Materials: Size 11º Japanese cylinder beads (Delicas) - four colors (A, B, C and D) Beading needle and thread Large hole bead or hanger (optional) This master diagram (left) shows the bead sequence for one full square of eight rounds. The diagram to the right shows what each point of the star will look like worked from the master diagram. On the diagram, color A = red, B = green, C = yellow, and D = blue. Round 1 - Cut one yard of thread and thread a beading needle. Pick up four color A Delicas and tie the thread in a circle, leaving about a 4-5" tail. Pass the needle forward through one Delica. [A,A,A,A] Round 2 - *Pick up two color A Delicas and pass through the next Delica. Pick up two color B Delicas and pass through the next Delica. Repeat from * once. On the last repeat, pass the needle through the last Round 1 Delica and the first Round 2 Delica to "step up" for the next round. [AA,BB,repeat] Round 3 - *Pick up two color A Delicas and pass through the next Delica. Pick up one color B Delica and pass through the next Delica. Pick up two color C Delicas and pass through the next Delica. Pick up one color B Delica and pass through the next Delica. Repeat from * once. Make sure you get the color B Delicas in their places. The Delicas from Round 2 will tilt together and make this space look too small for a bead. On the last repeat, "step up" through two Delicas. [AA,B,CC,B,repeat] Round 4 - *Pick up two color A Delicas and pass through the next Delica. Pick up one color B Delica and pass through the next Delica. Pick up one color C Delica and pass through the next Delica. Pick up two color D Delicas and pass through the next Delica. Pick up one color C Delica and pass through the next Delica. Pick up one color B Delica and pass through the next Delica. Repeat from * once and "step up". [AA,B,C,DD,C,B, repeat]
Round 5-8 - Continue working rounds of peyote according to the chart. For each round, you will add two Delicas in each corner space and work normal peyote across each side. The corners of your square will twist up and down. Here are the color sequences: Round 5 - *2A, B, C, D, 2A, D, C, B, Repeat from * Round 6 - *2A, B, C, D, A, 2A, A, D, C, B, Repeat from * Round 7 - *2A, B, C, D, A, B, 2A, B, A, D, C, B, Repeat from * Round 8 - *2A, B, C, D, A, B, B, 2A, B, B, A, D, C, B, Repeat from * When you have completed Round 8, end off your thread. Second Square - Work a second square the same way you worked the first one, but stop after you "step up" at the end of Round 7. Do not end off your thread! Join it to the first square as follows. Line up the two squares so that the patterns line up as shown in the photo. If necessary, you can push the corners of your square so that it folds in the correct direction. Pass the needle up through one point bead of the first square and down through the next point bead, then pass it down through the next point bead on the second square. (See photo.) Turn and zip the two squares together by passing back and forth from one to the other along the matched edges. When you get to the end, pass through the corner bead on the first square, pick up one color A Delica, then pass through the next corner bead on the second square. Continue working Round 8 around the next two sides of the second square. As you turn the corner to join the final two sides, pick up one color A Delica (to complete the third side) and pass up through a corner bead of the first square. Zip the two squares along this last seam as before, ending at the point. Continue the thread over the point and end off in the peyote stitches.
Third and Fourth Squares - Work the third and fourth squares just as you did the second one, and join them to the star in the same way. Fifth Square - Work a fifth square through Round 7. Join it to the fourth and first squares by zipping the peyote together on all four edges. You will not add any beads in this joining round. At the end of the joining round, you may want to sew a large hole bead or hanger to the point before you end off your beading thread. If you use a large hole bead, you can use a jump ring to attach it to a finding or hang it with an ornament hanger wire. Options - You can make a larger or smaller star by working more or fewer rounds. Just remember that the first square is worked with all of the rounds, then work the other squares one round smaller and use the final round to join. A pair of small stars (four or five rounds) would make a nice pair of earrings. If you make a sixpointed star, it will be flat. A four-pointed star will be quite three-dimensional. Play around with patterns and colors--have fun! Here are a few variations I've done.
The following templates are provided to help you with color and pattern choices. Get out your markers, crayons or colored pencils and see what you can come up with! You may copy this page for your personal use only. You may not distribute this page or copy it for any other use.
Bucky Star You will need the instructions to work the following design. Use the square chart to work your squares, and the smaller diamond-shaped chart to help you align the squares to assemble the star. Materials: Size 11º Japanese cylinder beads (Delicas) - three colors (A, B, and C) Beading needle and thread Large hole bead or hanger (optional) This master diagram (left) shows the bead sequence for one full square of six rounds. The diagram to the right shows what each point of the star will look like worked from the master diagram. On the diagram, color A = red, B = green, and C = yellow. Step 1 - Follow the instructions for to work a square of six rounds following the chart above. Step 2 - Work a second square through the first five rounds. Join to the first square as follows. Line up the two squares as shown in the first photo. The complete square (six rounds) is on the left and the second square (five rounds) is on the right. Make sure they are lined up with the working thread on the second square coming out of the top right bead as shown in the first photo. Pick up one A and pass the needle down through the top right corner bead of the first square. Now work back and forth between the squares to join along just one edge. Add new beads to complete the three remaining sides of the second square as described in the instructions. End off your thread.
