I'm fairly new to off-loom seed bead weaving and maybe that's it, but I spent five hours this past weekend, trying to make *one* petal of this rose and finally gave up!! I've done some odd count peyote, and some decreasing, but am not that experienced following patterns; maybe that's it. Mine kept coming out way too cupped, and uneven, and not at all like the picture! I kept trying over and over and just couldn't get it! It was hard for me to see how many decreases there were. Maybe it's for a more experienced beader? Any pointers would be appreciated!!! I love the pattern, and am currently obsessed with making thread and needle (as opposed to french-style wire) beaded roses. So far I'm using a  Russian netting technique to make mine, which are lovely, but I wanted to broaden my repertoire with this pattern. Many thanks! Jan

Don't give up on the rose petals. The petals do come out being cupped more than they appear in the photo. They are not flat at all. The trick to doing the decrease is to keep snugging up the thread to pull the beads together. Look at photo d in the story and you'll see how much the beads angle. Another trick is when you're looking at the illustrations, imagine the beads on either side of the space in the row laying right next to each other. You have to pull the beads together to make that space disappear. You also have to keep a fairly tight tension when you're stitching the petals.

You can also stitch each petal with an increase rather than a decrease. That is easier for some beaders. For example, look at the leaf illustration. You would start by picking up seven cylinders, stitching row three in peyote stitch and continuing for the next 12 rows adding cylinders to the edges. In row 13  you would add two beads in the middle of the row. In row 14 you would place a cylinder between the pair of beads you added in the previous row. Continue the peyote stitch and decrease at the edges of the rows.

Lynne Soto

Associate Editor

Bead&Button 

 Thanks! Have printed out your tips and will try again! Really appreciate your help: bless you! -- jan