penne pasta- it looks like that!  Once they are in place, you stitch back and forth on a diagonal, creating a beautiful striped effect.

You can start with a simple diagonal line or stripe in size 8s while you are learning, then advance to more complicated patterns and smaller beads.

Rounded seed beads, or rocailles, are recommended for this as a cylindrical bead, such as a Delica, will result in a less flexible tube.  especially if you have good tension.  Some people use a nylon tube to bead around, but I found in my playing around that a pencil or pen is a good base to help you while working.  You may not even need anything at all if you are a somewhat experienced beader.

Gerlinde Lenz has created a Facebook page for this stitch called Peyote With a Twist- Not Crochet which I would highly recommend joining.  It is a busy page with lots of photo shares and links to various free and for sale patterns.  It is also a great place to ask advice and tips while you are starting out.

In the coming weeks we will be creating a video for the basic stripe using 8s, and of course, it will be a Candy Cane inspired necklace for the holiday season!  We can’t wait to show you how easy and fun this stitch is. Make sure you are following our YouTube channel to bead along with us. In the meantime, have a think about what 3 colors you would like to use in your piece.

(Originally published November 13, 2018)