The peyote stitch is one that combines beading with yarn and has many different variations. The type of peyote stitches are the even count flat peyote, odd count flat peyote, even count tubular peyote, odd count tubular peyote and flat round peyote. Many peyote stitch patterns are of African or Native American design. Due to their origin, many patterns that use the peyote stitch are of animals or other nature-based themes.

Because of the beading, peyote stitch patterns are most often used to create jewelry and items like small handbags, gloves, scarves and sweaters. Another item created by the peyote stitch are wonder beads or super beads, which are larger beads used in jewelry created out of several smaller peyote stitch patterns.

Peyote stitch patterns look similar to counted cross stitch patterns and use the same grid patterns. Many uncomplicated cross stitch patterns can be converted into peyote stitch patterns; however, due to the complex nature of using beads the patterns must be simple.

Many different craft books discuss the peyote stitch pattern. Bead & Button Magazine published "Best of Bead & Button Magazine: Peyote Stitch Beading Projects" that not only gives detailed instructions on the various stitches but also has 18 different jewelry patterns for lariats, necklaces and broaches. It also has many different versions of the wonder beads or what the book calls "beaded beads".

Various crafters have contributed projects using the peyote stitch to the book, "Beaded Pictures: Charts and Instructions for Beadweaving." The book has a wide variety of peyote stitch patterns and includes everything from animals and floral patterns to geometric patterns, seasonal items and even has patterns of different people.

Another craft book that might intrigue more advanced crafters and has many different beading projects is "Knitting with Beads: 35 Beautiful Sweaters, Scarves, Hats and Gloves." The book ranks the difficulty of a pattern and one pattern in the "challenging" category is a peyote stitch tunic. Another popular book, "Creative Cloth Doll Making" demonstrates how to use peyote stitch beading in combination with several other craft techniques. "Native American Beadwork: Projects and Techniques from the Southwest" is a must have book for anyone interested in crafts based on Native American traditions.

Let peyote stitch patterns open up a new world of creativity for you as you weave tradition into your modern life.