Bucky Star Round 3 - Work a third square through the first five rounds. Join to the first and second squares as follows. Position the squares as shown in the first photo. Pass the thread up through the top corner bead of the first square and down through the top corner bead of the second square as shown. Work back and forth to join the second and third squares, add new beads along two sides of the third square, and continue around to join the last side of the third square to the first square. You now have one completed point of the star that is made up of three connected squares. It should look like this photo. Remaining Squares - Continue making new squares and joining them together so that you have three squares for each point and five squares for each "face" of the star. You will need a total of thirty squares. Here are a few "in progress" photos to help you stay on track. Fourth square added Second point formed Five points formed (five squares) Joining the last square may be a little challenging because you have to work down into an indentation and back up to a point. Just work slowly and patiently. I find a short size #10 needle works best for this step. It is stiff enough to push around the beads and short enough to make the turns less difficult. Options - As with, you can make a larger or smaller star by working more or fewer rounds. If your star is not stiff enough, stuff it with batting or felt before you attach the last square. You can sew a large hole bead to one point and use that to attach a hanging loop. If you are really daring, you can experiment with different numbers of points to see what other fantastic shapes you can come up with!
Patterns You will need the instructions to work the following designs. Use the square charts to work your squares, and the smaller diamond-shaped charts to help you align the squares to assemble the star. Rnd 1 - D, D, D, D Rnd 2-2D, Repeat around Rnd 3-2C, C, Repeat around Rnd 4-2C, C, C, Repeat around Rnd 5-2B, B, B, B, Repeat around Rnd 6-2B, B, B, B, B, Repeat around Rnd 7-2A, A, A, A, A, A, Repeat around Rnd 8-2A, A, A, A, A, A, A, Repeat around Rnd 1 - A, A, A, A Rnd 2-2A, Repeat around Rnd 3-2A, B, Repeat around Rnd 4-2A, B, B, Repeat around Rnd 5-2A, B, C, B, Repeat around Rnd 6-2A, B, C, C, B, Repeat around Rnd 7-2A, B, C, D, C, BRepeat around Rnd 8-2A, B, C, D, D, C, B, Repeat around Rnd 1 - A, A, A, A Rnd 2-2B, 2A, Repeat Rnd 3-2C, B, 2A, B, Repeat Rnd 4-2D, C, B, 2A, B, C, Repeat Rnd 5-2A, D, C, B, 2A, B, C, D, Repeat Rnd 6-2B, A, D, C, B, 2A, B, C, D, A, Repeat Rnd 7-2C, B, A, D, C, B, 2A, B, C, D, A, B, Repeat Rnd 8-2C, C, B, A, D, C, B, 2A, B, C, D, A, B, C, Repeat Juniper Creek Designs for sale to benefit a charitable organization. You may not make copies of these
Patterns Rnd 1 - A, A, A, A Rnd 2 - AB, Repeat around Rnd 3 - AC, B, Repeat around Rnd 4 - AD, C, B, Repeat around Rnd 5 - AD, D, C, B, Repeat around Rnd 6 - AC, D, D, C, B, Repeat around Rnd 7 - AB, C, D, D, C, B, Repeat around Rnd 8-2A, B, C, D, D, C, B, Repeat around Rnd 1 - A, A, A, A Rnd 2 - AA, BA, Repeat Rnd 3 - AA, B, BA, B, Repeat Rnd 4 - AA, B, A, BA, B, B, Repeat Rnd 5 - AA, B, A, A, BA, B, A, B, Repeat Rnd 6 - AA, B, A, B, A, BA, B, A, A, B, Repeat Rnd 7 - AA, A, A, B, B, A, BA, A, A, B, A, A, Repeat Rnd 8 - AA, A, B, A, A, B, A, BB, A, B, A, A, B, A, Repeat Rnd 1 - B, B, B, B Rnd 2-2B, Repeat around Rnd 3-2B, C, Repeat around Rnd 4-2B, C, C, Repeat around Rnd 5-2A, B, C, B, Repeat around Rnd 6-2A, A, B, B, A, Repeat around Rnd 7-2A, D, A, B, A, D, Repeat around Rnd 8-2A, D, D, A, A, D, DRepeat around Juniper Creek Designs for sale to benefit a charitable organization. You may not make copies of these